VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Howdy All,
If you were looking for an excuse to visit Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) this is it. We're having a week long event including movies, free surf lessons, and a big party with prizes. It's been a surfing event in the past, but we're looking for smorgasboarders (kite, SUP, Windsurf) to come up and enjoy the wind and waves.
November 1 - 5th
More details to follow soon.
North Beach Surf Shop
Haida Gwaii

What kind of wind can you expect that time of year?

- Tony

It's prevailing SE, and it can be strong. Ideally it would be a soft offshore of 15kt (which is side-onshore for east beach) but you can pretty much be guaranteed it will be blowing. Last year was 25kt clean SE with a 5 foot swell, the year before it was 5kt variable with 12 foot swell. I would bet dollars to donuts it will be a SE wind, and it will be in the 15kt range. Good chance of getting a hurricane force if you stick around for a couple weeks and are into that sort of stuff...

http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/inside/

Maybe post some pictures for reference. My guess most people would have no idea what the beaches and waves look like up there...me included.

So glad to hear the wind is being used a bit more up there. I used to spend a lot of time on both Graham and Moresby working, and was always amazed at the wind. Never had gear with me. Northern Hecate has an AVERAGE, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year windspeed of 9.5 metres per second - nearly 20 knots. There are nearly endless opportunities for both wave sailing and sailing/kiting more sheltered venues.

Thanks guys. Be glad to show you the spots as we have 3 coasts to really launch/land at. As you've stated the wind blows all the time, sometimes we swear it blows north-southerly. Haida Gwaii is a beautiful spot for rippers and families and good spirit to boot. Summer is great with our prevaiing NW at 10kt, but the winter is the time for the adventurous with 40+ common on a weekly basis. Keep the posts and the stoke flowing.

This may be a great excuse for a roadtrip during the nasty months....inside & crossing ferry rides could be exciting maybe reboot the post two weeks prior to remind and we might get a road crew together

and please post some pictures, for those of us who've never been it'd be nice to get an idea of what the conditions/beaches look like.

Hi Guys and gals. Great to hear the feedback. Haida Gwaii is a very amazing place. Essentially there is east beach and north beach so you can have side/on with virtually every wind direction. My webpage is www.northbeachsurfshop.com I'm a small shop so don't expect bells and flaming logos or anything, but there is a few pics of what it looks like here. Kiting is relatively new to me, and to the islands, but there is a couple of guys here that have really taken to the sport. Conditions are fickle, but good when they're on. Good to have a full quiver as it can be 11kt for a couple days and this weekend is supposed to be 40+. I'm just watching at that speed. Our first real SE'er of the year. Cheers and stay tuned.

This would work! http://home.mhtv.ca/~northbeach/img59.jpg

I have a few of the area closer to Skidegate [edit: and some further north too] here
http://www.bigwavedave.ca/gallery/thumb ... ?album=155

Its generally a lot rockier here (edit; I added some North and East beach pics since I wrote this, so this only applies to some of the pics) than the pure sand monster beaches further north (i.e., North and East beaches), but clear parts are available (I just snapped some pics of the place we happened to be working). Skidegate channel between Moresby and Graham Island (Sandspit on the south shore, Queen Charlotte City and Skidegate on the north) has some great spots to sail - and there is loads of sand and shallow water around Sandspit. Both small - medium sized waves and super flatwater available, depending which side of the spit you go. There's likely to be wind here when North Beach is flat.

There's also Tasu Sound which gets Nitinat/Nimpkish type thermals in warm summer weather.

It's just too bad it is so expensive to get there! Even in offseason you are looking at a couple hundred and then some as a walk on!

Wintertime you can fly pacific coastal straight into Masset for $400 return out of Van, and a little more out of Vic. No issues with baggage either. The spots you guys all mentioned are bang on. The issue is access. You need a 4X4 to get to the spit, but there are some cool spots in virtually all directions you can get with short walks.

pacific coastal straight into Masset for $400 return

Don't think Pacific Coast will ship boards or 80lb quiver bags even if you really wanted to fly a turboprob through a winter pacific storm but if you did, are there 4x4 rentals on HG at Massett?

Hey KUS,
My buddy brought a 9' SUP, but told them before hand, and without charge! The flight is usually vacant that time of year. As for 4X4 rentals, you can get one, but they specifically write on the contract 'NO BEACH TRAVEL'. Which is due to the tide eating vehicles every year. National is up here and there is 'rustic rental' as well which have decent vehicles. And as an aside, if any kite schools are interested in running a clinic, I'd be happy to organize it. Be great to see people into the sport.