First Columbia Beach Session of the Year

Just a quick little edit I made for Instagram with my GoPro and homemade mast mount, it’s good to be throwing loops again even if I’m not landing them like I used too. Hopefully I shoot a bunch more video this winter!

Storm Season Rolls into Vancouver Island in Full Effect

Storm season has rolled into Vancouver Island in full effect, cancelled ferries, power outages, rain and lots wind. All good news for us wind boarders. It might be in part due to my change in work status, but I’ve scored more amazing sessions this fall and winter then I did over the summer.

Columbia beach north of Parksville has delivered many days over the few weeks, and I even missed a few of them. And it’s been delivering some of the best and most challenging conditions I’ve seen, with nice waves, but 25-50 knot winds, making it difficult to nail jibes on the outside.

A local sailor know as “Dunkinguy” throws a port forward coming over the wave and lands on the lip in 40-45 knots.

There have also been the odd day here and there at a secret point break that can deliver world class down the line wavesailing a couple times a year. The best looking day was last Sunday, a forecast of 30 knots winds and 27 foot swell. Sadly the winds missed the south Island and only swell rolled in which made for some amazing double to triple overhead swell. Also on this day winds and swell hit Tofino in Full effect and two windsurfer from Vancouver, Ryan and Jen, scored big time. View the full gallery of the epic Tofino storm sailing here.

Lets hope this stormy trend continues, I could go for a weekly session at least!

September Update – A new Surfagon

Not much action through September, I’ve been busy working and winds haven’t been spectacular, scored one awesome day at Columbia Beach, North of Nanaimo.

The conditions were great in Columbia Beach, and I scored my first real waves on the Island. They weren’t big but had lots of power and moved quickly. It was a fun day as winds reached close to 40 knots.

In other big news, a new surf vehicle the 1984 VW Vanagon pictured above. It’s a work in progress and still yet to run, but should be great for trips to Nitnat and down the coast next summer, and hopefully Baja.

Hope for some more ridding in the coming months as winter storms bring strong winds.