Vancouver island roadtrip

[smattiso]

I'm planning a road trip up Vancouver island kiting Squamish, Nitinat, tofino, etc. Anybody interested and/or have local beta?

[jason]

Merridy has been up to Nitinat a few times, try shooting her a PM.

Squamish is awesome, super steady wind, cold water, on when the sun is shining...but not on Vancouver island.

[juandesooka]

Canadian interloper here.

For VI info, this website is the best resource: http://www.bigwavedave.ca/
Each of the main spots is listed on the forecast page, tends to be Pred1 is more optimistic, Pred2 is more pessimistic. Assuming you're talking summer, the afternoon thermals are pretty dependable in Victoria (Cook St), Sooke (Gordons), Nitinat, and Squamish. Tofino is a crap shoot, just never know....bring a big kite if you have one! Port Alberni is an interesting thermal spot on the way to Tofino, launch from a dock the local kite association built. (expert only though, downwind has no easy out)

You can click on the Wiki for details on each sailing spot.

Nitinat is a good place to check out....super consistent wind, nice forest camping out in middle of nowhere. Logging road can be a bit rough. Windfest there July10-12, races and big kite party.

Feel free to email me if you want some info closer to the date juandesooka at gmail dot com

[jjoyce]

Search PS kite and it delivers!

I am planning a similar trip but later in the season (last 1-2 weeks of september)

are the thermal spots like Squamish & Nitinaht still windy then?

(I’d be going with wife & 18mo old toddler, so i think Nitinaht is probably off the list, unfortunately)

i was going to drive up from Seattle so my hope was that Squamish would still be going on at that time of year as I haven’t been there yet
wife & i had already discussed going all the way out to Tofino somewhat independently of the potential to kite there, though it seems like the wind is less predictable there

i also saw the posts on China Camp near Port Alberni and wondered if that was also only seasonal.

thanks for any pointers
j