Dead Island Windfoil Circumnavigation

I think I'm the first person to ever circumnavigate around Dead Island on a foil windsurf board. I'm pretty sure of it in fact, as I'm the only wind foiler I've ever seen in this area in the 3.5 years since foiling really started. I did do a loop around the island 6 years and 2 days ago on my BIC Techno windsurfer and 9 metre sail though.

What is even neater is the history and recent news about Dead Island. For centuries it was used by First Nations peoples as a burial ground. My parents told me the story handed down to them from their fishing guides in the 1950s and 60s, that the skeltons resting there were taken to Chicago for display at a world fair and then discarded. A sad but typical example of mistreatment by colonists. But in better news, recently those artifacts have been located and a plan is in place to repatriate the remains to the Dokis Band.

My route around Dead Island

Getting the right consistent wind without any risk of storms is a precondition for me to think about that trip far from shore. I also like to have a (working) SPOT GPS with me in case of any trouble. 

The wind was 15-20 knots from the SE. I took the 4.8m Idol on my Stingray 140 board and Slingshot 76 cm foil. I wasn't really thinking of doing the circumnavigation, as my first few runs in more wind than I normally foil in was a big nerve wracking. I could have been out windsurfing on a shortboard, the gusts were pretty solid.

After seeing my sister and niece enjoying the wind in their little sailboat, I started heading upwind on the foil. I actually completed my first 4 jibes perfectly, staying up on the foil the whole way round - a first to have a few back to back. After 25 minutes I hadn't even fallen in.

Nice conditions for sailing!

I headed up to buddy Scott's place and didn't see him. I did see a sailboat way upwind (south) of me, so I figured that was him and continued tacking upwind. By the time I got to the sailboat on the small craft route, I realized it was a pretty large tri-hull. I went past the boat in the small craft route and even said hi to the captain as I glided past silently.

Now I was pretty far upwind and a quick slog through the wind shadow and shoals at Keefer Island got me out to the DK4 marker. I was back up on the foil and I was on my way for a 3 km run to the south shore of Dead Island. Out there, the wind swells were and ocean like 1 to even 2 metres.

For the first time in my life I started feeling like Kai Lenny on that epic first video I saw 4 years ago. The swells out past Dead Island are like those I experienced during the HIHO events a dozen years ago. But when windsurfing downwind in those big swells it is always scary worrying about stuffing the nose of the board into the back of a wave. On the foil, you just ride the wave with the sail becoming fairly neutral. EPIC.

I considered going all the way out to the Bustards but one lull got me wondering if the wind would die. I didn't see DK2 and then decided to turn at the sight line turning buoy D62 and head back to the Dead Island channel. I stopped for a minute and sent a 2nd SPOT message saying I was OK and having fun, but it was the only one that was received.

That was a sweet bit of downwind. At the D57 marker a nice powerboat was coming out of Dores Run and slowed down to check out the guy on the foil.

I did the last 5 km run with just one drop off the foil during the Mann Island wind shadow. Overall 29.4 km in just under 2 hours. Max speed was a comfortable 28.4 km/h. Air was 22c, just wearing my old shorty and really comfortable. Nice way to end August.

Happy about getting back to the Launch Pad after going around Dead Island

Nice warm conditions and 20 knot max wind

Nada

Nothing, skunked. Oh well. The wind did come up for a half hour, but by the time I got out to the Launch Pad all there was was a glorious sky.

I puttered out and back, but never got on the foil. Oh well.

At least my daughter and niece got in a nice sail before the last rain squall came through.

So many firsts....

Wow, what a day. It wasn‘t even supposed to be 10 knots, but the wind jumped to 14-16 knots after lunch and my calendar was clear after a morning of calls and emails.

I had my first full - no tail touchdown, fully on the foil duck jibes and even a full foil normal jibe. Longest distance ever on the foil. First time this year up past buoy DK4. First time foiling near a thunderstorm. Longest foil session ever - almost 3 hours. First time being propelled foiling down waves with just my front hand on the mast. And first time for my friend John to see me foiling.

Pretty excited after 2.5 hours of foiling

I was actually trying to go around Dead Island, I‘ve only done one circumnavigation in August 2014. I just received a replacement Spot GPS signalling device, so I felt safe trying that again. I worked my way upwind passing the spot where I proposed to Jen (and sent a Spot message and drew an attempt at a heart with the GPS). I got to the Keefer island sight line and buoy DK4 but looking out past Dead island the thunderstorms were over the Pickerel river - not too far away. I bailed and started heading back, worrying about the wind dropping and having to slog 4.7 km back to the Launch Pad while a thunder storm loomed just 10 km away.

GPS trail upwind to Dead Island and then surfing back down the waves

My attempt to draw a heart with the GPS 

The storm looming. Even with a SW wind, it moves down slowly from the NW

For over an hour, the storm kept stalling as it got to the north shore of the Bay. So I kept foiling, visiting my friend Scott. Then back to the point of the Launch Pad to see Jen. I kept on foiling, and at one point could feel the thunder in my chest since it is so quiet moving on the foil. But Jen came out in the boat to say that the cells were definitely even more threatening looking on the most recent radar reports. 

Thanks Jen for the photos

So I called it a good afternoon and headed in - perfect timing, just as the wind dropped down under 12-14 knots and I could no longer get the 140 Stingray board with 76 cm Slingshot wing and 5.6 Idol sail up on the foil anymore.

I pulled out the drone which I‘ve just recently got working again and got some amazing photos of the Launch Pad and the storm. The wind backed to north and I was grateful not to be out past Dead Island! Then back home for a Baja Fog and my favourite dinner. What a day.

Playing with the drone

Captured a lightning strike from my drone video

Northwest wind at the Launch Pad

We did eventually get a little bit of rain

 

5 Beginners in 1 fantastic afternoon!

Today was the busiest day ever for lessons at the Launch Pad Windsurfing Academy. I had five young and eager kids who had never windsurfed before. Here is the highlight photo of Tiia, the youngest, but I think this blog post has more fun photos than some of my Maui posts!

Way to go Tiia

The weather was perfect, warm air, warm Southwest wind and sun, sun, sun. I started everyone on the simulator, with Amber up first...

The Launch Pad ready for lessons

Rare shot of me teaching

The kids listening!

Amber showing nice form

Next up was Jack then Tiia,

Tiia showing that she would be good on the water

After a quick break (and sorry, no simulator shot of Kaija) Cowen joined the lesson.

Double upwind tow

I towed Jack and Tiia upwind a bit on the seadoo. That was my first time ever doing a double tow and it worked pretty well. They both got underway. I had Jack on the 4.2 sail and the old Le Board, and Tiia was on the nice light Ken Winner designed sail from my now long retired windglider.

Jack heading out

Jack was doing well but I really needed to race with the SeaDoo to catch Tiia as she sailed all the way to shore on a single run! I helped her tack and she got going in the other direction, without falling in. She wouldn‘t be the only one to do that today, which is quite remarkable.

Tiia after her dry tack!

I towed her back upwind a bit and helped Jack get going in both directions.

Jack heading back

Everyone heading back to shore

Tiia getting back to the point

Kaija heading out - awesome form and control

Cowen heading out looking steady

All the way to shore...

And after a dry tack, smiling!

Yeah Cowen!

Finally it was Amber‘s turn. I put her on the 3.5 with the Viper 80. She said she was nervous, but didn‘t need to be!

Nice tennis save!

And back to shore!

What a great day - and such wonderful students. Inspiring the future of windsurfing. 

I’m glad the wind report was correct as the breeze was pretty light and steady for a perfect beginner day. Now time for a higher wind day for me!