For quite awhile, the Mosier launch was farther underwater than a lot of Bank of America mortgages. Finally, it has been bailed out by the dam operators.

Updated 5/31/2011 with images of Mosier.

The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north under the I-84 bridge

The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north east

The flooded Mosier launch site, looking north west

The West Marina Beach

The staff at Big Winds wants to make all of our friends aware of the unusual conditions we’re experiencing on the Columbia River this spring. The snow pack, cool temperatures and extensive rains have made the Columbia and its tributaries run at levels not seen since 1997. We want to convey a general “heads up” for those taking advantage of this dynamic and exciting situation. Many of the familiar landmarks, wave patterns and river currents have undergone a lot of change. We’re encouraging everyone to be extra-aware of their surroundings, double check the integrity of their gear and ensure that your cold water wetsuits are sufficient to sustain your body heat in case you find yourself in the water for a prolonged period.

The east end of the event site

Currently, the Spit and Mosier launch sites are submerged, as is the west Marina beach. You’ll also find a highly turbid river that can hide logs, deadheads and other debris just below the surface. We’re not saying, “don’t go”. We just want everyone to raise their level of awareness a few notches before ripping it up!

The spit, underwater

These conditions are forecast to last longer than usual, perhaps extending into July. We will provide updates here, on Facebook and on our main website as the conditions change. Also, feel free to call us for more information and advice at 888-509-4210.

Thanks!

The Big Winds Team

The world must be experiencing an epidemic of lost board syndrome, as there’s been a run on kiteboarding leashes for the last few weeks. We’re the first shop in Hood River to get these guys back in stock, which makes us pretty darn spankin’ proud. We’re now outfitted with the standard NSI Reel Leash, as well as their Heavy-Duty model. The burlier of the two features a reinforced acrylic backing, and a stainless steel eyelet that protects the reel opening.

If you must use a leash while kiteboarding, the reel leash is the only way to go. Standard surf leashes and coil leashes have a bad habit of “loading up” when you get kicked downwind, building up tension that’s finally released when you hit the water. Unfortunately, this sudden release of tension can cause your kiteboard to “slingshot” at you from behind, dealing massive amounts of damage.

The reel leash consists of a spool of webbing that unwinds as you fly through the air, and gently winds your board back up when you land back in the water. Since it doesn’t tension up and spring back like a regular leash, it reduces the risk of your board zipping at your noggin.

That said, understand that a reel leash only reduces the risk of board-to-head collisions. The only completely safe leash is no leash at all. Always wear a helmet while kiteboarding, especially if you’re using a leash of any kind.

We just added a new water helmet to our existing line-up, the sleek-looking Voz Evolution helmet. Voz Sports is dedicated to making the safest helmets possible, and is uniquely focused on watersports like wakeboarding and kayaking, or (our personal favorites) windsurfing and kiteboarding.

The Voz Evolution is one of the lightest and most comfortable helmets available, with vents both for airflow and shedding water, a fully-padded interior, and a padded neoprene chin strap. The helmet also features removable ear flaps, so depending on the demands of your sport you are free to protect your ears, or leave them open for better hearing.

The best part of the Evolution, however, is the Skull Clamp, a dial on the back of the helmet that lets you loosen or tighten the helmet to best fit your head. Unlike some helmets that are designed to fit tight around your skull and give you a pounding headache as a result, the Evolution’s Skull Clamp tightens at the base of your skull on the very top of your neck. This gives you a super-adjustable and comfortable fit, something that is rarely found in water helmets.

What’s more, the Skull Clamp dial is designed to allow you to size the helmet up or down one size from normal. That is, a medium-sized Voz Evolution can fit head sizes ranging from small to large. That’s great news, especially if you have family or friends who want to get in the water, too!