BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Berkeley Marina sensor showing 17-23 from 2PM to 7:30 today--I was out there from Pt Emery launched about 3:30, spent a very tedious hour on a twintip getting past HS Lordships, finally breaking into the good wind, and it gets really light (5PM shutdown, I know). So I came in. My buddy riding a directional (last kiter out there) came in 10 minutes later, says "fucking light".

Meanwhile, the sensor is still showing a steady 20 while we're on the beach happy we didn't have to swim. So what wind is that sensor seeing?

Meh, looking at google maps if the sensor's in the berk marina then it's possible I was in a bubble existing only to the south of the sensor. Never got past the pier, and didn't really want to in crappy wind.

Hey Stone,
I believe that the sensor is somewhere in the vicinity of the restaurant. The session that you describe above sounds fairly typical of Berkeley and if you watch the experienced riders on a "good" day, they head towards HS Lordships immediately and stay over there and even further upwind around the pier where the wind is better (avoiding the windsurfers, of course).
Unless its whitecapping all the way in to the launch, I usually rig my big kite (11) and head out on my surfboard in anticipation of the shutdown...

Thanks meph. Every time I went directly upwind of the restaurant and up to the pier the wind dropped at least 5 mph--my transitions to get out of there were the straight-downwinder sort. Stuff like that is why I'm so puzzled the sensor read so steady while the wind was bleh.

Only odd thing I noticed is the sensor wind direction shifted from NW to due west from about 3-5. Maybe that's one of the reasons it wasn't a great session and it took so long to get to Lordships.

Hey guys, I work right across the freeway from the Pt. Emery launch. I saw you guys riding out there yesterday and was WAY jealous.

From what i heard the sensor is by the pier or HisLordships resturante. The wind at the Pt. Emery is usually 2 to 5 MPH less then the sensor.

I saw someone with a red kite having some difficulties getting out to the wind.

I'm starting to feel brave and want to come over and ride there...

L8r,

-SPD

I was the first guy out yesterday, the wind did drop off a bit. When the wind switches direction it makes the inside holey and light.
You have to be very agressive with the kite to get you through the holes, and ALWAYS be prepared to swim in after the shutdown.

Looked like you guys were riding waaay out there. I was thinking it would be a long swim from there if something went wrong or the wind dropped off.

Dealbst, as I may have mentioned you didn't miss much. But Pt Emery isn't a place to launch if you wanna hang near shore, and you have to be able to go upwind immediately in lighter wind than you hope to find outside.

A less than 1 mile swim straight downwind in light wind isn't that scary. If there's any wind at all you can just sail the kite like a raft. Forgot to mention, I saw one of the small sailboats from the berk marina totally tip over near the windsurf launch. Does that happen often?

yup the litte boats and some bigger ones too
flip over all the time
you can go buy and give a shout, but no need to call 911

and say what to them? YER DOIN IT WRONG! POINTY THING GOES UP!! WHAT? YER WELCOME!

was probably cal sailing club, I'm sure they're used to flipped sailboats. from what I remember from the east coast is the biggest pain is the club makes you clean the mud off the mast and sail.