Teds Windsurf Blog: Doug's

Kent Went Away

Kent went away, he could not stay.
He didn’t want to sail today.

He is a woos, compared to all of us…
He drove all day, and did not stay.

We toured the dam,
Built by uncle Sam.

We watched the salmon run,
and had lots of fun.

We saw old Herman,
The 10 foot sturgeon.

Then headed to Doug's,
a bunch of big lug's.

Big sails were the call;
Albertans All.

We sailed until dark.
Then left the park.

Got home at eight.
Chinese food we ate.

Kent missed the boat.
He is a big dolt.

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We started the day with the usual board meeting.
I think our record was 9 laptops.

The forecast didn't look great - so Kent left for home after breakfast.

Mike, and Ross went Kiting and did a bike ride.

Blain, Harold, Andreas, Jim and I went for a tour of the Bonneville Lock and Dam.

There are two navigation locks (one built in 1933 and the other in 1993). These provide free passage through the dam for barges, commercial and pleasure craft.

The generating station at the dam generates 1,000 Megawatts. One Powerhouse, has 8 turbines and the other has 10.

The turbines are each about 7m in Diameter, and rotate at about 70RPM.

The rotation speed is fixed, and the blade angle is changed to change the amount of energy going to the stator and rotors.

This is one of the old turbines. The tip has travelled about 60 million miles.

The new turbines being installed are more efficient, and "close the gap" between the blade and the shaft. Apparently the young fish get caught in this gap when they go through the turbines.

Most of the fish are diverted around the turbines. Of those that do go through the turbine - 85% survive. The ones that don't are either caught in this gap or caught in a compression bubble caused by cavitation. The new blades should reduce this loss further.

The risk to the fish from passing through the dam is much less than the natural risks, such as the sea lions that swim upstream from the ocean to feast on the fish. In 2006 they ate 3% of the entire salmon run - and that is only in the area of the Dam.

Each powerhouse is about 300m long.

Fish ladders simulate natural rapids. And allow the elevation drop between upstream and downstream of the dam.

Here is Blain Checking out one of the fish ladders. There is about a 2 foot elevation drop between each of the "ladders". The water is flowing very fast, and the fish have to sort of "Jump" up between the ladders. The Guide said that people comment it must be very difficult for the fish - but actually it is easier than going up the natural rapids.

All the fish are channelled into a narrow channel where they are counted.

The Shad were at the peak of their migration. Thousands of fish were swimming past the window. There was a lady there counting the fish - what a great job.......???

The Lamprey are some of the ugliest, most disturbing "fish" I have ever seen. They are like a snake (about 1inch in diameter and 3 feet long). They also run up the river from the ocean. A bunch were stuck to the window. They have a flat front with three teeth. Very Ugly/Disturbing.

There is also a fish Hatchery which we toured.

They spaw millions of fish each year.

They have a viewing pool. We saw "Herman" who is a 10 foot long, 450lb, 65 year old Sturgeon. That was cool!

There were a couple of very big ones. They just drifted around slowly. Very relaxed old guy's. To bad they looks so much like sharks!!...

This is a big Rainbow Trout - Much nicer looking than the Sturgeon...

The Fish Hatchery was very old, but well kept. Fresh paint on all the buildings, and lots of flower gardens and walking areas. Very beautiful area.

Here are some flower photo's for the wives.....

When we got back to Hood River - the word was that it was blowing at Doug's.

We raced out there to find the locals sailing on 4.2-5.0.

We rigged quickly and headed out - only to slog all the way out and back.

Brad actually got planing a couple of times - but also had the longest swim.

I had to drift most of the way back - holding up the sale to counter the current - then swimming the last couple of hundred yards.

It looked like a but as the wind totally died off.

Just as we were ready to leave - it started picking up again. We watched the water for a while, but then re-rigged to bigger stuff and went out again.

We had a great sail for about an hour. I was on my 6.6 Hucker and Free xxx board.

Jim was 5.6 with this big Nash board, and Blain on 5.2 and Harold on 4.7.

Brad - still hurting from his biking injuries and tired from the long swim took photos.

Here are some of his pix...