Wake Surfing on Victoria Slough / Union Point Freeway

[DeltaDan]

OK - I will admit, I am not a big wakesurfing fan, but I respect the appeal of it. I tried it and it is not for me. I do have one complaint. In the California Delta there is a 2 way channel between Union Point and Salisbury Island that is one of the prime water ski / wakeboarding runs in the country (not just my opinion, it was written up in Wakeboarder Mag as one of the top 5 area's to wakeboard in the country). The water there, due to the location, direction of the channels and tullie meridian make for an idea environment.

My problem is when wakesurfers come in to the area and destroy the water. I have seen a few tubers, but they do not like it because it is too narrow and they can't make turns to throw their riders. The wakesurfing is too slow, wakes are too big and frankly it is dangerous for a lot of the low profile ski boats.

I am not trying to cause a war here, but the water for surfing does not have to be anywhere near the quality that it needs to be for a good slalom or wakeboard run. Old River and surrounding channels are wider and deeper and a more suitable place.

I think I speak for others in and around the county who have had their water ruined by these huge wakes. I hope people can just show some respect and take some consideration out there.

Just my 2 cents...

Edited September 6, 2008 by DeltaDan

[Malibudude]

Agreed we only surf in the main body or when the water is just too rough for anything else.

[Polock]

Both days I have been out there this week there have been people surfing in that slough Unfourtunately, people can do whatever they want within the law. But it is a pain especially with the barges taking up one whole side!!!!

[Brad B]

So how is the slalom and wakeboarding working together?

Wakeboarding as I know it puts out a non ski-able wake that low freeboard boats get swamped by and goes much slower than slalom skiers - specially the skiers that need the really butter water for 36mph runs.

If its that good of water it should only have slalom skiers on it or at least they should get all time first dibs.

Familiar issues on Lake Lewisville's Cottonwood Creek Cove - a nice 2 mile long east west cove with a wind block on all sides except west and west winds are rare except with storms. Had a course that even the fishermen ignored and some good years of great water. Then the early '90s brought us kneeboards and soon wakeboards with I/Os and wakemaking boats. We complained that they didn't need the butter and should go out in the main lake cuz they are making chop themselves, why not ride where it already is.

Then we tried wakeboarding. Then we bought WakeSetters. Then they built a marina and now the cove is no wake forever. So we move to the dam for butter. But now the wakeboarders are complaining cuz the surfers are messing up THEIR butter. But do they give up the water for slalom? No.

So now we are surfers too. And we are boarders. And we are slalom skiers. We find the good water when we can and we do what watersport suits our fancy. The elitist wakeboarders don't like it but thats just too bad. Gotta be more diverse.

But I will never tube or jet ski. LOL

[DeltaDan]

I think it works "OK" with wakeboarders and slalom. You always get your occasional jerk (inexperienced) driver that pulls out in front of you, but for the most part there is a mutual respect. Wakeboarders use to bother me, but they go slower and fall a lot so you can usually get a good 1/2 mile of glass if you wait.

I have even had boats wave me forward when we are on skis, because they know we will be 10 mph faster and out of there way. It is just that surfing is very SLOW and riders are up for a LONG time. The wakes are soo big you can't pass them in this channel (20-50 yard depending on the tide) It is hard to understand without being out there, but this water is exceptional when conditions are good and very ski-able 90% of the time.

People who are familiar with the area know what I am talking about. It is a special place!

[bsoss]

I generally only ski at 6:00 or 7:00 am. That way I don't have to deal with other boats. I live on a lake that gets very busy on the weekends with tubers, etc, so anytime after maybe 9:00 or 10:00 it's just drinking beer and letting the kids swim.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Sounds about as wide (narrow) as the Brazos east of Ft Worth (Secret Spot), or the Parker Strip down on the SoCal/AZ border. Both can have glassy conditions or horrible boat wakes going every which way.

Up here in WA it's the Pend'Oreille river. 55 miles of glass on a good day, maybe 100' - 300' wide. Going over the surf wakes on my old Prostar 205 was a bone rattling DRAG. And no way to get past them any other way on a narrow stretch like that.

[pennery]

I would like to see some pics of this area.. Sounds to me like a pretty busy top 5 spot to wakeboard... Certainly my top 5 does not have this type of traffic...

[DeltaDan]

I would like to see some pics of this area.. Sounds to me like a pretty busy top 5 spot to wakeboard... Certainly my top 5 does not have this type of traffic...

follow the above link to the delta Wakeboadrding video

I believe. 1:07 - 1:50 are Vic Slew as well as 3:40 to 4:40

And yes - I have seen these guys out there....

[D-GOOSE]

I have rode at some of those spots. Its so sweet to have butter all day even when a boat passes. I have surfed in some areas but I make sure I start out where no is and will not work/ride in the same area so that I dont keep passing the same people.

[Detonate]

Familiar issues on Lake Lewisville's Cottonwood Creek Cove - a nice 2 mile long east west cove with a wind block on all sides except west and west winds are rare except with storms. Had a course that even the fishermen ignored and some good years of great water. Then the early '90s brought us kneeboards and soon wakeboards with I/Os and wakemaking boats. We complained that they didn't need the butter and should go out in the main lake cuz they are making chop themselves, why not ride where it already is.

Then we tried wakeboarding. Then we bought WakeSetters. Then they built a marina and now the cove is no wake forever. So we move to the dam for butter. But now the wakeboarders are complaining cuz the surfers are messing up THEIR butter. But do they give up the water for slalom? No.

So now we are surfers too. And we are boarders. And we are slalom skiers. We find the good water when we can and we do what watersport suits our fancy. The elitist wakeboarders don't like it but thats just too bad. Gotta be more diverse.

Couldn't agree more. We all have to share the lake. Just the facts. If things are too rough, I just park at the beach and drink up.

I do have to say that it annoys me when tubers get in the good water. Mainly because they are doing circles purposely trying to make it rough to bump riders. The whole lake is rough, so why hit the calm water? I haven't tubed since I was 8 years old, so maybe I just don't get it.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I would like to see some pics of this area.. Sounds to me like a pretty busy top 5 spot to wakeboard... Certainly my top 5 does not have this type of traffic...

</a>

follow the above link to the delta Wakeboadrding video

I believe. 1:07 - 1:50 are Vic Slew as well as 3:40 to 4:40

And yes - I have seen these guys out there....

Top 5 areas to wakeboard? Looks like the Snake River north of Pasco. Flat, irrigation, farming, narrow.

Great water & obviously awesome talent. But top 5 areas to ride????

Edited September 7, 2008 by Bill_AirJunky

[DeltaDan]

I would like to see some pics of this area.. Sounds to me like a pretty busy top 5 spot to wakeboard... Certainly my top 5 does not have this type of traffic...

</a>

follow the above link to the delta Wakeboadrding video

I believe. 1:07 - 1:50 are Vic Slew as well as 3:40 to 4:40

And yes - I have seen these guys out there....

Top 5 areas to wakeboard? Looks like the Snake River north of Pasco. Flat, irrigation, farming, narrow.

Great water & obviously awesome talent. But top 5 areas to ride????

I picked up a Wakeboarder Mag 2-3 years ago and it was in an article where they ranked the top 5 places in the country to wakeboard, if you have a problem with that, call the editors. I have also seen it in Waterski Mag also.

My point is, Victoria Sough is a place that, if you just drive down it on a weekend, you will realize that there should be an inherent knowledge by just observation, that it is designated for skiing and wake boarding.

It is at least 20 min from the closest boat launch so it takes some time and GAS to get there. If you want to go there I have no problem, just surf on you way to and from.

Edited September 8, 2008 by DeltaDan

[DizzyG]

we surf only on the main lake, and it is usually because the rest of the lake has gone to roller city and we've given up on boarding. I totally agree that surfers need to move away from the butter, there's no need for it.

Brad B. I totally disagree with you saying wakeboarders don't need butter or that they should give it up to slalom skiers. I may be able to deal with a slight roller better than a skier because I'm not a cry baby about it, but when that slight roller hits the wake jsut as I make my cut in, the results are just as bad. I may not be going 36MPH or faster on a cut, but I am going 24 without cutting and much faster on my aproach to the wake. I am also 10-12 feet in the air and when the wakeboard catches water you don't tumble end over and or roll, your board stops you, really really fast! I'm not saying it's worse than skiing, but it's a pretty equal impact. So when I come cutting into the wake and a little roller or surface chop sends me on a mini-double up, I'm not a happy camper at all.

On our lake the skiers/footers are total A-Holes. They refuse to share with wakeboarders, will circle around you, scream at you and just act like all around jerk-offs. They have claimed the most often smooth water on our lake. Protected from wind in 3 directions and are total butt heads if we go in there and yes, we take turns with them (or have tried) and never power turn. We even take nice short runs if we need to. Now, we have taken a bay across the lake, a bay that only is nice in no wind or E or W. South and North and it's a total crap shoot. It's also the first busy place when mid morning tubers and recreational skiers hit the water to turn big cirlcles and power turn up our water. The best part about it is, when they get their dreeded East to West wind that tears their butter up, they come right on over and expect to take turns. We no longer do, we tried, they took advantage. I have no respect for that crew of boats when they come in when their water is torn up. We are very respectful of each other when going from our side to theirs or vice versa. Everyone will drive up the line the boarder or skier is taking, slow down to idle to pass if they fall and then continue out. But...for some reason, we can't just get along. I don't know what it is but in this case I have to say ... we tried and they were the ones who can't share. We're forced to share with everyone else on the lake, they get a very secluded bay.

That said, we don't surf where we ride, even when the bay is full of tubers, it's just not nice.

[Malibudude]

I would like to see some pics of this area.. Sounds to me like a pretty busy top 5 spot to wakeboard... Certainly my top 5 does not have this type of traffic...

</a>

follow the above link to the delta Wakeboadrding video

I believe. 1:07 - 1:50 are Vic Slew as well as 3:40 to 4:40

And yes - I have seen these guys out there....

Top 5 areas to wakeboard? Looks like the Snake River north of Pasco. Flat, irrigation, farming, narrow.

Great water & obviously awesome talent. But top 5 areas to ride????

Bill,

While I'm not a fan of the Delta it clearly is a sweet spot to ride for flat water for miles and miles. Here is an article that Waterski Mag did back in '00. If I was to vote based upon scenery the delta wouldn't even come close. Not a place you want to air chair in as the depths can change radically.