RIVER SURFING FORECAST & NEWS: Rains came and unfortunately went but we are getting a slight bit more release today with a bump up to 80cfs release out of Chatty today (Sat 8/26/23). Keep an eye on the Union/RRP gauge and Sixx pole cam for possible low flow surf as left-over rain water might still be making its way down from the foot hills. Chiclets is always worth a look but the sand bar behind is has not been too helpful for a green face at Chiclets.
By the way, Sixx was surfed Friday night at a peak of 140cfs by one brave soul, (see pic above of Mr. Aaron Brewer getting Sixx last night as we slept).
Unfortunately until we get a significant good release from Chatty, the Sixx Surf Jam remains in “hold” status. Crossing our fingers the event happens in the near future. If and when Chatty drops significant cfs, the Sixx Surf Jam will surely be run.
CPW rumors of ticketing at Scout for pfd’s never happened this past week. We doubt any tickets will be issued before the high flow season ends Labor Day.
Look for an upcoming review of a river surfing CGA PFD coming out soon where we tested arguably the best certified vest for river surfing that you may or may want to try out.
Please save the date Sunday Oct 1, 2023: End of river surfing season event is still in planning stage.
RIVER SURFING TIP: Know your river surfing roots, style, and yes, norms!!!… Educate yourself and your river surfing friends on the modern birth place of river surfing, that of all places happened and still happens, is in Munich, Germany, at the “Eisbach Wave“. For it is 100%, the power, stoke, and river surfing culture that was developed at the Eisbach Wave of actually why today we have very popular/respected/fun green faced fast moving ocean like river waves to surf at Scout, Sixx, Bend, Boise, etc. Start with this article https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/eisbach-the-mother-of-all-river-waves.
SURF TRIVIA: What is “Bird’s Surf Shed” in San Diego, CA famous for?
PRIOR SURF TRIVIA ANSWER: Steve Lis was an incredible kneeboarder surfing at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego in the 1960’s. Lis used swim-fins to help paddle into and catch the waves to be surfed on his knees but he found that the narrow tail of the board needed to better accommodate his swim-fins that were dragging off the back of his shorter than normal surfboard while kneeboarding. He then created a short board that he shaped with a wide tail to keep his swim fins our of the water from dragging. Eventually he cut an large upside down “V” notch into the tail to take some of the volume out of the board’ tail. What that did was make for a fish tail outlined snappy quick turning kneeboard that could get deeper into the critical sections of a wave and turn off the lips and get tubes like no other surfboard at the time. Surfers began to notice and Steve Lis was asked to shape a fish version to surf standing up. The fish surfboard was born. There is much more to the story that is a must watch for all surfers in the “Fish” Surfboard Documentary: https://youtu.be/7GJ2vg4NVkc?si=YZVvjqE3ELi9N87N
CURRENT PLACES TO SURF: See table below and check Jake Voss’ Wave Guide for details on these waves https://endlesswaves.net/waves/.
| RRP | Possibly Surfable | Sixx Wave needs 135cfs but can be faked at as low as 100cfs or even lower. Benni’s needs 220cfs (water at bottom of pfd/helmet sign) and Chiclets can be surfed starting at 80cfs but can also be high volume board surfed much lower than than that. Rain bumps and snow melt bumps can be surfed at Sixx |
| BEAVERS | Possibly Surfable | Needs 100+cfs and blows out at 400cfs. Entry is from downriver where the iron rail fence ends. Real shallow surf |
| 16th STREET | Possibly Surfable | 200cfs to 400cfs Longboards and is real shallow now |
| DAVE’S WAVE | Possibly Surfable | Surfable 12 months out of the year. High tide is very late in the afternoon and need longboards. Blows out over 500cfs or so |
| BINGO WAVE | Not Surfable | Need a high volume board or inflatable board |
| SCOUT WAVE | Surfable | Look for good surf thru 9/5/2023 w/ project water likely ending the next day dropping flow to native release of about 350cfs+/-. Crowds continue. Need a backup CGA PFD but no tickets have been written yet for non-compliant vests. |
| CAÑON CITY WAVE | Surfable | Need a battleship sized board to surf this crumbly wave. Here is the live streaming cam for it: https://www.youtube.com/live/X_iECBFS7gY?feature=share |
| MONTROSE | Surfable | Appears to be good per vids on the socials. Though is a 5 hour drive from Denver. |
LINKS TO KNOW:
Chatfield gauge (takes 2-3 hours to impact RRP; click on raw/all values then table view for 15 min updates to flow levels): https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/PLACHACO?params=DISCHRG
RRP gauge (click on raw/all values then table view for 15 min updates to flow levels) flow below 130cfs or so means it is too low for Sixx: https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/PLAUNICO?params=DISCHRG
Sixx Pole Cam: https://www.senserasystems.com/public/embed/3M7824646H83
Dave’s Wave gauge (is about 3 hours off since the closest gauge is way down river. So look at prior day’s gauge amount and adjust your mind…. i.e 3pm Friday should likely be noon Sat current conditions… Need at least 200cfs to surf Dave’s on a longboard or inflatable): https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/PLAHENCO?params=DISCHRG1
Scout Wave gauge (1,200cfs or lower is surfable): https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/ARKSALCO?params=DISCHRG
Scout Live Web Cam: This webcam gets wonky at times and so does the webpage for it. At times it is focused full time on Scout but way too often, other times it cycles different views and briefly on the wave: https://www.coloradowebcam.net/camera/salida-co-lower-wave-arkansas-river-zoom-tenderfoot-mt
Cañon City Wave Live Pole Cam: https://www.youtube.com/live/X_iECBFS7gY?feature=share
LBK
Bee cool and not a fool… River surfing localism of any sort sucks (including snide social media posts) and ultimately hurts the local river surfing scene more than anyone else.… Be cool!!!
The Denver Surf Report 