Another pretty Parachutist cover, this from May, 1972. It's over Gatstacj Rock, Oregon. Jumpers are Tom Littlehales and Keith Cannon; photo is by Robert Holmes.
It is Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon. I've done many a jump there and at Seaside, OR on the (now defunct) Annual Beach Weekend(s) (although I am hearing about someone getting it going again).
Jumped with Tom & Keith many times; Keith was my 'instructor' on my first jump. I've known Keith since we were both 10 yrs old and in the 5th grade together.
Crazy fuckers! I understand the Paracommanders have some steerability, but on the beach in front of frigid north Pacific waters???
Boy did they have balls of steel or what!
At the seashore, Billy, the wind is usually blowing inland. I've done a dozen Paracommander jumps at Dillingham in Hawaii......that was an experience with the winds they get there. Can you say HEAD FOR THE BIG SUGARCANE FIELD !
I just realized that I miss the sight of para-commanders coming down.
I think the coldest water I've ever been in is on the Oregon Coast. I'd hate like hell to land in all that current and waves!... Usually the wind there never stops blowing. Most days the wind is really stiff. There's nothing but houses and huge trees on the other side of that beach. If you had a bad spot or if the wind kicked up, it could be a good place to die.
Howard, I took these pictures on the Oregon coast just last summer. Beach weekend with the old Portland parachute club is no more but some of us still get together for beach jumps once a year.
Haystack rock is below. And yes, the wind is always blowing and the water is always very cold.
(This post was edited by peckerhead on Jun 15, 2007, 10:44 AM)
Nope, just regular folks like everyone. Whenever I was spotting a load there I always fudged it a little into town; I'd rather be downtown on my reserve than in that water on my main. And, yes, I've been in that water; it is VERY cold.
One year I was spotting the first load of the weekend and it was total scud at some unknown altitude so we just jumped into the plane and tookoff. We hit the scud at about 1800 ft (maybe) and the other 3 guys were crapping their pants about getting out so low. So I just said 'Here's the plan.' I lined the pilot up just lightly below/into the scud, told him to stick the nose into the air and start climbing, I estimated the time and exited about 2000 ft; took about a 7 sec delay so the other guys would not have to open close to me. Came out of the scud into a perfect spot.
Some days you just got to suck it up and go for it,
Of course, that would explain why Paracommanders at 1000 to 1500 feet, more or less, would be crabbing into an on-shore wind by facing offshore, instead of facing toward the shoreline trying to hold against an off-shore breeze and not get blown any farther from the shore line ... look at the photo again.
PSSST.. I kept a sailboat at Hammond till the end of last summer whn I brought it home for some major work.... and I kept one at Newport for years before that when I lived in Tigard. I can assure you the winds are coming from the North Pacific high pressure cell that sits offshore all summer. When the land does heat up during the day the air rushes in from the Not-so-Pacific to the shore out of the NW from the NW.
We are saying the same thing... when you look at the waves they are coing out of the NW the whitecaps offshore are the key....and That is what I looked at the last couple years when jumping my Papillion into MacGregor Lake in 2005 and my PC MKII into the lake in about 20 MPH of wind last year. The whitecaps and the lines of foam they leave on the surface is a great indicator... and I did some great crabbing to cross the lake and land just out in front of the dock.
The water is great in the Lake at the end of July though about 70 to 75 degrees.. not the 50 to 52 degree water of the Japanese current that is upwelling from deep water off the coast.
There is also some great ridge lift when the wind does hit the land making for some kewl lift for Paragliding.... just dont get into the BIG trees that they left in the coastal parks.. 200 ft high Sitka Spruce are no fun to extract people who get into the downdraft back over the trees.
Hey Howard, that was a pretty neat trick ... can I borrow your time machine sometime? I always got a kick out of Sherman and his dog's Wayback machine.
I understand the Paracommanders have some steerability?
You should go back and read the winning accuracy scores from the mid to late 60's national championships. Paracommanders were deadly accurate in the right hands.
Oregon.jpg
.....Steve1 
