Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan

Home opener – Monday May 16, 2011

Home opener – Monday May 16, 2011

Latest home opener ever for me.

Finally got out on a 44-degree, cold, grey, day at Blue Lagoon.

Wasn’t the most enjoyable day with the 17-26 mph north winds creating voodoo chop conditions on the inside. Some smoother organized swell could be found further out but still the swell was so close together it made jibing challenging.

Half dozen windsurfers with sail sizes ranging from 7.0 down to 5.0 were out in rubber from head to toe.

I got there around 4 and sailed until 6:30 with the 5.0 Ezzy.

Gear: 5.0 Ezzy Freewave and 101 RRD FSW.

Schooled: Downwind 360s in the shallows.

Weather: Typical May 2011 weather, Mid-40s, grey sky

Wind: On shore north wind 17-26

Water: 50 degrees, voodoo chop

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Permalink Reply by Don Ferguson on May 18, 2011 at 8:26am

Funny, yes the chop seemed odd but I think here it has to do with the depth being high and hitting the breakwalls and rebounding, like you said out further was definately better, but still picking a starting point to jibe seemed a challenge. the wind did seem fairly steady on our side though probably due to the fetch. Brooke lives on the lakeshore here and he says he doesn't remember the waves being that big before, again I think the depth of the lake is causing this,, I guess!! Still deeper water is better than no water so I guess I shouldn't compalain. At least now you can sail right off the shoreline, the last few years we had to walk out half a mile to find deeper water and God help you if you had misjudged the wind speed and had to re-rig, a long, long treck back.