Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan

This Sunday 8-22-10

Forecast looking very good for our new spot at Manning and Riverside Drive this Sunday on the South Shore of Lake St. Clair. We will be out of town till Sunday afternoon. However we will be there ASAP. The wind in that direction tends to be accelerating as it relaminates with the water coming in over Detroit, and often times there is more wind there than further to the East and if there is enoiugh North in it you can pretty much track straight up and down the shoreline just be mindfull not to come in too close as there may be rocks hidden below the surface Hopefully the forecast will stand.

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Permalink Reply by Don Ferguson on August 22, 2010 at 3:40pm

Quick update. wind seems to be comming up but Lakewood is out seems there is an event being held there, some sort of culinary thing lots of tents and people and no parking have to continue on up the road about 2 miles to Beachgrove just before the turn. Kettle sound like it was going to go big this afternoon as well. We are hoping around 5 if all goes well, and the wind continues to build. 17mph at 3pm so far and building

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Permalink Reply by Don Ferguson on August 22, 2010 at 8:42pm

'Yep Ann and I got out at around 5pm just as the wind dropped off to about 14 knots I rigged a 7.5 and she a 6,5 we planned up a few runs buzzed the culinary show at Lakewood and that was it, end of story no more wind, down to about 10 or 12 pack up and go home. Sit in the hot tub by now it's a little after 8:30 and of course the wind is beginning to howl outside!!
Amazing that I am not more cynical than I am sometimes ,,,,,

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Permalink Reply by Brian on August 23, 2010 at 10:16am

Don,
That's the norm for this sport. We watched the wind on Sunday morning, but didn't rig because it was cool and cloudy and we knew the wind was going to blow all day. Well, the wind dropped off, so I rigged my 8.0/big board and went out to get slammed - overpowered with big waves. Came back in and rigged a 6.5/115L and went out and totally schlogged - it died! Went out on SUP's and tried to ride the waves, but the water was rough and it really made standing up difficult. Almost just called it a day, but then it came back a bit and I went back out on my 8.0/big board. I was mildly powered, but the waves made it a challenge.
Two bowls of chicken rice soup and a glass of sangria and then to bed!

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Permalink Reply by Don Ferguson on August 23, 2010 at 10:43am

Looks like it might be happening here soon. I might shoot out to St. Claire in the next half hour. Marker is getting 18, and things are startiing to look good.

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Permalink Reply by Don Ferguson on August 24, 2010 at 6:39am

I managed to get out on Lake St. Clair at the new launch yesterday afternoon for abouit three hours with Kirsten who was in Windsor for the last few days. We both sailed 6.5's and the wind this time co-operated from 11am till about 3 soon afterward choking off as the heat of the day built. The new launch is great except they hopefully will be putting in a public bathroom soon or at least a porta john temporarily.The wind was blowing straight on shore so the only setback is that you have to walk out a bit further than normal to get out of the backwash from a steel breakwall just north of the main launch area, but that will only be in that wind direction. The water is deep enough in other wind directions that the launch is easy.
Thursday's forecast (if it holds) is for relativley strong NW so Kettle Point may be the call while the water is still warm. Where are you guys going to be?? Some of the guys said they were at KP on Sunday and it was quite good, as I said St. Clair sucked!!!!