Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan
Funny we usually sail all SouthWesterly winds this time of year. This year has certainley been an anomoly, as we have had more Northerlies this summer than I can ever remember!
Once again Saturday and Sunday panned out for us here. Saturday we lucked out the forecast was to start around 4pm. Ann and I had both made commitments to friends to be at there party around 6 or so. "Or so" is a good phrase as it allows you the latitude of sailing a bit longer than you had previously planned. We arrived at the launch site around 3:30 it looked a bit lame at this point but we knew if we didn't go now we would not get a chance later so, I rigged 7.5 and Ann a 6.5. A new fellow, John arrrived at the site also rigged a 7.0. We all went out and slogged our first two runs, the kind where you can pump onto as plane but track downwind, yikes! Fortunately the slog was short lived and some wind finally arrived folowed by Brooke and Richard. We sailed roughly 2 hours and as the wind seemed to ebb we decided to exit to run home for a quick clean up and enter the party zone fashionably late. Brooke cut out about the same time but returned to sail, very well powered, from 7:30 till dusk.
Sunday the wind was supposed to hit around 2pm but at that time it was still quite variable coming from everywhere with no consistent flow direction.
By three pm we took a spin on our bikes down tthe Lake to see if anything was happening and although the greneral direction looked to be North East as forecast the punch wasn't there yet as promised. I e-mailed Dave Simon at Crescent Yacht Club on your side to see if anything was developing there yet. It seems logical that the wind would hit your side first and then come across to our side, and besides by three we were getting quite anxious for a wind fix again.
At ten after three Dave e-mailed me and said "no nothing as of yet" but by twenty to four I recieved a second e-mail stating he was rigging up as the wind had arrived. Thanks so much to Dave for the heads up. We were already packed up and so headed over to the launch site to be greated by a sea of whitecaps. Yippee!! Dan was there shortly after we pulled in followed again by Brooke. I rigged a 6.5 for myself and Ann a 6.0. We ventured out and sailed a very powered up 3 hours. At the end of which everyone was starting to feel really overpowered. Ann came in to call it quits for the day tired and exhausted, I borrowed her 6.0 and 90 liter board and sailed out another hour still very well powered up. I must say though even when you are very well powered and you go to a smaller board and sail how light everything suddenly feels. Just like anything is possible. All in all a wonderfull two days for us here, on a North wind in July yet, and on a weekend to boot! Five minutes from home and hot tub and Cervasas, wow, life is great!!!!
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And all that with warm water too! It just kept building yesterday...it might have been fun to wait until 6:30, rig small, and then go but it was also nice to sail big until exhausted followed by a couple of ice cold beers.
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