Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan
I am now an official Michigan windsurfer, having crossed Lake Lansing on a 111 liter RRD freestyle wave, and a 5.8 sail (model escapes me at the moment).
This was made possible by an *unbelievably* gracious and trusting local who let me talk him into borrowing his gear. For some reason, alarm bells did not go off in his head when a complete stranger (without a wetsuit, you understand) said that it was a good idea...
OK, now I *really* need to bring my gear out here - or at least a wetsuit.
Also, I owe both Bob and Mark a six-pack each. One for giving me the tools to potentially kill myself, and the other for keeping an eye on me (presumably to recover the gear if I succeeded).
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Hey Larry, welcome to MI sailing! Glad you finally lost your virginity!
Brian
Part deux.
My transition is now complete.
Last weekend, I drove back to Long Island to collect my gear.
Yesterday, Lake Lansing went off again, so I was able to sail my own stuff here for the first time since I moved here.
Just as well, really, as no one else was windsurfing at the the time I got there (6).
Thanks again to all the folks who loaned me gear over the past few months, but it felt really good to be on my gear.
I like sailing a tiny fin which helps the slidy, spinny freestyle tricks.
My slidy, spinny freestyle session was cut short when I encountered a swimmer who needed assistance. I let him rest on my (105 liter) board till someone else showed up who could bring him back to shore. I treaded water. There's not really room for two on that board.
By that time, the parking lot was filled with emergency vehicles and crying loved ones (apparently this guy had a friend who was also lost on the water somewhere). The friend showed up on the far shore, so no one was hurt, but by that time the wind had faded. I finished up with a sit-down sailing session with some folks at the Lake Lansing Sailing Club who recently inherited a boat and wanted to get it sorted out.
All in all an interested first session with my own gear in Michigan. I hope future sessions are more focused on just windsurfing. Also, since I am in severe "favor deficit" with all the folks who loaned me gear, please do not hesitate to ask me for any favors. Or just wave and say hi if you see a guy on lemon-yellow Hansen V-wave sails on Lake Lansing, doing slidy spinny freestyle.
I think kudos are in order. You might have saved someone's father, brother, son or friend. That alone was worth your move to Michigan! Good work Larry!
Larry you did a great thing by helping that swimmer.
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