Blue Lagoon - expected more but it turned out all right

Thursday 9/15/2011, Blue Lagoon

Arriving during a lull in the action, most of the morning crew had all but given up due to the big lulls that were occurring. I had mostly higher wind gear packed in the van expecting strong north winds.
Around 2:30 I got out on the 5.5 101 RRD not exactly high wind gear but it work because there wasn't high winds.
Slogged around at first hitting a few puffs from the NW that got me planning. Eventually the wind did pick up substantially and steadier from the NW making the 5.5 and 101 RRD feel just right. It got steadier as time went on and this session that I thought was going to be a non-logger ended up being a decent 2.5 hour session.
Working on the 360s I seem to be going retro with them making less and less of them.
Big turnout at least 8 windsurfers through-out the day. Some of the morning crew that stuck around got the afternoon reward for waiting. Unfortunately the 3rd shift came late and missed the wind.

Session: 2:30 - 5:00
Gear: 5.5 Ezzy SE, 101 RRD
Conditions: Inside flat, outside occasional surfing small swell.
Weather: 60, bluebird, water 70 degrees.
Wind: NW-N up to 30 mph estimate
Schooled: Downwind 360s
Images: The gear of the day.

Sunday 9/11/2011, Glen Lake
Lite south winds on Lake Michigan but the inland lakes were lighting up.
Great conditions for a small inland lake surrounded by hills and dunes. Warm south winds to 25 mph with shallow flat water "Bonaire" conditions.
Pulling off hero jibes on all tacks, slashing some nicely formed tiny swells, chop hopping on the Hatteras style chop and working on my 360s.
Forecast called for 10-15 but it was 10-20 most of the session.
I get at least 2 outstanding sessions a year on this inland lake.
Two others windsurfers, Mike and Amy and one kiter from Minnesota.

Session: 2:00 - 6:00
Gear: 6.0 Ezzy, 101 RRD
Conditions: Flat, shallow, last of the warmth
Weather: 80, bluebird, water 70 degrees.
Wind: South up to 25 South
Schooled: Downwind 360s
Images: Little Glen Venue.

First time at Milner Beach in 2 years

Tuesday 9/6/2011, Milner Beach.

NNE winds Compliments of TS Lee spinning over Alabama.
First time out on my home turf in a long time NNE winds were near perfect side on conditions, flat on inside and nice rolling swells on the outside.
Pulling off hero jibes on the inside, slashing some nicely formed swells heading out and hero duckin on the outside swell - felt good to be back on home turf.
Forecast called for 10-15 but it was 15-20 most of the day allowing the swell to get well organized on the outside.
Only negative was the weed factor.
Session: 6:00 - 8:00 Wind slackened and turned slightly offshore.
Gear: 6.0 Ezzy, 101 RRD
Conditions: Inside flat, Outside nice rolling swells
Weather: 60, cloudy, water 70 degrees.
Wind: Up to 25 NNE
Schooled: Downwind 360s
Images: All the necessary gear on the beach at Milner. Iwindsurf GPYC

BIG

Sunday, 9/4/2011, Empire Beach.

Forecast called for good winds all day long - it finally showed up at 4:00 after an ugly storm cloud changed everything. It was a pretty good beach day big swells breaking, people enjoying the sun and beach conditions. Then suddenly an ugly scary storm cloud came in from the north west and scared everyone away with sandblasting winds and a heavy downpour.

The few that stuck around were there for a reason. A dozen surfers, 3 kiters and 4 windsurfers enjoyed the newly formed playground.

I rigged my 5.0 and went out for a few runs way over powered came in and rigged the 4.0 and went out again. The wind picked up to an estimated 35 mph and the 4.0 was better and manageable although I wasn't comfortable.

Some of the biggest swells I've every seen on Lake Michigan, probably the biggest I've ever seen anywhere! The outside was gnarly the inside had the smoothest well spaced big swells some probably 10-12 feet from trough to crest, big for this flat water boy. But they were fun they also put you in the impact zone so if you crashed and couldn't get back up quickly you were at the mercy of the crashing waves......ouch!

Session: 4:30-6:30 - dead tired

Gear: 4.0 Ezzy SE, 84 JP

Conditions: Outside BIG, GNARLY, inside BIG, SMOOTH going downhill at mock 1, do not crash conditions.

Weather: 60, cloudy, water 70 degrees.

Wind: To 35-40 from NNW