Effortless Sailing

Blue Lagoon, Monday 6/25/2012
Arrived on site at noon with everything loaded in the van.  Current reports indicated a strong north wind with a good potential for the winds to continue through-out the afternoon.
Found the regulars on the water armed with 5.5s to 6.5s. The winds felt strong blowing a few degrees west of north a little bit side on.
Rigged the 5.0 Ezzy with the 85 liter JP along with my favorite fin. Took it out and struggled to get out far enough to catch the big wind. Weeds were catching on the fin and causing me to struggle even more. Finally made it out but the weeds were not playing fair, catching and not releasing from my favorite wave style fin. Ok, head back in and change to a weed fin. I decided to also change to my 100 liter board to help get on a plane earlier.  It was about 1:15 and the wind kicked in to perfect 5.0, 100 liter conditions with occasional higher gusts that you could head off slightly down wind and slash some chop. It was an effortless windsurfing day I could do no wrong type of day, ducking, jibing, slashing, helis and fast tacks all working perfectly. 
At 3:00 a lull hit and the kites dropped, windsurfers slogged. I came in and decide to rig the 5.5 thinking the wind was dropping and not heading back up. After rigging the 5.5 the wind again picked back up to 5.0 conditions. That was easy the 5.0 is rigged and ready so back out on it for another effortless session sailed until 6:00 when the winds got lighter.  So time for a break which also ended up as the end of windsurfing day.  

Sail Time: 4.0 hours between 1:30 - 6:00.
Gear: 5.0  Ezzy and 101 liter RRD.
Conditions: Slightly side on NNW, steady as this place can get, winds of 15-30 nice predictable swell with some flat water on the inside.
Weather: Air mid-70s, sunny sky, water mid-70s.
Wind: AS steady as it gets here NNE
Schooled:  Just plain old blasting along, fun chop hoping, swell slashing and hero jibes.
Images: Selfridge wind chart

Flick on the wind switch

 
Tuesday 6/12/2012, Blue Lagoon

Arrived on site living dangerously with only the 101 liter board and the 5.5 and 6.0 sails in the van, the small gear stayed home, luckily I got it right. Winds were fluky from the west to northwest gusting to what felt like 25 mph. Rigged the 6.0 by 3:30 and on the water by 4:00.

Craig was contemplating if it was worth it to rig the kite due to the nature of the wind but as always he rigged the kite and went out. All around waterman John stood down a kite session and rigged his 7.0.

Larry and Harry the day crew had been sailing on big stuff for hours and ready to call it a good day. But when the fluky wind fill in they took another shot at it. The results were a broken mast for Larry and luckily just a short walk in.

By 5:30 the fluky winds died off with a lull that dropped the kites and caused the windsurfers to slog in. By 5:45 the wind direction switch to northeast and quickly ramped up to a respectable steady 16-22 mph. Just in time for Millard and Jeff’s arrival.  We sailed with steady northeast winds until a lull hit around 8:00 at that time I had to wrap it up and head home. It ended up being an excellent session with some long runs out to the Clinton River and back.

Sailed  Time: 4.0 hours between 3:30 - 8:00.

Gear: 6.0  Ezzy and 101 liter RRD.

Conditions: Side to side on, W-WNW-NW winds of 5-20, then on shore northeast winds steady 16-20 mph with predictable swell.

Weather: Air mid-70s, sunny sky water mid-70s.

Wind: Gusty W-WNW-NW to steady NE

Schooled:  Just plain old blasting along, fun chop hoping, swell slashing and hero jibes.

Images: Jabster catching the newly formed northeaster.

Weekend of Windsurfing

                                

Sunday 6/3/2012, Blue Lagoon 

 

Took it upon myself to head to the Lagoon with winds nicely gusting around the house I felt it would be worth the trip. Loaded the vehicle with the big gear even so much as taking the 85 liter board out of the van figuring there will be no need for it according to the latest forecast.

On the way there got a call from the Master Wind Hog Larry, he mentioned the wind was gusting at his house and was packing it up for the Lagoon.

Got to the Lagoon to see a freshly mowed lawn and a couple of amigos, nice job on the lawn Harry and Jeff.  Next  time lets pick up the clippings they stick to my wet sail, board and feet..

The 2  amigos were hanging watching the white caps come and go, as I watched I ate a quick lunch and decided to rig the 5.5, no make that the 5.0.

Got on the water at 2:00 and blasted off to fun land. For the next half hour it was overpowered 5.0 conditions,

Jeff rigged down to 4.5 and other wind junkies were also rigging small gear.

I don't recall the wind forecast forecasting 5.0 conditions but we'll take it any day especially on a weekend.

Ended up with 10 plus windsurfers and a few kiters.

There were some rain squalls that appeared out of nowhere with them the winds were reinforced with the exception of one lull where the wind practically shut down completely. That only lasted 5-10 minutes then it was back to 5.0 conditions.

It was a quick 2 hour non-stop session that was enjoyable. I felt it was better then Saturday's session at Metro Beach due to the fact the swell was predictable.

Sailed 2.0 hours from 2:00 - 4:00.

Gear: 5.0  Ezzy and 101 liter RRD.

Conditions: Side to side on, W- WNW - NW winds, 10-35 mph, mainly predictable swell with an exception of big cruiser wakes the inside had hero conditions.

Weather: Air mid-70s, sunny sky water mid-60s.

Wind: W-WNW-NW 10 to 35.

Schooled:  Just plan old blasting along, fun chop hoping, swell slashing and hero jibes.

Images: Sail Flow at Belle River and the scene at the Lagoon

Erratic Metro Beach

Saturday 6/2/2012, Metro Beach.

Got the day started with a dawn patrol positive wind message from Captain Chris on site. Winds were looking good and he was rigging something good.

The forecasted weather didn't materialize, that was good. The forecast called for mostly cloudy cool, wet conditions with SW winds gusting to 35 mph. What we got was better mostly sunny 70 something with winds to 35 mph.

A big crowd came out for a day of windsurfing, I counted 14 windsurfers and about the same for the kiters at peak rush hour. Sail sizes varied from 3.5 to 7.5.

At one point super lightweight Jennie, (3.5) was planning next to heavyweight Brian, (6.9).

WSW winds from 10-35 MPH side on made for a decent day with the exception of the gusty conditions which I accept as normal for this launch site.

Rigged and got on the water by 12:00 with the 5.5 and 100 liter RRD.

At first the conditions were light erratic winds with the occasional higher gust. Then about 2:00 the WSW wind picked up to 5.0 at that time I rigged the 5.0 and sailed the 85 liter JP. Again an hour later the wind notched upward to 4.0 conditions for me so rigged it and enjoyed the last 1.5 hours on the 4.0 with some overpowering blasts and some 10 mph lulls.

Sailed 4.5 hours from 12:00 - 5:30.
Gear: 5.5. 5.0 4.0  Ezzy's and 101, 85 liter liter RRD and JP.

Conditions: Side on WSW winds, 10-35 mph, mainly confused choppy conditions on the outside with hero conditions on the inside.

Weather: Air mid-70s, sunny sky's, water mid-60s.
Wind: WSW all day, 10 to 30+

Schooled:  Just plan old blasting along, chop hoping and hero jibes.

Pictures: The scene