Day 83 of the 2015 season: Mellow Metro-Beach Kite Session

A fun three hour non-stop session - nicely powered up until the end at 5:00.
The best winds were early during a heavy rain. I almost wanted to rig the 9M but I held on and stuck with the 11M and all was good. Most of the wind was up high so the lift was good.
Up to 7 kiters showed up and the early guys got the best of it.


Gear:  11 M Rally / Mako 140
TOW:  2:00 - 5:00
Water Conditions:  Typical LSC swell, throw I a heavy rain with the norm pollutents.
Weather:  Thick clouds, some rain, nearly 60 degrees.
Wind:  SSE 12-25 MPH

Metro-Beach wind data

Day 82 of the 2015 season: The Empire beach strikes back with nice steady conditions

Rigged up the 11M Rally - self launch and enjoyed the steady SW winds in the 20-25 MPH range. Well powered up so I did the upwind run to Empire bluff and played in the inside smoothie waves as much as possible. Did that for 2 hours milking the downwind rides back. At 3:30 dark stormy clouds were moving in. So knowing the forecast was calling for storms with gusty winds I figured I better play it safe and head in. Derigged and put the kite away just before the onslaught of wind and rain.
A quick change in wind direction and temperatures from mid - 60s to 50 in a matter of seconds. Wind switch from SW to WNW with a 40 mph gust in an instant.  Lucky for me, although I really didn't want to get the kite wet.




Upwind overlook playground from Empire beach

Gear:  11 M Rally / Mako 140
TOW:  1:30-3:45
Water Conditions:  SW swell - well defined, water temps low 50s
Weather:  broken clouds with some sun
Wind:  SW fairly steady winds within the 20-25 range
Highlight:  smooth inside swell



A major gust blowing stuff off the wall and on to the walkway at Empire Beach

Day 81 of the 2015 season: Harsens Island Kiteboarding squally wind fields produced 10 - 35 mph winds

Friday at Harsens Island

Harsens Island Kiteboarding - squally wind/rain fields produced 10 - 35 mph winds in the 3 hour period I was there. But one hour from 4 to 5 the wind finally settled down and became fairly steady.

Gear:  11M and TT/Duke
TOW: 2:00-5:00
Water Conditions:  Typical Harsens Island with NW wind
Weather: mostly cloudy, rain and wind squalls, 50 degrees.
Wind:   Too much or too little -  about an hours worth of just right wind out of NNW to 30+ mph
Highlight: Eric's video "Friday at Harsens Island" with Doug, Eric, Steve, Jerry, Craig, Tom - am I missing anyone?

Day 80 of the 2015 season: Metro Beach Windsurfing with Southwesteries all day long

A step back in time where the windsurfers ruled.  Up to 12 windsurfers showed up on this southwesterly forecasted day. Forecast was pretty much on target with the wind direction swapping between SW and WSW most of the day.
Just before 2 a squall line came in with a burst of wind up near 40 mph. After that it was time to downsized from 5.7 to 4.5.








Gear:  5.7 and 4.5 Ezzy sails with 100 liter board
TOW: 12:30- 2:00 with 5.7 sail / 3:00-5:30 with 4.5 sail
Water Conditions:   LSC choppiness at it's finest
Weather: Sunny then mostly cloudy, mid 50s
Wind:    Somewhat gusty southwest winds to 35 MPH mostly ideal for windsurfing
Highlight: A nice WS day -  going back to the early 2000 era when WS ruled

Day 79 of the 2015 season: It's' Harsens it must be Tuesday - Great solid day

Wow, such a sweet October so far.
Tuesdays at Harsens Island is becoming a regular occurrence.
A good solid day of heavy kiteboarding. Overpowered on the 11M as I headed upwind to the slick. Nicely powered on the drifting downwinder back making the upwind ride worth the challenge.
Schooled at lofting jumps and toeside to heelside ollies, hard carving with the 9M proved to be the best part of the day.
Chris, Craig, and several others along with the WS crew.
Dinner for a few of us at the Sans Souci Grill.
An excellent day!

Gear:  11M TT
TOW: 1:00-3:30 11M kite / 4:30-6:00, 9M kite
Water Conditions:   Typical Harsens - good chop hop conditions
Weather: Mostly cloudy, mid 50s
Wind:    West to 30 MPH
Highlight: Another good lofty day
Schooled: Toeside to heelside ollies

Day 78 of the 2015 season: Back at the home launch, Metro Beach fun lifty day.

A warm October week day brought out the crowds up to 15 kiters and 8 windsurfers.
The steady lofty winds made an excellent day for the kiters. Windsurfers were a hit and miss with the fluky occasional on the water winds.
I launched from the beach with a generally a steady wind up high. Kited there for 4.5 hours with one break when my kite fell and couldn't relaunch. Lucky for me I stayed near the beach and the wrap up, the walk and relaunch were irrelevant.
Fun day with the easy jumping lofty winds, jumps were so easy and effortlessly to do.



Gear:   11M Rally kite with140 TT
TOW:  1:30 - 5:00
Water Conditions:   Lofty conditions, hardly a white cap to be seen most of the time.
Weather: mostly sunny near mid-60s
Wind:   Wind was off the water, Mainly south winds with gusts to 25 mph up high
Highlight: The lofty conditions made for some big and easy jumps. Huge, (for me), 180 ollies to toeside

Day 77 of the 2015 season: Caseville, not what I expected, practically flat water.....

Not what I expected at Caseville with the forecast calling for strong SW winds.
When I arrived it was mainly flat water with 9M conditions according to Larry.
He was on his 9M, Justin on a 9M and Joe on a 14M.
Rigged my 9M and launched from the beach in shadowy winds. Once out 100 yards there was plenty of wind up high to ride the 9M. I headed to the breakwall where the wind was better yet. Played in the super flat water with the wind up high for the complete 2 hours, carving, jumping and drifting rides downwind, excellent conditions for the 9M kite. Maybe worth the 4.5 hours drive time. From reports it was better than Metro Beach was.

Gear:   9M Z kite with140 TT
TOW:  12:30 - 2:30
Water Conditions:   Not what I expected - flat water was the rule
Weather: sunny near mid-60s
Wind:   Wind was off the water, Mainly SW winds with gusts to 30 mph up high
Highlight: slick at the break wall

Day 76 of the 2015 season: Harsens squeaks by with a marginal session saved by a decent session at the slick.

Bob, Mark, Mike, Craig and I enjoyed a marginal session with the best winds being at the slick.
The wind direction for the most part was not the best but we made it work.
The ride to the Middle Channel slick was attainable once the wind picked up enough to head upwind.
Craig and I as usual headed to the slick. Once at the slick I found the wind conditions there excellent for 45 minutes of play time.
Overall a fun decent session marginal at times but most often good enough for 4.5 hours of ride time.

Gear:   11 M Rally kite with140 TT and Duke surf board for a half hour
TOW:  12:30 - 3:00 and 4:00 - 6:00
Water Conditions:  Typical Harsens, water temperature still near 60 degrees
Weather: Mostly cloudy, with some peeks of sunlight
Wind:   Mainly north winds with gusts to 25 mph
Highlight: The middle channel slicks is where the best wind was

Day 75 of the 2015 season: Lexington - An epic stretch of big winds and small gear all within 60 miles of home base

An epic stretch of big winds and small gear all within 60 miles of home base. This is probably a once in a life time event.

Harsens Island, Blue Lagoon and Lexington hit it 5 out of 5 days, a record for the local area.
All big winds with small gear. Epic conditions at all sites. Consistent north east winds up to 35-40 mph daily, partly sunny skies, temperatures ranged from 50-60. Plenty of like minded people to WS and KB with. It'll be remembered as the classic Great Lakes nor'easter in the fall of 2015.

Today, Lexington's wave riding was epic, winds and wave directions were epic. Great swell and great waves on the inside. Easy to drift and play in the waves, easy to carve off the wave faces. Just don't get caught in a lull while heading back out. I got crunched a few times in that situation but it's all good, considered it a learning  process.

 

One happy waterman - after 5 consistent days of my favorite sports 

Gear:   9 M kite and 140 TT
TOW:  1:30 - 3:00
Water Conditions:  On shore wave conditions with some nice waves to be found
Weather: partly cloudy, 50ish with rain by 2:30
Wind:   Mainly on shore east winds 15-30+ mph plus range
Highlight: Waves, waves and more waves

Day 74 of the 2015 season: Lexington Kiteboarding

And I thought yesterday was good.
Joined Chris, Keith, Craig and Jerry for a near epic day in Lexington.
A lot of nature's energy coming together to form wind and waves that were meant to play on.
Wow - near epic day today I had some of the best wave carving/riding ever. I did stuff I didn't know I could do. So much fun while not breaking any laws.
Butter smoothness in between the waves with wave faces to carve off of and down the line riding while drifting the kite....Mucho fun....

Gear:   9 M kite and 140 TT
TOW:  11:30 - 2:00 and 3:00 - 6:00 Kiting all day
Water Conditions:  On the inside, smoothness, 3-8 foot waves, it was like a slick in the wave troughs, some of the best waves and wind combinations to date
Weather: Sunny mid - 50s
Wind:   East Northeast 20-30+ mph
Highlight: Best KB wave day this year

Day 73 of the 2015 season: Lexington Windsurfing - a mellow session with fun results

A fantastic day with nearly perfect wind/wave direction. The inside was consistent, every run in felt the same. I was able to find a nice wave and down the line backside ride it for 50-100 yards. The wind was also on the inside for easy jibing to head back out and do it again. A true northeast wind.
Add on an hour plus of KB carving the waves up with the TT Mako 140 board - too much fun.

Gear:  5.0 and 110 liter board / 9 M kite and 140 TT
TOW:  1:30 - 4:00 WS and 5:00 - 6:30 KB
Water Conditions:  On the inside, smoothness, 3-8 foot waves, it was like a slick in the wave troughs, some of the best waves and wind combinations I've ever had WS at Lexington
Weather: Sunny mid - 50s
Wind:   Northeast 20-30 mph plus
Highlight: Best WS day in the waves this year - actual down the line back side wave riding