Session 49 of the 2018 season: Tawas surprise!

Gear:  13M Z kite with surf board and TT

TOB:  5:00-8:00

Winds: Southern 12-20 mph 

Weather: Clear, hot, 80ish degrees

Surface:  Small breaking waves and "The Slick" 

Highlights: The wind forecast for Tawas wasn't spectacular.
As I was driving toward Empire, of course I had to monitor the wind speed at Tawas Point and sure enough 15-20 mph is what it was. Good enough for me and my 13M Z kite.
Ran into Jerry at the beach and enjoyed the next 3 hours of steady as Tawas can get with southern, warm winds. Watching Jerry do rolls, unhooked 360s, dark side slides and other unrecognizable stuff.
First 1.5 hour session I took out the surf board and beelined it to the point. 2nd session got on the TT board and headed back to the point.
An excellent evening kiting with the superstar Jerry, watching and learning his style.
Had a beer and pizza with Jerry and finally got to Empire by 1:30 am....a long enjoyable day.

35 Miles of tracks

Day 68 of the 2017 season: Decent 13M day at Tawas Pointe

TOB: 1:00-3:30
Gear:  13M Z and TT
Water conditions:  wavetts on open water side and decent slicks at the pointe
Wind: SW 12-25 mph
Weather: 44 degrees, cloudy
Highlights: decent day, rode to the slick, played there for awhile and then did the downwinder back in small well organized, easily manageable waves. Fun day!
Relive.cc

Action in the slick

Wavetts to slash

WA data

Day 62 of the 2017 season: EPIC Tawas...October is making up for lost winds in September.

I never thought Tawas could be this good. It took a perfect combination of wind, surf and slicks to make this an epic day. Slightly side on SSW winds to 30 mpg, nice breaking swell over the shallow sand bars, slicks as smooth as butter and lofty winds above.
A small sized crowd keep the slick fun. About 8 kiters enjoying the day with mostly 9 M kites.

TOW:  2:00-4:00
Gear:  9M Z kite and TT
Water conditions:  As good as I've ever seen Tawas, Nice 2-5 clean waves with slightly side shore winds. The slick was butter
Wind: SSW a solid 20-30 mph
Weather: Sunny mid-60s
Highlights: Monster boosts in the slick and perfectly spaced 2-5 foot  clean breaking waves inside


Relive.cc data

Day 63 of the 2016 season: Road trip to Tawas - another marginal day

Six hours of drive time for 2.5 hours of marginal kite time. hmmm... ya wonder when will we learn?
Leaving late didn't help matters - they say we missed the best winds earlier.
Craig and I left at 10:15 arriving around 1:15. We rigged and launched during a lull. We ending up walking our kites upwind toward the point because of the lite conditions. At least half way through the walk the wind got stronger so we were able to finish the upwind run riding.
The point was crowded, a weekend day off with wind and up to 30 kiters on the by some accounts.
Had some good rides but could of used a bit more for the style of riding I like.
Overall - it was another "not worth the drive" session to Tawas. I'm 1 for 3 at Tawas this season.
Great Pizza and beer dinner with Craig at a local downtown Tawas restaurant.



TOW:  2:00 - 4:15
Gear:    11M Z1 and TT
Water Conditions:  Small chop to flat water
Weather:  Cloudy, low 60s
Wind:  Mainly south winds 10 - 22
Highlights:  Another Marginal day

Tawas Point wind data

Day 37 of the 2016 season: Tawas - not as expected

Road trip to Tawas Point, 6 hours of total drive time for 2.5 hours of marginal 13M kiting.
Fun crew of Keith and Craig, we took a gamble on a whimsical wind forecast along with local knowledge of the winds...hmmm....take note. Forecast actually came true but local knowledge didn't.
Could barely launch the 13 but once up there was enough to kite. After walking the kite upwind toward the windier point I was able to get in the water and ride upwind to the point and slicks.
Played for 1.5 hours in mediocre crowded conditions before the wind started to drop. Since it wasn't to good to start with a little bit of a drop and it was over for the day.
That's it, not a worthy day especially with the drive.

TOW:  TOW 2.0  hours from 2:00 - 4:00 - drive time 6 hours
Gear:  13M and TT
Water Conditions: nearly flat barely a whitecap
Weather: Sunny 80s
Wind:  very lite maybe southeast direction to 18 mph

Day 34 of the 2016 season: A first time session at the famous Tawas Point

A peaceful 2.5.hour session at the Tawas Point slick. After years of trying to get in a kite session at this popular spot it finally came together. I windsurfed here in the 90s but never could make it click for kiting.  Finally it happened, as I was driving to Empire I got the forecast that Tawas might be a possibility this afternoon, thanks Mark of MCK. So I took the 23 exit to the right off of I-75. As I drove up the coast line I could catch glimpses of the water capping.  

Yea, first timer session for me at Tawas Point and it lived up to all the talk. I've heard about this place. Launched at the beach and made an easy upwind run to the slick. Shallow warm water with a small sand spit breaking up the rough open water. A small drag strip  probably 200 yards long but an awesome venue. It does go on downwind for quite a ways but the further down wind you go the less butter you have.

Played for 2.5 hours with endless, carving and monster jumps for me that is. Shared it with one other kiter and Mark of MCK teaching a new kiter.

Reminisced with Jeff Smith GLK's, who I had as an instructor and probably the World's best kite instructor and saw Mark's MCK, student get a first ride.

Desolate, peaceful beach - no crowds today

TOW:  Nonstop session 2:00 - 4:30
Gear: 11M and TT
Water Conditions:  Slicks at the point
Weather:   a cool 70 degrees, sunny
Wind: South up to 22 MPH
Highlight: Monster jumps in the slicks