Day 35 of the 2016 season: Early soft session at the Cannary on Sleeping Bear Bay

Whitecaps in Sleeping Bear Bay

Forecast was right on with NW winds 15-25 early and then tapering off by noon, to bad I got a late start, I missed the best winds earlier. By the time I got out it was a  marginally session should of rigged my 13M and it would of been better. I missed a lot of clean wave action on the inside - beautiful clean waves on the inside that is - but not enough wind to play in most of the time when I was inside

TOW:  10:00 - 11:30
Gear: 11M and TT
Water Conditions:  2-4 foot swells with clean waves on the inside
Weather:   lower 60s, mostly sunny
Wind: NW peaking near 20 and slowing dying off
Highlight: Beautiful clean waves on the inside - but not enough wind to play in

Launch area

Day 56 of the 2015 season: One of my favorite Leelanau County launche sites

Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Bay, Glen Haven's Cannery launch site.

One of my many favorite Leelanau County launches on a N- NE-NW - I don't get here often enough.
I was able to find a launchable beach site, with the higher water levels - a good beach is hard to find.
With solid NW winds in the 15-25 range suddenly turning on. The inside swells building and nicely forming on the 100 yard inside sections. Shallow inside water with a strong longshore current made butter smooth conditions between the nicely space waves ramping up in the shallows. One of my best sessions carving amongst the butter waves, 8 or 9 carve turns trying to time it right for the wave hit and then work my way upwind to do it again for over 2 hours.
Kiting with a guy named Neil. He is living and traveling on his sailboat which he has moored in a local marina for the summer. In the winters he sails to Florida and does the same thing there thru-out the winter.


TOW:  3:00-5:30
Gear:  11M and 140 board
Water Conditions: Large inside area with smoothness in amongst the well formed waves 
Weather:  A delightful mid-70s, sunny day
Wind: 15-25 from the NNW
Highlight:  Fun wave carving
Schooled: Wave carving - note to self get a wave board

Sleeping Bear Bay

 

Leyland wind data

Cannery - Glen Haven Sleeping Bear Bay. Day 22 of the 2013 season

The Cannery - Glen Haven -  Sleeping Bear Bay - Day 22 of the 2013 season.

July 23, 2013 Tuesday

Consistent wind forecasts since Saturday

Above forecast from Saturday

Todays forecast - We'll see......


















Actual wind data from today........  (Grand Traverse Light)

I would say forecast was right on again for it turned out pretty darn good.
I launched from The Cannery in Glen Haven due to side shore NW winds and not as ferocious shore break as Empire beach was. Smooth 2-4 foot breakers on the inside sandbars with voodoo 4-6 foot swell on the outside - what a workout trying to sail that stuff, swell coming from every direction so it seemed. The outside voodoo workout was well worth it because every time heading back to the to the inside sandbars the swell smoothed out and was well organized, good for riding. I actually had some good wave front and back  side down the line wave riding for 40- 50 yards.
The wind was nearly side shore with the waves coming straight in perfect for wave riding.


Sail Time: 3.0 hours from 1:00 - 4:30
Gear: 5.0 with 85 liter board
Conditions:  4-5  foot voodoo swell outside, with smooth organized waves on the inside
Weather:   Sunny, Air 60s water 70s
Wind: NW to 20 - 30 mph
Schooled: Wave riding
Image: Grand Traverse Light Data, Venue from Pyramid Point 400 feet above sleeping Bear Bay
Video: Some backside riding