Day 51 of the 2014 season: Quickie session at Maple Bay Lagoon

Gnarly, unlaunchable at my favorite Empire Beach launch due to high on-shore winds and waves. With no margin for errors it wasn't a good option. So decided Maple Bay would be a good choice.
Drove over to east bay and did the hike fully dressed down to Maple Bay. Rigged and made a bee line to the lagoon ASAP. Found the lagoon half over washed, but there was still some butter to be found.  That's where I enjoyed some deep edging and hard carving. Rode in and out over the sandbar out to the swell and back into the rippled lagoon.
A quickie fun session on the 9M kite sometimes way overpowered but most of the time it was perfect 9M.
This is the best for me this year as far as riding the lagoon.  Two other attempts had the lagoon completely overwashed or wind direction wasn't just right.

Tracks for the day



Inside the protected Lagoon

 

Highlight of the day:  Flat water butter
TOW:  1.0 hour quickie session
Gear:   9 M 140 Mako
Water Conditions:  From gnarly to speed ripples
Weather:   Mostly cloudy, 40's
Wind:   On shore WNW 10-30 MPH
Schooled:    Deep carving turns in the lagoon


Day 37 of the 2014 season: Another Tuesday: This time the hike to Petobego Bay was worthwhile

Rainy, cold, ugly, and to windy for me at my favorite spot, Empire Beach. Seems like anywhere I checked on the big lake was to much for me with the swell  crashing right on the beach and very strong longshore currents. Actually with the high water there wasn't much beach to speak of. 
Time to head over to East Bay.  Launched at the exit of the Petobago trail and worked my way up wind to the lagoon. There I found the lagoon was overwashed by the waves and high water. I actually rode over the sandbar which was a foot under water - normally its a foot above the water.
Kited for 2 hours with 3 others when wind got fluky so I made a quick downwind run to the launch to call it a day

Parking, hiking, launch, and ride.

Gear for the day - 9M and Mako 

TOW:  1:30-3:30
Gear:   9M kite and 140 Mako Board
Conditions: some smooth swell to be found and flat water in the lee of the sandbar
Weather:  Raining, mid-50s, fall conditions  
Wind:  NW to 30
Schooled:   Nice ollies to toeside on a swell and then riding down the swell carving deep to other tack.
Highlight of the day:  Rode upwind to the lagoon expecting flat water inside only to find out the sandbar was overwashed by the waves and the lagoon was part of the big bay. In doing so discovered more nice smooth swell just west of he lagoon.

Day 29 of the 2014 season: New Venue - Maple Bay AKA Petabago Pond

Nothing beats waking up to 76 degrees, breezy , sunny conditions with the wind forecast looking promising.
Decided to head over to a secret spot? Called Maple Bay located on the east shore of east bay.
A quarter mile hike carrying all your gear from the parking lot to the launch site. A mosquito infested hike wearing a rubber neoprene suit, carry 30 pounds of kite gear man you got to love this sport to do this.

Once I got to the site I saw about 8 kites flying, 17, 15s, 12s and one 11M. I rigged my 11M on the wet sandy shore facing south. Had help from Jay to launch.
Found more wind up on top so the going was good. Kited along the south shore of the spit of land separating the main bay from the lagoon from 130-230. Easily worked my way upwind to some flat water. There I enjoyed water skiing conditions on butter water until wind lighten up.
Came in and took a break. At 300 it came back just enough for another hour of marginally kiting. Finally at 400 it was to lite to enjoy.
Never got a chance to get into the lagoon - ran out of wind and time.
Time to pack up and hike back to the car - another quarter mile hike thru the woods uphill.
Note: next time bring the boat to avoid the hike. Launch boat from Salor Park south of Maple Bay.


Open water side of sand spit

Lagoon side of sand spit
 



Highlight of the day:  extremely flat water with wind up high
TOW:   Kiting 2 hours
Gear:    11 meter kite with 140 Mako
Conditions:    flat water - driving the board up wind quite a distance
Weather:  Summer conditions, Mid 80s, sunny, water temp upper in the bay in the 60s
Wind:    Appeared mostly south 20 plus mph
Schooled:    Flat water carves