Tales of Windsurfing on a Lake in the Southeast U.S.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

March 31st: Very sailable, but creepy

As yesterday was a sunny and warm Saturday, the plan was to sail early and miss the boatloads of morons who were sure to show up at the lake. I called Tim at 9:30, but it was an hour before I heard back from him and he wouldn’t be ready to sail until almost noon. Okay, the forecast had been upgraded from 5-15 to 10-20 and it was already gusting mid-20’s, so maybe the lake would not be too busy.

Just before it was about time to leave, I got a bad feeling about sailing. I called Tim and told him I just couldn’t shake it and I could not sail today. He understood of course since it was he and I who almost got killed by a boat.

I drove out to the lake an hour later and was found only 3-4 cars at Hamilton Creek, so I felt like I really made a bad call, but I was still spooked. Then I drove over the dam and the wind was now SW, so the wind shadow at the dam was over half of the lake. Of course, Cook would have been good in SW. Rats.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Day #4 on the lake

I would love to tell you how great today was, but it was really light, peak wind was 10, but I barely saw 7. I took the Superlight and 6.3 and the really cool thing today is that I took Shadow to see a windsurfer for the first time. She knew something was up as I carried the rigged sail to the beach as I sailed off, she got in the water to follow me. I told her, “no, stay” and she went back on shore. I sailed for the better part of an hour and a half and she always stayed in view and never swam after me. It was really nice to have her at the lake while I sailed.

Lake Water Temp Info - Government as Usual

According to the Corps of Engineers website, the lake water went from 52 to 57.5 degrees in one day last week, yet the air never topped 48 and it was overcast the entire day. Yesterday the water was supposedly 61.2 and the air hit 70, but the water dropped to 51.7.

I phoned the Corps and asked that they add the day and time of last update to their web page and they called back and left a message saying that there is no place to do that! (Ever hear of the spacebar or enter key?)

The Bush method of government is alive and well in all branches of government. In case you aren’t clear on how that works, it goes like this:

1) Ask the gvnmt any question.

2) They supply any answer, which is not required to be the least bit believable.

3) They are through discussing it.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Lake Water Temperature

The Corps of Engineers tells me that they update their lake info page every morning at 7:30 AM. Yesterday reached 86 degrees and it has been over 75 degrees for three days, yet the water temp remains at 55 degrees. Yeah, right.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Day #3 on the lake, the best yet!

Max Temperature 81 °F / 27 °C 63 °F / 17 °C 87 °F / 30 °C (1935)
Wind Speed 5 mph / 9 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 14 mph / 22 km/h
Max Gust Speed 17 mph / 28 km/h


Nate bugged out on me today and the wind didn’t look good (wunderground reported 9mph all morning), so Shadow.
I was taking a snack break around 2:30 or 3 when Tim W. showed up. We chatted for 10 minutes and then I had to get back out. Tim took a little while to join me, but the wind came up and we sailed until 5:00 PM with only one 20-minute break.

A couple of fishermen insisted on trolling in the middle of some of our best wind and there was one idiot jet-skier, but he didn’t bother us.

When we finally quit, we hung out on shore for maybe 45 minutes. It was the most perfect weather and beautiful sky I have seen in ages.

After sailing, I brought the trailer home, grabbed Shadow, and treated myself to some nice fish, rice and veggies. I stopped at Longhorn Steakhouse on the way home and got a piece of Key Lime Pie to g and I took a ride to Hamilton Creek around 12:30. It hadn’t dawned on me that since PPYC has a regatta this weekend, out-of-towners would be arriving and going for a sail to get a feel for the lake. The wind looked better than the reports I had seen and I ran into three guys from Kentucky who were about to launch a J-22, which was all I needed to make me run back home for the trailer. I was on the water by 1:30. I with the AHD 77 and a usually very-powered 9.5 and I cannot recall a day when my gear selection was more ideal for the conditions. I was never overpowered and rarely was I underpowered.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Great Birthday on the Lake (#2 this year)

Max Temperature 77 °F / 25 °C 63 °F / 17 °C 88 °F / 31 °C (1907)
Wind Speed 10 mph / 16 km/h (SSW)
Max Wind Speed 18 mph / 29 km/h
Max Gust Speed 24 mph / 39 km/h


Nate and I met at Hamilton Creek Point at 10:30 this morning and were sailing by 11:15. He sailed his Prodigy 8.5 while I took out the FreeRide 77 with 9.5.

It looked like 10-14 from the beach, but was a solid 15 with gusts in the mid-20’s. After a couple of runs I came back and rigged a 7.5 for the Bee 284 and it was near perfect!

Nate quit at 1:00 and we chatted for 30 minutes, then he left and I went back out on the 7.5 and Bee. I came off the water at 2:30.

The Corps site says surface water temperature is 54.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and 53.5 degrees at 10 feet. I had guessed it to be 55, so I will give them one point for being right for a change, but they are still on double-secret probation.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

First Day of Windsurfing, 2007

Max Temperature 77 °F / 25 °C 60 °F / 15 °C 83 °F / 28 °C (1967)
Wind Speed 9 mph / 14 km/h (SSW)
Max Wind Speed 18 mph / 29 km/h
Max Gust Speed 24 mph / 39 km/h


I sailed alone with 9.5 and AHD in a 2mm full suit. My felt were cold in booties, must wear dry boots next time! This was the first session of the season and it took me 40 minutes to rig! (usual time is 12-15 minutes).

I sailed for only 30 minutes, as the wind wasn’t so great when I was out. It picked up again 1/2 hour after I got home.