Day #36 on the lake

Max Temperature 84 °F / 28 °C
Wind Speed 5 mph / 13 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 17 mph / 28 km/h
Max Gust Speed 25 mph / 41 km/h

At 6:30pm it is still 80 degrees and SSE 14 gusting to 21. I sure did hate to quit today.

It was too windy for Bob H. to work with the kite, so he rigged 9.0 and I rigged 7.5/Fanatic. We hit the water around 12:30 and it immediately picked up.

I made a couple of OP'd runs, got a leg cramp, and came in for more downhaul and some hydration. I tried to get some video of Bob, but he was too far away. He looked way powered up and after a pretty good crash, I thought surely he'd had enough, but he headed the far side of the lake, so I went back out.

I sailed between Luau Island and the big one, going on a fast broad reach and my stupid footstrap had come out, so I sailed into a hole and fixed it. When I got back up, it was serious 5.5 or better and I was barely hanging on. I got back and saw Bob had come in, so I did too. We were both done for the day.

Day #35 on the lake

Max Temperature 82 °F / 27 °C
Wind Speed 4 mph / 10 km/h ()
Max Wind Speed 16 mph / 26 km/h
Max Gust Speed 18 mph / 30 km/h

I sure was glad I forgot my full wetsuit today, because I might have worn it. I wore the only suit in the car, a shortie, and it was perfect.

Bob H. called right after I left the house and as I came to OHB, he pulled onto Bell Road, so we got to Cook at the same time.

It looked really good and I thought I would sail 7.5/Fanatic to conserve my energy, but it just wasn't enough. I hit the water at 12:45, had one nice run toward Elm Hill, semi-planed back to the beach, rigged 9.5/AHD and planed almost the entire time until I quit at 4:20.

It was a gorgeous day with only a couple of powerboats after 3pm and one jet-ski, which I only saw for a couple of minutes. I spun out my big Tectonics fin for the second time in 7 years -- in about the same spot on the lake I did it the first time and with the same wind direction (south). Southerlies are especially strong up near the mouth to Hamilton Creek and that is where it happened both times.

Bob planned to try riding a board with his kite today, but his lines kept messing up. Still he flew it a lot and it sure was cool to look at. Several boats parked near him and watched for quite some time.

Day #34 on the lake

Max Temperature 75 °F / 23 °C
Wind Speed 8 mph / 13 km/h (NW)
Max Wind Speed 17 mph / 27 km/h
Max Gust Speed 24 mph / 39 km/h
GPS Max: 23.5 MPH

The forecast of 5-15 had several of us making plans the night before, but we did not expect it to be this good. Monte D., Jamey R. and I launched at Cook. Bob H. was also in attendance, but is still learning his new kite gear and didn't sail.

The wind line was so far out that I was torn between 9.5 and 7.5, finally choosing to go big rather than risk schlogging. That fear was unfounded; I don't think I came off plane in the 2 1/2 hours I sailed.

I was really impressed with how well Monte and Jamey did without harnesses. At one point I had a fully to overpowered reach from the end of the Anderson Road Walking Trail to above Cook Point, where I stopped to rest. When I realized it was way too windy to waterstart, I looked for them and they were both in the water near the end of Bear Island, so I thought I better head down there and give them a hand. By the time I got there, they were both well upwind.

I have no photos from today as I only had my film camera, but I'll post them when the roll is done.

Day #33 on the lake

Air Temp: Mid 70's
Wind: 4-8 mph
GPS: Are you kidding?

I barely got on a board today. Monte called and wanted to try a Superlight, so I met him and Jamie at Hamilton Creek. I just got my car out of the shop and wanted to bring my dog to the lake and just hang out and take some photos.

The wind was better than what I was seeing at the house, but it was just enough to putt around.

Monte loved the Superlight, Shadow swam a lot and I really enjoyed the weather.