LAKAWA

The vibe at Cannon just seems to grow with one of the best Aprils I can remember. Having been out of town for a few days, Brian reports he's had five straight days of 5M or better. It's 2pm and the wind's just kicked up to 4.5-5M and Scott Heffner's coming in to rig down from his 6M to 4.7M in great spirits because some computer glitch just happened to prevent him from staying at work... Doug and Dr. Jack Wiltze, Rochester, are doing the father/son sail, Dr. Wiltze coming off the water as I arrive to document the day through photos. He tells me how windsurfing and snowsports have penetrated their family lifestyle and how great it is to share the stoke across three generations. Bill S. has a smile cheek-to-cheek, Mike D. opts to sail in a shorty through the 90 degree day, Kevin's blasting all over the place. Chris Butzow's back on the water after a knee injury in Maui. Many others, Greg, Chris, Pete...the parking lot's full. Many thanks to Pete and Jack for taking photos from the pier when the sunlight was perfect.
I totally lost track of time and missed an appointment...but then reflected on which appointment was more importment...one I could re-schedule or 90 degrees, 4.5M conditions in April...in Minnesota.

Randy, I have yet to wipe that smile from my face. There is something about the good sessions that lingers. 90 degrees, a cloudless sky and wound-up 4.7 in April is fine; the stoke of friends and family is many ways even finer.

In a rare moment of lucidity, I took the entire day off in order to sail. When I arrived at the lake Brian graciously returned my lost harness, which I had left at Cannon the Sunday before in a rush to head home and batten the hatches before the storm. I had discovered the harness missing the night before when loading up. Before bed, I called Sid's wife, Bev, and asked her if I could borrow Sid's harness in the event it was going to be windy, I had lost my harness, and Sid was on business in Europe. Bev graciously offered to leave Sid's harness on the porch where I could pick it up on my way to the lake. I then posted a note about the harness here, on the site Tighe graciously provides, and went to bed. In the morning I checked in and learned that Brian had found the harness and like me was headed to Cannon for the day. At the lake, I promptly locked my keys in my truck for the first time ever. Chalk it up to a typical wind frenzy fueled by the spirit of playing hooky from work. With gear and water in back I was good to sail for hours, and with a phone graciously loaned by Greg I called my wife, who most graciously said that when she got off work she would bring a spare key to the lake.

Such are the gifts of Community: Thank you, Bev. Thank you, Tighe. Thank you, Brian. Thank you, Greg.

A couple of sessions later in the afternoon, my wife arrived with the key, as well as my beloved daughter, dog, and a large chocolate DQ shake which she handed to me with a wry smile.

For this grace, I will be thanking my wife for some time.

As we hung out in the sunshine, fetched up the dog off the dock, and watched friends of a decade and more rip it up on the water, I have seldom felt so lucky in my entire life.

Great posts guys.

I was blessed with the perfect session for my 2 hour window of riding. Sounds like it cranked up quite a bit after I left.

I snapped these few shots before taking off.

http://www.windancing.com/temp/Cannon/Cannon.html

Tighe, sorry I missed you, but very much looking forward to sharing waters with you this spring and summer before we leave. Bill, sounds to me like your post has a song brewing in it....maybe for Worthington? They say that in a typical day we have over 60,000 thoughts, 90% of which are a repeat...days of the 'extra-ordinary' seem to gift us those periods where we see things new, mind quieted, meeting the wind and water in the moment...in gratitude for friends and family and the opportunity to participate...thanks Bill...your post captures this beautifully.