Mille Lacs Thursday

[Randy]

Looks like another great fall opportunity for Lake Mille Lacs this Thursday. Thinking Father Hennepin.

[Geo]

Sheep will be in the field.

Have fun!!!

[MK]

I should really meet up with you. We'll see how it plays out.

[Kevinousdigian]

looks like it's going to be crazy windy so the school bus waves should be coming down the lake
what time do you plan to arrive Randy?
Doesn't matter where you go - tomorrow will be great!

KO

PS Have you seen the 10 day mrf? Next week looks like we're in the gorge or padre with a strong low sitting to the west just cranking up southish winds nearly every day. Fall sailing at it's best!!

[djmadmike]

Oh boy! I am going to attempt to get off work and head up. Should know soon if I can make it or not.

What is the call for Mille Lacs? Father? Reddy Creek?

Who else is in?

Rock on
Mike N

[Kevinousdigian]

Father for advanced kiters due to launch but the waves are awesome.

[djmadmike]

Yes, Randy L can attest that I was crapping my pants on the launch last year at Father.

It was so windy I had to have someone hold me down until I could get my feet in the board since I was just getting ripped right away. I was afraid of Charlie Browning it in that big kite eating tree there!

Once I was out, and I got used to the waves, it was awesome! AMAZING

Rock on
Mike N

[djmadmike]

I am off work tomorrow---whoo ha!

Change of plans as I have other papers due, so I am going to hit up the Wac, ETA about 11:30/noon

Hope to see some people there and have fun everyone!
Rock on
Mike N

[Mike W]

I should be at Fr. Hen in the 10-10:30am range. Hope to see other there. Looks very good!

[Randy]

I'm planning to be there between 10 and 11. Will probably windsurf, so should be good to launch last man out and first man in.

[Geo]

10 day looks INCREDIBLE.

Won't see you guys at MIlly, but should be some awesome disappear-behind-the-waves sailing.

Windsurf jibe-city.

[Mike W]

Looks like I am staying local. Have fun Randy!

[Randy]

Driving up to Mille I left the warmth and blue skies of Forest Lake and hit Isle with 50 degrees, rain, and what looked like gusty winds. Driving into the park, a bald eagle escorted me to the park office, a few hundred feet past a white deer said, "Welcome, it's going to be a good day". I got to the parking lot and was informed that 4.5m would be the current call by Scott, then met Tim V., with a gash above his eye which shortly after broke into some profuse bleeding. I had my 3.7m rigged, had great omen messages from the animals, but now blood on my sail. Dean Rizer pulls up and asks where I thought a good place to launch a kite would be. Damn...the park had put up a snow fence with several posts that could easily puncture us or our equipment. I went for a few runs, fully wound on the 3.7m as the rain passed and the skies began to lighten. Came in and launched Dean and saw several other kiters arriving. I suspect we had well over a dozen kiters and close to a dozen windsurfers out that day. The wind clocked NW to NNW and I believe just about everyone was having the ride of their lives. Some of the rollers coming through were massive as the winds often gusted over 50mph.

It was a day for full attention and everyone seemed spot on with few incidents throughout the day. I suggest it helpful for as many as possible to send a polite letter to the park manager requesting they hold off on the snow fencing until the end of October. Anyway, it was a day of memory for someone's who's spent a lot of hours sailing Mille Lacs. A couple years ago, the Monday after the crossing, we had sustained 45-50mph winds. Seems that's what it takes to push up the water to those 8' swells that go forever.

Oh, and Tim couldn't resist and went back out, Kevin had a difficult kite landing but didn't let it wipe the smile off his face from one of the most outrageous sessions of the season. Chad was relishing the sunset portion of the session. Anyway, just wanted to comment on the gift of this rare day and the lasting joy from sharing it with everyone there. Definitely a great vibe.

[TV]

Again, sorry about dripping blood on your sail. I did have my helmet on, and got smacked the clew on a blown jibe.

I agree it was some of the biggest swells I've seen on Mille Lacs. Swells big enough to drop one hand and surf without any sail power.

Big air of the day goes to Randy. He must have hit one hell of a ramp, it was huge. Nice landing too. It was bigger than any kite air, that I saw.

See you all at the next NW'r,
Tim

[djmadmike]

WOW! Sounds like a great day! Whoo ha!

I went to the Wac and it was crazy windy (and gusty) there too. I saw on the news that there were sustained gusts of 50-56mph all across the Twin Cites that day.

After about 1.5 hours of compressing my butt cheeks together hard enough to crack walnuts, I finally got the crazy wind and waves figured out a bit. First time I ever wished I had a smaller kite than an 8m!

Overall, while not one of my funnest sessions on record, I had fun and made it back to shore ok after about 3 hours. Good times.

Thanks to John for the launch and Eric for the catch of the kite too---a HUGE help as the wind was very wacky towards shore.

Hopefully more wind soon!
rock on
Mike N

[dave12341234]

Sooo... reddy this thursday? looks great and i dont work!

[Dean Rizer]

That was a tight launch, trees, 2 snow fences, and weeds! Thanks for the launch Randy. My first day at Father Hennepin, it was a unique experience to play in those waves. Thanks Chad for convincing me it would be worth the drive.