Good Lake Near New Brighton

[jared]

Looking at the forcast, Thursday looks good. Any recommendations for sneaking our of work for a Noon sail? I work in New Brighton...

[johnbaker17]

I also work in New Brighton and I was thinkin the same thing. If you're very restricted on time, there's only a couple lakes in the immediate area where windsurfing might be remotely possible. There's Turtle Lake between Lextington and 49 just north of 96. I don't know how weedy or accessible it is. There's Snail Lake. It's small, but the low geography to the south would allow a good amount of wind through to the lake. There's a good beach for starting from and weeds aren't bad this year. That's just south of 96 off of 49. Take Snail Lk Rd west and then south to the park. There are more, but I don't know much about them and they only get smaller than what I mentioned. Both of those would require more time turning around than actually going anywhere. I'd say your best bet is to run over to White Bear Ramsey. By lunch time traffic is good and I think it'd be worth the time spent in the car. Let me know what your final plans are and I might join ya.
-John

[grant]

I sail Lake Johanna in Arden Hills and Long Lake in New Brighton way too often. I say too often in half-jest, because I still have fun, but I know I'd have yet more fun in those same hours if I were at WBL or Calhoun or someplace even better suited. But with a busy job and two young kids (ages 2 and 4, with another on the way), I too often find myself trying to sneak in a few hours in the evening or I'm accommodating wife/kid plans to come along and play on the playground on the neighborhood beach while I sail. I live in southern New Brighton and Lake Johanna is just a 3 to 5 minute trip across 35W on County Road D. Long Lake Regional Park is about that close, too.

With the wind out of the south tomorrow, either of the two would work pretty well. Lake Johanna has plenty of rigging area and launchable beach on its north side. You can get some nice planing rides on a S wind of the strength currently in the forecast (15-25 mph). But the advice of traveling a bit further with the car and getting to a lake with cleaner/stronger wind makes a lot of sense. I'm doubtful that I'll be able to get out of the office in time to enjoy the wind tomorrow, but if I do, I'll try to coach myself to spend an extra 15-20 minutes in the van and get to WBL or Calhoun. I've done it a few times in the past, and it's been worth it.

[Mike G.]

Turtle Lake can be better than White Bear at times, but is really
only accessible on a NW or W wind with the only lauch at the SE
corner of the lake.