10 17 6:50 am NNW 31.1 40.8 16.1 9 7.3 - 29.45 +0.13 35.6 45.7 - - - -
10 17 5:50 am NW 33.0 40.8 15.1 8 7.0 - 29.41 +0.11 36.1 45.9
The numbers are from the east end Data Buoy from this morning – 40 kts, 16 foot seas..
Brian, Jon and I all rolled in around 1 PM on Saturday, Jan showed up shortly after. The conditions were pretty much as predicted, steady 30 knots, side on shore with wave height running about 6 feet off shore. Occasionally, the wind would ramp up into the 40 or maybe 50. Brian and Jon went out with 4.5M’s I rigged my 5.2 Ezzy because its pretty much the only sail I use unless it gets blown out of my hands. Jan rigged a brand new 4.7 Ezzy. After a short time, Jon rigged down to his 4.0. The air temperature was a little under 40 degrees which made the water feel warm.
I tried using one of those disposable water-proof cameras. It comes with a rubber band so I strapped it to my arm and went sailing. Jon and I took turns trying to take shots from the water. I will see if I can get the shots developed ASAP, scan and post. The only injury for the day was work related. I took a boom in the mouth while trying to snap a picture with my front hand while sailing at about 20 kts.
The launch area is very scenic, sandy beach about 2 miles long, still in full fall color. You launch on a port tack heading NNW out from under the clouds towards intermittent peaks on the north shore that poke up over the expanse of open lake. The horizon has a much different look to it from the water with big waves and with water warmer than the air. The north shore appears to “hover” over the water, kind of like the “water” you see on a long straight highway on a hot day.
Because the wind and wave are going by the bay, not dead-on and the bay is protected by a point to the west, you are only launching through 3 to 4 foot waves. The bay curves around towards the north so as you sail out and jibe about a mile from the launch site, the bay shore starts to parallel your course keeping you within a ½ mile of a rugged shoreline. The further off shore you sail, the stronger the wind, the bigger the waves. It can be a very intimidating place. Not so much because of the strength of the wind or the wave size, but because of the expanse of water in front of you, the air temperature, the water temperature and the fact that you only a few millimeters of neoprene between you and nearly instant hypothermia.
The waves came in all shapes and sizes. Because the bay is pretty deep, you are out of breaking waves within a few yards of shore, The underlying swell was large enough to ride all day if you wanted. With the wind strength as it was, the chop on top of the swell was big enough that you had to watch carefully to avoid “tripping” over a rouge wave. Jon at one point was jibing on a face only to have it go vertical and he fell off head first. He said his head was ringing for bit afterwards (and he had a helmet on!). Both Jon and Brian got some pretty decent air on port ramps. I was lucky to just stay under control with as much sail as I had. I found I could easily get out but when I tried to head back towards the beach, I had gained too much ground upwind and couldn’t reach off with all that sail – so I spent a lot of time trying to pull my board out of a spin.
We sailed in bouts of about a half dozen tacks, we would then come in, re-hydrate, fuel, and go out again. Finally at about 4:30 or 5 PM, Jon and I at least started to drift into the “stupid mistake” phase, early stages of hypothermia – it was time to get off the water.
All in all, I thought it was a great day on the water. Brian, Jan, I hope the sailing was worth the drive. My friends think I am crazy enough to go out in these conditions, you guys are over the top to drive 4 hours to sail in 40 degree weather.
Chip
