Opening day at Montrose

I know, I haven't been posting as much this year, and that's because I haven't been sailing as much. The wind and I have been on different schedules, until today. A post from Brian on windsurfillinois.com got me out of my misfortune. He was going to hit Montrose in the afternoon, and I decided to join him. Good call, we sailed super powered up on 6.5 for two and half hours, in side on NNE wind. It was Montrose at its best, clear water, waves, a perfect opening day. 

Goya's fifth season...

Wolf is open for business

Slowly slowly the windsurfing scene in the Midwest is waking up from hibernation. Today I went to check out ole' Wolf Lake. The ice was gone (thank God), and the wind was blowing 30 mph solid from the West (well... solid for Wolf). The air temperature was mid 30s, and the water was probably the same or colder, which I didn't care much about thanks to my trusty Bare. I rigged 5.2 and sailed solo until the  boom was coated with ice and was difficult to grab. It's good to be back at the pond, it's good to have a place that feels relatively safe even in extreme conditions. Man I love winter sailing... I hope to see you out there soon!

Welcome back!

Last Saturday night a bunch of surf deprived fellows got together to celebrate the beginning of the 2012 windsurfing season. Toasts were made to the Gods of wind, and goals were set for what seems to be shaping up as a season to remember. Long distance courses were set, and there was talk about GPS speeds, loops and carving jibes. Sunday morning I dragged my tired bones to Waukegan for my first session of 2012. The air temperature was in the upper 40s, and the water in the mid 30s, so it was almost Hawaiian conditions for us... I was on my 5.2 all morning, sailing between the jetties in 25 mph SSE wind. The waves were wrapping around the South jetty and were coming clean to shore, pure fun. 

Gear test: The gear is in god shape (except the mast, which I don't know if it's going to survive another season). And the Goya... well... she is beautiful as ever...

Lee Auerbach was there with his camera, and he got this picture of the Goya up in the air... 

I'll see you out there soon...

The last one...

Today we closed the season with a killer session at Wolf, with 20 mph from the South, and warm air. The lake will freeze in a couple weeks, so this was truly the last session, at least for me.
This was an amazing season; the Summer was slow, but the Fall was the best since I moved to Chicago. We got to sail in a bunch of different spots, meet new wind junkies all over the Midwest, and sail in some of the gnarliest conditions I've ever seen. Now it's time to finally take the gear off my car roof, patch the 5.2, put everything away, and get ready for snowboarding season...



Another great pic from Ella Geen (this one from last Sunday). Check out the scenery, that's Hammond Indiana baby! That's were we sail.

Overpowered again!

I don't know if it's global warming, but truth is that we are having some insane conditions here in the Midwest. I'm talking about rigging in a T shirt in the middle of November, and going out to 40 mph winds, at Wolf! Maybe the gods felt bad for an awful summer, and are trying to make it up to us... We certainly appreciate it. I honestly think this was the last one of the season, but who knows?  

Sail 360, first attempt

Check out these pics by Ella Geen, and if you want more, go to her website (click here)






By the way if it is global warming we better start buying Chevy Volts, because this weather is way too weird.

Flat water madness

Last Sunday we had 25 knots from the South. My buddies were going to Wolf. I decided to join them for a flat water extreme session, and the pond delivered again. We had hours of pure fun, hanging on to our smallest stuff and crashing graciously. Everybody was there, except Steve... (where is Steve???)
Last session of the year? We'll see...

The result of that session is Windsurfing Movie 4 by Andrew, the mastermind behind Wave-hog, check it out...

Waukegan once again

Last Sunday we had amazing conditions at Waukegan. 25 mph side off with nice waist high waves... Too bad I didn't get any pictures... Too bad that I don't have time to write mote about one of the best sessions of the year, but such is life, and such is windsurfing...
Carving a line in the water, ephemeral, purposeless, and beautiful. What a great way to spend your life!