8/30 Salt Ponds Insanity 21M

[Kenny]

So, how can riding in 12 - 15 mph wind on water as flat as a pancake be referred to as "insanity?" It is the bottom surface of the ponds that are downright dangerous. The ponds are so low this year that I had to walk about 1/8 of mile with the kite in the air. The first part was a thick crust of salt that gave way with each step into stinky mud, then came a solid surface of salt. Next, came a bumpy, crystalline, rock-hard surface. When I finally reached the water, the bottom surface was sharp crystalline salt that was hard as nails. I gingerly made my way to deeper water. I was wearing full booties, but I needed a hard sole. On my first launch attempt, I put my hand down on the bottom as my board caught on the bottom. My hand was instantly scraped and bleeding, talk about getting salt in your wounds! I walked out a bit deeper and got up on plane. I had to ride over 400 yards before the water was even knee deep, keeping an eye out for salt mounds that could snag my fins. Rode powered up for 90 minutes, but it was hard to not feel like I was on a razor's edge the whole time. The wind was puffy and a couple times I came to a stop to find that the water was only knee deep everywhere, any false move on my part would be a flesh shedding drag across the salt. I decided to walk back on the north shore of the lake. The temp was 95 and it was a long walk. Definitely, my one and only visit to the salt ponds this year.

[Jon Manwaring]

K-Man,
I was at the GSL Marina on Sat pm. From about 3-5 pm it was 20+ from the SW. Maybe, if you need a "salty time", this may be a better alternative. Plus there are showers and parking and launching would be a whole lot easier.
JonMzee

[Brian Kelm]

What we kiters won't do for a ride...