Sunday, Lincoln Beach 20M

[DeanDavis]

Apri called saying he was heading down. When he got to SSB the good news was wind, the bad news was that the beach was occupied, more the Budweiser crowd and not the Corona fiesta. I guess the red-neck trap is really not a red-reck trap but a kiteboarder gate.

How do they get through? I saw a guy and his technique was: have the woman hold the beer and you hit the hole at about 10-15mph (don't let off the gas and don’t even worry about trying to get around it). Also don't worry about the bumper you leave behind (his bumper hit the edge of the hole (which is about 3' high) and cranked it almost off like it was tin). He didn’t even know, the event is so violent.

Anyway we decided to try Lincoln. There is nice grass but it is a ways from the water so we launched on the beach (dirt). I launched Apri but the 16m was too small so he came back and pumped the 21m. I launched the 20m and headed out. His self launch wasn't ideal and the rocks are pretty sharp and tore his kite (just a bit). The rocks also make it so that booties (which I wore) seem almost a necessity.

As the sun set the wind picked up a notch and I could just barely keep my feet on the ground with the kite completely depowered. It was at that time that I noticed the power lines just downwind of the beach. In a rush to get the kite landed I dropped it in front of the cars and used them as a backstop. Luckily I didn't tear the kite on the sharp rocks.

In hindsight I think there is a bit of grass closer to the water and that would have been a better choice. It will still require about 200ft to get to the water but an improvement over what we did.

As far as the ride, it was fine but not our beloved SSB. The flat water is flat but not smooth. The swell was exactly perpendicular to the wind so it was hard to find any ramps. There is another stupid barb wire fence in the lake (which is far enough downwind) that it won't be a problem unless you get way overpowered (where you will need to start thinking about the power lines also). I might be just a little too stuck in my ways but I wasn't that thrilled with Lincoln and will be heading back to SSB (rednecks and fiestas) unless we just can't work it anymore (higher water).

Oh by the way. I went out and swam with the Carp on Sat and found my board. I parked on the road (put on the wetsuit) and walked down to the launch then decided it must be pretty far east so I walked on what used to be 4-wheeler roads paralleling the beach. It is pretty amazing back in there the roads are covered with 1-2 ft of water and it looks like the Everglades (like the roads I am walking on are where those swamp boats would run). Thank god it isn't the everglades because I would have had to write my board off due to the fear of crocks and water moccasins. At some point I had to turn north. That put me bush whacking through the reeds. That is where images of Star Wars (in the trash compactor) came to mind. As I walked, the reeds all around me were moving and not just a little, as those huge carp ran from my presence. The splashes were so loud at times that I thought they had to be beaver or at least a good size turtle but they probably were just fleeing carp. I was glad to finally hit the water (leaving that Star Wars image behind) but my time in the vegetation wasn’t over. I figured my board must be in that vegetation (otherwise I would have found it) so I continued to walk (chest high) though the reeds. After walking nearly a mile I hit the fence and found my board. Seeing where it was I now think that the only reason I couldn’t find it on Friday was that I was too nervous about that fence and as a consequence I was riding further out in the deep water where I couldn’t see as well and when I rode in on the flat water section I was also nervous about the fence so I would turn around just a little bit early and again not get close enough to see the board. Anyway with board in hand I walked back to our launch in the water which was a long and amazing (and much more pleasant) walk. Without the wind the lake is so calm and has a completely different character (normally it is wind and we are stoked or it is calm and we are drinking beers wishing for wind). Walking back through that flat water section the birds are amazing and the other wildlife (like carp were fine too). I saw the pelicans, and herons, and red wind black birds and could now imagine all the other wildlife hiding in those reeds. It really is an amazing place that I don’t think we ever stop to appreciate it.

My only other comment is that Jason is riding too much by himself (I assume he was a loner again on Monday). Give me a call next time 372-9251.