9/8, Grants Dawn Patrol, 86L/6.0

[kenonstott]

Determined to sail but there was rain and thunder when the alarm went off at 6:00. But NOAA radar showed it south of Grants so I got over there for dawn patrol. All the clouds were south of South Mountain and no sign there had been any rain. The flipside was the blinding sun coming over the dike. Already plus 20 so no question about what to rig; medium sail and iSonic. On the water before 8:00, 1st break at 10:00 when Lane, Cindy, and Patrick hit the water with 4.7’s/5.2’s. According to the wind meter I should have been on my 5.2 also but the lake is so far down in the hole now that I think you need an extra sail size. Expected it to die about then but it just got a little more gusty/holey and kept on ripping. Quit totally exhausted at 11:45 with 3 ¼ hours on the water ( that’s a lot of jibing with the lake so low). It is still blowing there now. A kiter and a sailboarder launched off the south ramp which I have never seen before. Almost impossible to sail back to that launch. The kiter had the usual luck with Grants not even making it one reach before abandoning the effort. Thank goodness there were no fisherman on shore or they would have been running for cover.