10.16 island beach late afternoon solo

[Carl Christensen]

it was so clear and calm in the am that it looked like a dc kinda day when i finished up my b'fast at john and tamrika's blue plate diner. sure enough, it took a bit of faith, (and encouragement from Jim's windtalker), but i left the house after 3:30 and arrived to a nicely filled in island beach in the late afternoon. it was good until after the sun dropped behind timp and being out alone in a shorty it seemed prudent to call it at that point. i do soul sail alone as frequently as anyone but often remind myself to not be greedy, gotta be satisfied with just getting the goods before something breaks or falls apart, (as my brand new harness lines had already done on the very first reach). jim said sailboat beach went too. afterwards i found out that glenn had spied on me with his mega camera from the turnout on the highway above the boat ramp, (i thought i was alone). he was very generous with sharing his photos- beautiful lighting and colors this time of year, enhanced by the eye of the photographer. no white caps in the photos, just thin wakes like the windsurfing equivalent of con trails for what seemed like hundreds of yards behind the board and rig. serene i guess, not the gorge or maui or sf or margarita, not at all, just a gap in the wasatch mountains linking utah and heber valleys and acting as a conduit for air masses looking to equalize in the face of fluctuating pressures and finding their way up the canyon across a conveniently located body of good clean water for our entertainment and appreciation. still shorty weather. today looks good too.

[Steven Nyhus]

You were alone on the water Carl, but you were not alone in spirit. As I was driving by on my way to Orem from Heber, I saw you out there and I saw Glenn on the road side snapping away. I wanted to be out there too, but it was not in the cards. I am just glad that someone was able to enjoy a beautiful evening in the wasatch.