Tues, 7/2 Pelican Bay, MS 6.5, Roberts 140l

[DimitriMilovich]

Grant and I were on the phone this afternoon bemoaning the lack of wind. After I hung up, I stared at the many red wind readings popping up on the mesonet for SL Valley and north Utah Valley, like cherries. I was drop-jawed. What the hey! Time to ditch work and haul ass south to Pelican Point! Got my gear and 40 minutes later arrived to intermittent whitecaps at 3:30. Turns out that Craig's prediction came true for Utah Lake after 3 PM - 7.5 it was (15m kites?). Sadly, my 7.5 is in the shop and all I had was a 6.5. Oh well, dance with the one ya brung. Slogged out for about 15-20 minutes until a wave train with my name on it (there's always one out there, I tell myself as I'm slogging) came by and I pumped onto a plane. Except for one stop to deal with the floating reed that also had my name on it and was wrapped around my fin, I planed all the way over to the shores of Geneva, banking the wave troughs the whole way. Yahoo. Turned around and thought about heading upwind to Saratoga, but it was getting late and light. Was able to plane back a little over 2/3 of the way. Slogged in for a weak finish, but had a couple great rides for a long ways. If I'd had a 7.5, I woulda ruled the lake!

Paul and Larry, both Saratoga denizens, were there when I returned. Paul had been out on a 6.2 and course board, Larry on a 9.5 and formula. Still a decent breeze by the time I left at 6:45. What's funny is that not only my 7.5, but my Saab is also in the shop, so I was driving my daughter's vintage 1987 Volvo, therefore no handy trailer full of gear. Gotta laugh at this retro afternoon - jammin' out of work, one board, one rig, on a roof rack on top of a 20+ year-old Swedish car, no air conditioning, studded snows still illegally on, hotter than hell, driving for wind. Used to do that in my 30's, now it's my 60's. But the stoke and the smile at the end of a good day sailing hasn't changed.

PS - found what I believe to be the Pioneer Crossing wind meter. It's in a clear air spot on the east side of the road, about 15 feet up all by itself on the corner of a field, just south of the Pioneer Crossing area. I think it's a really good mesonet indicator for UL west shore.

[Marty Lowe]

Yes Dimo, it was 15M kite for me at South Sandy Beach, from 5:45 until sunset.
If I had closed my eyes I would have thought I was in South Padre.
Warm water, blow dryer wind, dirty launch, and looking into the blinding sun as it sets.