The "tropical vortex " we enjoyed lately is departing tomorrow-Wednesday-with one last sigh of SW wind ranging from moderate at Wolf to strong at Clinton/ according the forcast/. Cedar Lake is defrosted since yesterday, so I presume Wolf should be ice-free as well. I hope to get some rides before the usual winter misery comes back.
the Cedar Lake webcam showing the water is alive:

How is it possible that your lake in Chicago is ice free, but our lake here in Kansas, substantial further south, still has ice in the coves and floating about in the middle?!?!
BTW, I never sail when there's any ice: you can tear up alot of expensive windsurfing gear if you hit a piece of ice at speed. Lose your fin, and you're in for a long and very COLD swim.....no thanks.

Gee, since only living 7 min from Cedar Lake I'd love to tell you what the conditions are but I just happen to be in Aruba until Sunday. Darn. Nuts.

Eric Raven wrote: We've had a "tropical vortex " for a while Eric. It seems you have there freezing night temperatures while ours were slightly above for a couple of weeks approximately . This will be over come Thursday and the lakes will freeze again here too, so stealing a couple of days away from Winter makes me feel like a happy camper

Quick look at the Weather Channel's readings confirms the brutal reality : Clinton IL-20mph vs Whiting IN -10 mph wind /not including wind gusts/. Starting to load my car in a bit, hoping that the wind at Wolf will pick up after 12 o'clock.

What was I thinking?! 5.7 and 94 on Wolf-what a joke! This could have been a very decent session with a 6.5/110, but instead I was just dying to sail my small stuff and hoped for a miracle that didn't come. Planing only occasionally and the rest of the time slogging painfully and fighting the costant micro gusts and long lulls. By 3 o'clock l was too cold and exhausted to keep on. Time to go home.

We'll at least you went for it! You were probably the only person in the State windsurfing. I don't like sailing with gloves so typically
I don't sail if it's not at least 50 degrees.

Yeah, it sucks altogether, but with open palm mitts is not that bad. I can tolerate 40's air temperatures, its fine. Wolf water is significantly colder then Clinton though, my feet finally got warm again after 1 hr drive
Used the new RRD skinny boom for the first time today- 26 is so much better compared to my old 29 grip, gentle on the hands and less arm fatigue.