You guys had a lot of wind.

Michigan City: Peak sustained 45 mph, Highest gust 50 mph



South Haven cam with onshore wind.

Jacob Groethe wrote:
I bought a pair of XCEL ANTI GLOVE to wear under open palm mits earlier this season. They help keeping hands dry and away from the wind. The gloves are barely 1mm thick so they won't keep hands really warm but they help maintaining a good grip for a little longer. They look like kitchen dish gloves at first but they are stretchy just the right amount for a tight but comfortable fit and grip.

We sailed between 12:30 and 16:30 I think and we started underpowered and ended up severly overpowered on the 4.5/6/7s we rigged. The swell and waves were the biggest Ive sail in, but I haven’t sail in waves much so I’m easy to be impressed.
Gregg, thanks for the nice words!
As for the glove/mitts topic , I’m usually OK with my hands being cold and palmless mitts are enough protection for me. In ~ 40 degree water I may blow my breath on them from time to time but that’s it. Yesterday I didn’t feel cold in the 50+ water and 44 F air. My week parts are my feet though so I like having them well protected /cold feet make me wanna pee /.

Next time with similar conditions I’ll try launching from Beverly Shores. The small parking lot across the street is sheltered and has grass areas as far as I remember. The restrooms will be closed for the season surely, but thats ok. Its a bit of walk to the water edge including steps but nothing terrible, there is no wind obstructing pier aswell.
Dunes Lakeshore Parking Lot
301-329 W Lake Front Dr, Michigan City, IN 46360
goo.gl/maps/cfdypVpFWyT2

Kind of funny you said that Ady. As soon as I saw your picture I said to my wife, " You have to see this picture Ady took. It looks like a painting!" I enjoy the pics everyone posts but there are some that really stand out, the Mother Nature Pics! This one you shot and I think Gregory posted a couple of really nice ones a couple of months ago. He caught some funky cloud formations that looked pretty ominous as some front was coming thru. Kind of like a big upside down wave if I remember. I'll have to go back and take another look at them.

Its all about being at the right place at the right time and then you don’t even have to make an effort. It’s not fair but that’s how life works. I wish for once in my life to be at the right place and time when a winning lottery ticket is sold. I have to start buying tickets first though.

Yep- super windy at MC that day; My 4.5m was good till about 2pm, then I got blown off the water. I had a blast for 2 hours though

couple other tips on mc:
1. Yeah, I do not like rigging in the parking lot at mc, but there is no good option. You will learn the tricks to minimize parking lot 'rash'.
2. 90% of the time, the sand is not blowing into you at the parking lot (it was blowing 35-50knots when we were derigging, so sand was everywhere). You could also park next to the restrooms and be protected from the sand if that is a concern (at the expense of 20 yard additional walk)
3. The pier at mc is a good thing; it protects us from the massive current (in high winds) , and creates cleaner waves for us to ride.
4. Bevery Shores would have lots more current than MC (if winds are sustained several hours over 20kn). Also, if you get into trouble getting out at beverly shores and get pushed downwind a bit, there is some beach shoreline, but there is also plenty of rock pile lined shore. Beverly shores is a small community with very limited beach parking (like 5 spots, they really don't want visitors), i have kiter friends living there , and they still rather kite at mc or miller beach. MC is safer because if you get pushed downwind, you will always land on a sandy beach; plus there is almost always someone on the water at MC (kiting, surfing , or WS).
5. there is a beach cam at mc, BTW : weather.weatherbug.com/weather-camera/?cam=MCHLP

Ive got a ton of awesome pictures of me this year, thanks Garry, Ella and Reid, Rich and Steve but the one I absolutely love is this:

Its from the first batch of pictures that Reid took of me during my first ever visit to Clinton Lake. Just everything falls perfect in place in it. Light, colours, composition, vantage point, background -just magnificent!

Another top favorite, from Ella a few years back at Wolf. The natural light again playing major part.