On the wind scale there's a level called Apeshit. Chris and I launched out of Wooded Beach hoping to solve the dreaded WSW wind. And get it with warm water. We launched and headed up to where the swim beach pool meets the marina pool. It makes a corner. I was lit on my 4.2 in the 35 mph wind as we were heading up. I was about to turn on my GoPro when solid 50+ mph dropped down the lake. Not only that, it's also being released off the tree lined corner where the pools meet. We're now in the worst spot. Everything was going sideways. It was trying to suck my board off the water and flip it during a water-start. I got up but now I have to head down wind and feel the full force, heading further into the marina pool. Liquid smoke. I had to hang on unhooked, sail wide open. It felt like I was on plane by mast alone.. I made it to shore. The wind calmed down to a more manageable 40 mph gusts. The spot never really got its groove on with this WSW wind. There's not a good exit. The Turkey Vultures confirmed this. They were riding the up updraft on the tree lined hill like a cliff all along the shore where we were landing. Works great for funneling wind on a SE but sucks on a WSW. We made the most of the day. And it made for a good workout on the water. We picked up trash. There's a beautiful wide mowed hiking trail with elevated lake views. We found a potential launch at the mouth of Party Cove. The wind showed the swell potential and how well the cove gives the wind an exit. Also big reaches. For S wind 190 to 200 degrees. For the days it feels too offshore at the Marina and too onshore in the bridge pool. It takes a cart to get your gear there.


Bloomington.



Champaign



Decatur




9 of the day's 11 photos.

See all of the day's photos


Welcome to Wooded Beach.









Looking west.












'till next time.




9 of the day's 11 photos.

See all of the day's photos

How much warmer is the water on the east side of the lake than the west?
I see there is a power station that uses lake water to cool down but dumps the hot water on the east side of the lake. This might create some really potent thermals moving ene and moving off the lake but drawing equally potent low level air to makeup from the west side of the lake into the lake area.
Just a hypothesis.
In winter I bet it never freezes over and around summer the wind should be less peaky.

Guillermo wrote:

It can be 10 to 15 degrees F warmer where we can sail. It's even warmer than that on the north side of the bridge. The cold temp is measured by a sensor at the dam. One year we had 37 F at the dam and 56 F in the bridge pool. You can get a temp boost in the bridge pool if you get north wind a day or 2 before.


Guillermo wrote:

It does freeze over except for the bridge pool.

Here ya go, Guillermo.

He filmed this north of the bridge.

GPS track and wind arrows.