Boom! The 2017 season has officially started. Mother Nature answered Chris's cries of Cabin Fever. Ady picked the perfect day to finally make his pilgrimage. And when folks come to Clinton for their first time they get the photo treatment, that's where I came in. It was nice to meet you Ady. I'm glad you posted a real time, on the spot report, to show how nice it was out there. Great to see you guys on such a beautiful day.

Air temp hit 63 with full sunshine.

Bloomington



Champaign



Decatur



6 of today's 33 photos. Be sure to go to the link later.

Link To All Of Today's Photos


Ady was ripping it up out there on his 110L with 7.5



Ady was killing duck jibes on both sides of the lake.(go to the link to see full sequence)



Chris was making it work with Ady's 6.5 and his own 93 L






Ady and Chris and a few motorboats. Chris still finding something to jump off.



Beautiful day. And a Bald Eagle even flew right over the launch. See y'all next time.



Link To All Of Today's Photos

An awesome day indeed! And the after-session biers and burgers in the little pub, the billiard lessons, man I couldn't have asked for more!
Because of all the excitement perhaps I missed to show off my other 2016 achievement-the Helly tack. On the other hand my shoulders are probably grateful for that, the right one is still complaining about all that 7.5 ducking
PS: Is there something wrong with this "Lane" weather station right next to the lake? I don't think I ever seen you post its readings. Btw Wednesday looks big, albeit cold .

Man, Reid the pictures you shot are awesome! I ended up downloading every single one including those of Chris-I like them that much! Together with those which Ella shot of me in October on Wolf they make a great collection that sets me for life pretty much in the big sails/boards department. Now I have to start working on the small stuff where I'm really lacking be it experience or pictures. It would be great if you get me one day doing a Forward for example
Chris, one day we have to swap our 93 -94 for a few runs to experience first hand what kind of difference there is. It would be fun and educational.

Ady wrote:
Yeah, can't get a clean reading on most of those small stations. Between the 3 readings of Bloomington, Champaign, Decatur - within that triangle, lies the truth, albeit in a chaotic state. "A poem is never finished, only abandoned." "Pi being an irrational number, it cannot be expressed exactly as a fraction (equivalently, its decimal representation never ends and never settles into a permanent repeating pattern)."



Ady wrote:
Thanks! Enjoy! If you can do it, I can shoot it. Come on down!

Ady, you will be airborne soon, if you make it down to Carlyle or Clinton the next big wind day, promise. Can't say I can help you with the looping but I go for it, at my age the chance of me mastering it is iffy, but I will go for it. Having someone else trying will motivate me, remember, go for it points count!

P.S. Not completely sure what Reid wrote but I think he is saying that if you consider the readings at the near by towns you get an estimate of what is happening at the lake. We have the wind spot effect around the lake that is really strange but awesome at times. Look for the orange or red spot on SailFlow around Clinton, you will see it several times in a year. It's blowing 10-15 MPH higher than the surrounding towns. Being there is believing!

We have a deal Chris

Awesome that you guys got out already! Sounds like a great time. I gotta bust on down and join you soon. Is there a camp ground at the lake?

Yes, there's a campground on the north side of the bridge pool as we call it. It would be great to have a bunch of windsurfers, sailing, grilling out and partying at the campground some weekend. I have a couch and floor space available as well if the weather isn't good for camping. Come on down sometime and bring a crew if you like, we'll find shelter for all.

wendell garvelink wrote:
Wendell, if you time it right and it's SW wind, you can unzip your tent and wake up to this...(Chris on a 5.0 at A32 campsite, 2013)




And then that evening make s'mores over your campfire...







Link To More Photos Of This Day At A32, 2013


Also go to the Lanches page: windsurfillinois.com/index.php/launches Left side menu: Clinton Lake> Area32. - Close the little Area32 pop up window and mouse around, zoom in/out, click other launch sites.

Pilgrimage!