NOAA: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. South southwest...increasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.








Clinton Lake Forecast








Looks like another good day for the Marina for 3 in a row. SSW wind in the 5.8 to 4.2 range. Yeah that's wide. Should be sunny and warm.

I might show up tomorrow, nothing is going on here.

I’m going to try to make it there by 1pm if I can get off work.

Started with 94/5.7 but that was a misery, that combo is terrible. Switched to 6.5/110 and that proved much better, but still hard work in the very gusty winds and rough chop. Clinton is hardcore, Wolf is like a walk in the park in comparison. Got a 33 on the last leg coming in where the water is flatter in front of the marina.



Sylvain zooms by

Reid zooms by

I sailed my 5.8 on my 93ltr board. There was just enough wind to keep me moving but not enough to plane at first. I worked my way up to the main pool and then parked it on the beach for about 10 minutes waiting on the wind. Ady was coming in to change sails as I was going out. When it picked up he had made his way back to the narrows as the wind came up. 29.6mph was my fastest run, not bad for being on 5.8 it seems as the others were sailing 6.5 sails and were just a little faster. By the time Reid and the others made it up to the narrows the wind seemed to be backing down so I bailed and headed back. Got this pick of Reid slogging in at the end of the day.?

It was, after all, a good day.
6 windsurfers on the lake, 2 kiters

Only regret, I wasted my gopro battery the 1st hour when the wind was not there, and when I went upwind to the narrow.
So no good speed for me today, but again, I had a good time

Sylvain wrote: Clinton Lake lesson # ?? :Don’t turn on your GoPro before you reach the narrows.

Phone apps have the advantage of longer battery life. This is my first trip recording my slog up to the man pool base camp where I waited for the wind to come up. Wish we had access to farmers beach, that would be one of the best launch sites on the lake. It’s just further up on the main pool.



I like how my phone records the route, speed, and altitude. You can see right before the narrows were i walked along the beach until a gust line came so I could sail further up wind.

Fun day at the Marina. Another packed house. Got there in the morning. Rigged 4.7 with 95 L. Got up the The Narrows pretty easy. Wind almost turned completely west at one point . I could beam reach to the Farmer's Beach. Everything was working up there - screaming reaches. And I thought OK, let's close the season with some style. I think I jinxed it earlier by telling Ady that the Green Turtle (Starboard AtomIQ) would be making an appearance later that day as he's rigging his 5.7 with Kode. The wind faded and even gust chasing stopped working and it was time to head in. Morning wind is under forecast at Clinton. Something about that initial heating from 8:00 to 11:00 by the sun. Wish I got out there an hour earlier. Re-rigged 5.8 with 108 and tried to get back up to The Narrows as quickly as possible. Wind started to fade again but worked with it. Even busted out a 29 mph up there. And I got my first board 360. It was ugly but I got around. The air temp started at 36 F(overnight low) and ended at 70 F. Great to see everybody.


Bloomington



Champaign



Decatur





Only 16 of the day's 37 photos. See more of the day's photos HERE


Sylvain (5.8 sail). Ady (6.5 sail)



Ady (6.5 sail)



Ady (6.5 sail)



Ady (6.5 sail)



Roman (6.5 sail). He snuck down here again.



Roman (6.5 sail). Waving Hi to everybody.



Roman (6.5 sail). Us Ezzy - RRD guys gotta stick together.



Roman (6.5 sail).



Group pic. 5 windsurfers including myself in one shot - most ever. Roman, Sylvain, Ady, Rick and me.



Me (5.8 sail). Found a ramp.



Me (5.8 sail). Going into my 360. (See link for full sequence)



Me (5.8 sail). 360. Made it! (See link for full sequence)



Me (5.8 sail). Was able to still bust out a 29 mph in the fading wind.



Me (5.8 sail). The joy of planing across the water on wind. Never gets old.



'til next time.




Only 16 of the day's 37 photos. See more of the day's photos HERE