I’m a beginner/intermediate windsurfer. I have never been on Lake Michigan but because Cedar Lake is closed down and I want to give my visiting grandson some beginning WS instruction while he is in town, I'm looking at alternatives. Michigan City is only an hour plus away. While I’m considering a place to teach my grandson perhaps it’s time to broaden my own experience, hence the thought of other sites. Can some of you give me the the pros and cons of MC? Parking/unloading? Where to put in? Shallow areas for instructions? Good wind directions vs bad wind directions. Local authorities and no-no.s associated with staying out of trouble. Thx

On this stretch of lake Michigan, cross-shore southwest (or northeast) winds tend to be the best as it is easy to get back in and the waves tend to be small. Winds from the north can also be good before the waves (and shore-break) gets too big. Winds from the south can be good once you get 1/4 to half a mile away from land, but you need to be quite confident in your ability to get back up wind.

I'm not sure about the logistics of Michigan City, but I can tell you about Ogden Dunes (about 15 miles west of Michigan City). In Ogden Dunes, there's really only one good place to get to the beach with windsurfing equipment (red dot on attached map). From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are parking restrictions so you need to unload your equipment at the red dot and then park in the the blue area (any where on Sunset trail). Following the Tuesday after Labor Day, parking restrictions are lifted and you can park in the lot (purple area on map) right next to the beach access. Currently, many of the areas have sandbars near shore which would probably be good for instruction.

I second everything Brian said. Looks like Monday 8/08 would be the perfect day for ya. Teaching in the morning, something for you in the afternoon. Michigan city is also shallow with sandbars.

From the launches page - Michigan City. Washington Park has a big parking lot close to the beach. There's a park entrance fee.



Euro gust model. Morning for teaching.



Euro gust model. Something for you in the afternoon until it goes too onshore late afternoon/evening.

LaPorte IN, a few miles SE of Michigan City on Hwy 35 has several small lakes. Pine Lake is the largest of those; Unity Park is on the east shore; tiny, but is more than 1/2 mile from W shore to E shore. I said "tiny" but it is also about 3 times larger than the lake I usually sail near Cedar Falls IA. Think of Pine Lake as jibing & tacking practice if the wind is strong; if the wind is light it will be much less boring than on Lake Michigan because the shore is much closer & therefore changing the view much more often. Warning: I haven't been there in decades & know nothing about possible fees. www.google.com/maps/place/La+Porte,+IN+4...611143!4d-86.7227195

Here's a couple of my photo albums of Michigan City, IN. And one from Tiscornia Park, St. Joe, MI.

1st. Michigan City, IN - Aug 29, 2009 - West wind that rolled to WNW. 6.5 range.

Album: windsurfillinois.com/index.php/photos/63...bumid=69&photoid=805











2nd. Michigan City, IN - Nov 09, 2013 - Wind SW

Album: windsurfillinois.com/index.php/photos/63...umid=94&photoid=1256








Now go look at these photos I shot that same day in November in Tiscornia, St. Joe, MI - Wind SW 5.5 to 4.5 range and many more miles of fetch.

Album: windsurfillinois.com/index.php/photos/63...umid=96&photoid=1357