I'm heading up to sail the big lake tomorrow and Tuesday. I am planning on sailing near Michigan City. If anyone is heading over there to sail let me know where you will be launching and perhaps I see ya there. Can't wait to get my first session of the fall!

Need some help figuring out where to sail today. Where is the best place to sail today on Lake Michigan? It will take me a couple hours to get up there so want to go to where I have the best probability of wind.

It looks good man! From Michigan City to Muskegon, go to the closest to you launch.

Chris wrote:

Michigan City. IN launch is the spot for both days. Today should be good all the way to sunset. All other spots will be onshore on the Michigan side.






Michigan City pier, IN (wind forecast in knots)

How was it? Looked pretty good at MC .


Michigan City Pier



Michigan City cam





Muskegon, MI breakwalls



Muskegon, MI breakwalls

I ended up going to Washington Park Monday. I rigged my 5.8 around noon and went out but the wind wasn't steady so I decided to wait for it to come up a bit before going out again. I think the pier messes with the wind so I went a little further down the beach to sail. Got back on the water around 3pm and got some decent rides but the wind wasn't as good as indicated by the graphs you posted. I had my daughter with me so I didn't spend the whole afternoon on the water. It didn't get real windy until after about 5. I rapped it up around 4:30 and we went to ST. Joe to spend the evening and then traveled back to Bloomington in the morning. It wasn't all that it could have been but I enjoyed my first session of the fall on the water. There was lots of kiters there but I was the only one windsurfing. I think they like it there because the kites are not effected by the wind break from the pier so the can go close up to shore and play in the waves. If I had it to do over I would go to another launch west of where I was to sail.

I think the wind direction was SW on Monday.

Chris wrote:
Here's a different graph of that day. It's the Michigan City buoy and it does look borderline 5.8 conditions until after 3:30(as SailFlow forecast) The other thing to remember is the Michigan City pier meter is also off on its direction(from all reports). The buoy and Burns Harbor both showing W-WSW this day and not SW.

Michigan City buoy



Well, it sounds more like a good beginner type day at Michigan City for somebody wanting to try Lake Michigan. We'll hopefully get you in some bigger conditions before the fall is over.

Wow, the break at Muskegon looks so clean! The few sails and kites seem to be on the other side of this jetty though.

Muskegon is pretty flexible as far as wind direction, thanks to the big half-moon breakwater. The biggest & nicest waves I've ever ridden were on the south side of it on a northerly 4.7 wind (just slightly offshore) that had been blowing all night

The beaches are huge, with loads of parking. Only drawback is the crazy distance you have to drive to get from the north beach to the south beach.

Even if the wind is east you can sail on Muskegon Lake!

And if you're in the area and it's sunny & warm with a south wind you need to get your butt to LSP (just 25 minutes away) where it will be blowing twice as strong.

Drew

Sounds like Heaven! You guys are spoiled for choices.

Andrew Scheidler wrote:
And beautiful camping at Silver Lake State Park at LSP... windsurfillinois.com/index.php/photos/63...albumid=6&photoid=74