Been watching this for close to a week. And just when it didn't look like it was going to happen they put red on Carlyle tonight.




I would love to hit Coles Creek before winter hits. They say it's closed for the season but don't know if that only means the campground and not the boat ramp like years past. If so I might wind up at Boulder. I will choose between Carlyle or Clinton in the morning.

I have to work this morning so can't make it down to Carlyle. I will be sailing Clinton Lake this afternoon.

12:40 Coles Creek breakwall SSW 25 G 34 - water temp 63

No gusts to 34 on Patoka Lake this afternoon but my 101L/6.5 combination was fully powered up. After a half dozen re-introductory sailing episodes since my eleven year layoff with lots of frustration and struggling while attempting to regain my previous form, today things finally started to come together. Some adjustments to mastfoot position, footstrap size, harness line position and length, etc. rewarded me with numerous successful waterstarts and a considerable amount of time comfortably planing in the straps. I am now optimistic that skills that used to be taken for granted will soon, once again, be routine. Successful uphauls improved my confidence in being able to get back to the car during the lulls. Most importantly, a stop at Lowes to pick up a soft drywall sanding block, followed by five minutes of light sanding, reduced the Starboard nonskid deck to a still grippy but no-longer-skin-removing texture. I'm hopeful that future sailing will not result in my looking like I lost a battle with a belt sander. Also found another launch site with a great western exposure that should be good for anything south-west-north and requires twenty minutes less driving.

Great day at Coles Creek. They changed the launch on me since last time I was there. They built a man made beach years ago and you could drive right to it. Well, they've riprapped the whole beach and put up boulders so you can't drive to it. Like you would even want to now. But I was able to make the launch work. I found a spot on the inside of the small breakwall that kind of acts like stairs through the riprap. There is enough vegetation to set your board on while you put your sail in the water. The inside of the cove is shallow near shore and totally protected from wind and waves. I put my board and sail together in the water and then it's just a short wade up to the tip of the breakwall. I will update Coles Creek on the Launches and put the icon right where I launched.

Wind was rippin' all day. Lit on the 4.7 with 95L.

11 of today's 16 photos. Link for all of today's photos at bottom of post.

Centralia peaked out at a sustained 27 G 38 mph



The lake was firing. Coles Creek is a windy spot on the lake sticking out on a point.



The Coles Creek reef causes the swell to well up and rap in even a half mile out.



A port side jump-a-torium. Piece after piece. Hip to arm pit high right in your face. Even on a broad reach.



Some locals in the line-up by the wall waiting for their set. One of them yelled, "Non Purest!", as I went by.



Swell ride... Take it easy...



A view of the breakwall. You can stand up if you come right up to the inside of the wall during normal pool level.



Sometimes a set will clean up the chop behind the wall.



Finding some smooth water behind the wall.



I got to get back out there and hit that.



Boom! Love it.



It's got grassy rigging with wind blockage, 2 picnic tables, 2 grills, a fire pit and in your face ramps! I think I just fell in love with Coles Creek all over again.


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