Sulphur 8/11 5.3, 115l
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:44 amBeautiful day at Sulphur, but very frustrating wind. (Hey, it's Sulphur Creek). Got on the water about 1:00. Only powered about 10-15% of the time. Shoulda rigged 6.0, but each round of gusts seemed promising. But then they got further and further apart. Got rides in the gusts, but lotttsss of slogging. And the gusts had big holes. New term: "Donut gusts" - yummy first bites, but big holes in the middle. The holes would come through randomly later and just fake you out - hook in and you were in the water backwards a couple seconds later.
Wind switched around 5:00 more NW. but it was more teasers, just from a different direct. Bob out on his 5.3 and 98. We enjoyed the camaraderie, but would have enjoyed more wind as well. No resemblance to what Evanston airport reported at all.
Doug out on his kite foil (5.0 kite!) for each gust session, plus more time planing (flying?) than we got, by far. That boy carves it up! But even he would come in between the sessions. With his speed he was back in a minute to relax in the lulls, but we took forever to get back. In between sessions, Doug told us about his early experience as a kiter, when, at the south end of the little bay that goes to the road we all drive in on, he dropped his kite onto the POWER LINES! Very animated story about frantically getting disconnected from his kite, wrist strap, etc. Kind of a dance cross between swatting away a swarm of bees and confronting a skunk. Then, Doug being an electrician - "fresh water's not very conductive, really" (if you say so, Doug)- a very cautious removal of his kite from the other end of the lines. Yipes! Funny, though, he said his bar hung there for many years. We could just imagine Doug's Bar through the Wyoming seasons.
Water temp quite nice, lots of deep grass, lake very full. No island in sight. We ate lunch at 6:00 on the picnic bench, in the lovely evening light.
Wind switched around 5:00 more NW. but it was more teasers, just from a different direct. Bob out on his 5.3 and 98. We enjoyed the camaraderie, but would have enjoyed more wind as well. No resemblance to what Evanston airport reported at all.
Doug out on his kite foil (5.0 kite!) for each gust session, plus more time planing (flying?) than we got, by far. That boy carves it up! But even he would come in between the sessions. With his speed he was back in a minute to relax in the lulls, but we took forever to get back. In between sessions, Doug told us about his early experience as a kiter, when, at the south end of the little bay that goes to the road we all drive in on, he dropped his kite onto the POWER LINES! Very animated story about frantically getting disconnected from his kite, wrist strap, etc. Kind of a dance cross between swatting away a swarm of bees and confronting a skunk. Then, Doug being an electrician - "fresh water's not very conductive, really" (if you say so, Doug)- a very cautious removal of his kite from the other end of the lines. Yipes! Funny, though, he said his bar hung there for many years. We could just imagine Doug's Bar through the Wyoming seasons.
Water temp quite nice, lots of deep grass, lake very full. No island in sight. We ate lunch at 6:00 on the picnic bench, in the lovely evening light.