8/22 Sulphur Saturday, 7.5, JP MR 119

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8/22 Sulphur Saturday, 7.5, JP MR 119

Postby DimitriMilovich » Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:07 am

Late arrival at 3:00 found the lake empty of wind craft except for one BIG 18M Flysurfer ram-air kite out. His buddy was rigging a similar 15M Flysurfer on the beach. (Sorry, friends, didn't get names) Conditions were great 7.0 with 6.0 gusty sessions as well. Great kiting action with multiple boosts that I swear were 20-25+ feet up for 3-5 seconds on end. God, those things rip and lift, and that guy could sail! His buddy rigging away while we rigged. We rigged 7.0 and 7.5 and then rigged a 6.0 for J because it was filling in pretty strongly in the gusts.

Kiterguy 18M came in and downrigged to 15M Fly and his buddy to a 12(?) because "it was getting scary" out there with the 18M. I believe it, but he sure seemed in control. Those ram-air kites quickly self deflate and self-inflate. Getting pretty envious about how fast they can get in and out and rerigged, and how all his gear fit into a Honda Civic! (2nd kitesurfer had a truck).

Alas, not long after they rerigged, the clouds slipped in and the wind backed off. Strangely it stayed steady, but only about 10-12 with some gusts. We putted around and got light wind practice. J got a few planers. I despaired and headed in without any planing, knowing I'd have to report a skunk. After all, according to Craig's Criteria (aka Goudie's Guidelines) ya gotta get them feets in the straps for it to count. But, as John Freed says, "There's always the liquor store and cheap gas!

Then, all of a sudden, I got headed, and... Have you noticed that anytime you report your experiences at Sulphur, the phrase, "all of a sudden" seems necessary? I think we need an acronym, AOAS, to cover this. Anyway, AOAS, I got headed. I tacked and a wind line appeared out of the SW and I was off! In da straps! It counts! Yahoo! Ran most of the way across the lake, jibed and that was that. It was still steady 10-13 or so, but I didn't plane again for 20 minutes when I got another. So it was a two-planer day for me. J got about 3 or so. With our sails rigged flat for the 6.0 gusts that now seemed in the distant past, that was it for the day. Came in about 6:30 and derigged in the breeze with a sprinkle or two. Lesson learned, get there earlier.

BTW - the lake is much lower. The island is visible, with the buoy laying on top of it. Water still very nice temp for light suits or shorties. Launch is very shallow for a ways out and cobbles and mud, but no weeds to speak of. Sulphur's still a very nice place to sail.

Two white-faced ibis (ibi?) feeding in the shallows by the launch.
Dimitri
DimitriMilovich
 
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Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 7:16 am

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