Dried Meat Lake
Ted's Report:
It is funny how it seems to always be the "Best Day Ever" when I am not there to take photos!
It was windy but rained hard all day here. The rain quit at about 5:00 as the wind died. I did not try to go out and did not think of driving East - Damn.
Of course none of my friends called or emailed to let me know where they were going...
Lac St. Anne - Alberta Beach
Harold's Report:
Ross and I watched a huge storm cell move up from Rocky Mountain House North East across Pigeon Lake toward Edmonton and on. It started to rain hard in Edmonton, but it seemed to be missing Lac Ste Anne, so we headed out after lunch. It was a gamble, but as soon as we left Edmonton the rain turned into a very light shower and was gone by the time we got to Alberta Beach. For a moment it looked like the wind might die as well, but then it came back with a vengeance.
Lac Ste Anne was a happenin’ place today.
Ross, the infamous Matt, Vadim, and I all showed up at the pier at about 1:30PM. Ross got out first, but the wind didn’t cut in immediately. It held off for more deserving individuals, namely, ME. But then it cranked.
Ross used his 9 meter kite and later his 7 meter kite. He threw some monumental jumps and landed them with panache. Matt was also on a 9 meter kite.
Vadim used his 6.5 sail (which was way too big) and then his 5.6 together with his 99 liter board. Once he switched to his 5.6 he was very pleased with his day. I used my 5.3 (which was probably too big but worked well) and my 83 liter board.
I loved the big swells piling up on the shore today until they started going backwards. Why are some of the swells going backwards I asked myself? Have I got vertigo? Senility (as some of you suspect)? I finally figured out that I was sailing in front of the pier and the swells were big enough that they were bouncing off the pier and back out into the lake (something Tim has talked about). But I wouldn’t sell the Senility theory short.
Ross's Report:
The day from a kite perspective.
It was 9m early and then quickly advanced to solid 7m. I held onto my 9m fully depowered since I am both lazy and didn't want to pump up a second kite, and the 9 was giving me good jumping power. In result of my poor decision, I am very sore today. The 7m later in the day was a much better choice. Matt rode his 9m since he had opted to bring his 21m and leave his 7m at home, he thought he was driving to a light wind session!
The sun was out, it was warm, good swell especially further out and we had the lake to ourselves from 1300 to when we packed up at 1830, except for two pesky windsurfers inside the bay. Can we ban these things from the water ways? They can be such a hazard to navigation.....kidding.
To quote Matt in his text to me: "I'm a little shocked. That was such an amazingly fabulous session."
For those who had other commitments, if the forecast holds Sunday looks good.
Also interested to find out what happened at Slave L. It looked windy up there!
Awaiting further reports from the Windsurfing Central.
Wabamun Lake - Jim's Place
Kent's report:
It was windy! The rain stopped around 11:30 and Cam, Jim, and Ben went out. Cam was foiling on a 3.7, Jim foiling on 4.2, and Ben sailing a 4.7. Blaine and I arrived at 1:00 or so. Blaine rigged a 4.2 and foiled. I rigged a 4.5 and was blown off the water so rigged a 3.8 and foiled for an hour or so. On a flat 3.8 I basically ran upwind downwind terrified foiling…. Not sure how the others hung on!
Blaine and I gave up on being way overpowered and rigged 4.8’s and took 85l boards out for a rip.. Totally powered! I am 20% faster on a windsurfer than a foil and the water is way rougher when you are actually on it. We sailed for close to 2 hours and then took a break.. The swells were big. You could Jibe on one if you were aggressive!
5:00 or so we went back out foiling on 3.8 and 4.2, again overpowered but now it was a little easier…
Off the water around 6:30.
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| Jim Foiling |
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| Ben, Big Air Jim, and Cam Three Generations of Foilers! |
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| Gear on the lawn |
Slave Lake
Gerry's Report:
Sailed a 4.8 at Canyon in the am. Wind was west so very holey first 1/3 of a mile out. Very powered past there.
I drove to Slave in the afternoon. Rigged a 5.3 with the Stubby. Took a while to get through the break as the wind was directly onshore with waves crashing into the willows. Massively overpowered once I got going. Think a 4.2 would have been a better call. Got rolled into the willows getting back in, luckily didn't damage anything. The airport showed wind gusting to the high 60'skm. Definitely no holes there.
You have to squeeze between Eddie's boat and the willows to get in and out. Makes for some dicey moments. Water is chest-deep at the back of his boat.
Also no rain at all here.
Forcast 30 to 50 both today and tomorrow.
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