2020-07-13 Some wind!

Wabamun Lake

Cam, Jim and Kent were all out on 5.2's or 5.3's foiling for two hours.

Slave Lake

Gerry said he was out, but didn't say on what.  He quit early because of the rain, high water, and "crap floating everywhere".  He also said Eddy got out, but didn't know how it went.  The wind was extremely variable from one fifteen-minute period to the next.  

Eddy emailed to say he tried to self launch, but ended up in the willows.....

Eddy's Place

Lac St. Anne

Ross sailed his 9m at Alberta Beach, but was shut down early by bit T-Cells.

He warned that "at AB there are big chunks of bullrushes drifting downwind....like mini floating islands...ripped off the north shoreline by the wind and high water.  Watch out for the lumps...."

Dried Meat Lake

I got home late from Edmonton and decided to head out.  I rigged my 5.6 for my windsurfer, but just as I was heading out, the wind dropped.

I rigged my 6.0 flyer to go foiling, but then re-rigged to the 5.2 before heading out.  The wind was very gusty in both strength and direction.  I got a few runs and then the wind came off completely.  Oh well, it is supposed to be better tomorrow.

Getting out through the weeds is a bit of an issue with the foil.  Once out, it is not bad....

Ted - end of a session

2020-07-12 Notes and Photos from Slave Lake

Gerry's Place

I got an email from Julie about sailing on Slave Lake last Sunday

.........

Hello Ted

Gerry, Blaine and Eddy were sailing and kiting today. Great adventures.....Blaine lost his gear, we had to borrow a seadoo to go get Blaine's gear in the middle of the lake that floated about 2 miles away. They took it to shore and were able to get it. 

I will have to send a few pics at a time. The one with the 3 of them is "oh shit I lost my gear"

Oh Shit - I lost my gear!

Gerry

..........

I asked Blaine for his side of the story.......

..........

Hello Ted

Not sure what Julie sent you but we had a fun day in the mighty Slave lake.

We sailed out of Gerry’s.

I foiled on my 4.2 Gerry sailed on his 5.7 Eddie kited on a 10 meter we were all having a blast,  It was a little gusty, but fun. The swell was fun for me to get used to, it reminded me of skiing the moguls.

Anyhow I managed to lose my kit on a jibe. Just finishing the jibe and a gust hit me ripping the rig out of my grasp. I watched it sail away from me. So tried to swim to it but very exhausting in the waves.  Decide it was time to swim in as every time I thought I could catch it. No luck. Walked back to Gerry’s and asked who would have a jet ski or boat, we were lucky his neighbours had one, so off we went.

I asked Gerry to go out and find the kit.  He said no way I’m taking it out in that stuff.  Wise choice 😀

Thank god the jet ski was a two-man seater.

I spotted the rig. It floated approx 2 miles - very lucky to find it, as the waves were 5 ft crests.

I sailed it to shore and dragged my rig up on shore.  We returned to Gerry’s to get my van to pick it up. The rest is history.

A few pops and a nice nap, now ready to do it again today.

Gerry  Eddy  Blaine

...........

Blaine - flying high!

Eddy on his 10m

Eddy with his 10m - Blaine looking for his rig...

Gerry - slicing and dicing!

Then Gerry sent me an update......

Blaines Tracks showing the 3 mile down wind seadoo ride and the return trip where Blaine spotted his rig about 2 miles from where he lost it.  He should have gps'd the vehicle ride to pick it up as well. :-) 

I honestly didn't think we were going to find it. When you look at the size of the lake its a needle in a haystack, especially since it was probably at least an hour from when he lost it, swam in, and we borrowed and launched the seadoo. We lucked out as on our return trip as we passed within about a 100ft of it. I wouldn't have seen it as I was constantly getting spray in my face from the port ramps.  Luckily Blaine was shielded by me so could see. It was a little bit of a scary ride as the borrowed seadoo idled at about 2 mph and if we fell off even with the tether, it probably would be gone faster then we could swim. To make matters worse it beeped error codes the whole time. This on a seadoo that they have had lots of trouble with.  I personally towed it in once myself last year. It was kind of funny picking Blaine him up as with the 2mph idle in the big swell, I had to go by him close enough that he could grab it and try and pull himself on without tipping us.  It only took 2 tries. In the end, everything worked out.  

The only downside was the wind was the best of the day when I had to mount the rescue.

2020-07-10 and 11 - Wake Foiling

More fun with the Boat at Dried Meat Lake.  Spencer and I, with Louise driving, got out Friday night; and then on Saturday, Laura, who came home for the weekend, joined us.  We went out in the morning and had a great session on calm water with almost no other boats on the water.  

Spencer - Smooth!!!

We had planned to go out again later, but the wind picked up and the lake got busy with boats, so instead, I pulled the dock in a bit and raised the boat hoist because the lake level had increased so much.  Great Day!

Spencer

Here is a link to a video of me (Ted) Wake Foiling...

2020-07-04 Ted and Spencer Wake Foiling

I had been out at the RC Flying field for the last couple of days, but I took a break and came home.  Spencer asked if we could go out foil surfing - so of course, I said yes.

Louise drove.  We don't need as big a wave for foiling as we do for just wake surfing, so with Louise driving, a couple of 5-gallon jugs of water in the back and the wedge, we had lots of wave.

I am sad/proud to say that I have to pass the torch to Spencer, who after a couple of sessions is now better than I am, although it is fun because we are still pushing each other.

Great day on the water!  Here is a link to a Video of Spencer Wake Foiling.

2020-07-01 Keho Trip

Update on latest Keho trip July 1 and 2 - Post from Mike S

We all arrived around 11:00 am on Wednesday  Tim and I rigged  5.6 and 5.2 and rode them for a while until it picked up then we went down to 4.8   4.6. And after a while, those were too big to sheet in too but we were both too beat to rig anything smaller 

The kiters. Ross and Matt were on 9 and then 7 and 5.5.  

Day two more of the same but I decided to sit it out as it was cold and really gusty and I put a knee into my mast on a pearl at the end of the Wednesday session and giving a chance to heal was a legit excuse.  

Coldwater ..warm air or sun  ok .....cold water cold wind and no sun just does not motivate me anymore.  

Everyone else hit the road for home fairly early but I decided to stay the night hoping for a 10-meter kite session the next day which is exactly what happened.  I had a great morning session and hit the road home around 1pm. as the wind died off anyway. 

2020-06-16 Gerry's session at Canyon Creek

2020-06-15 Weekend Update

I have heard reports from a few of us who have managed to get in some sailing/kiting/foiling over the last few days.

Big Jim

I got a text from Big Jim that he had a good session on Friday night and was looking for a better session on Saturday - although I didn't hear anything about it.....  No Photos - and I'm not sure if it was windsurfing or foiling - I suspect foiling.

Keho Trip!

Mike, Tim, Ross, Andreas and Matt headed down to Keho for the weekend.  I guess it was wild with very strong, very gusty wind.  

Mike's Story

Few pix from our quick trip to Keho.  The kiters had a blast Ross Andrea's and Matt they were on 7s and 5s.

 

I got a short 10mt session on Monday before the wind kicked ..

 

Tim and I were windsurfing and it was pretty narly both days chop from hell and insane gusts and holes . One minute fully powered 3.8 next not enough to water start . We rode 4.6 4.8 on Sunday and Tim got blown off his 4.8 on Monday I was on 4.2 and 3.8 for a while but the water only cleaned up for about half an hour total the rest of the time it was so rough you had a hard time holding speed to get to the ramps ..

Camping at Keho

 

Mike's Rig

 

Andrea's Version!

I'm not sure I quite agree with Mike on the conditions assessment. 

Yes, the conditions were at times pretty narly (that's what you get when it's gusting over 70) but for the kites with a bigger wind range than the windsurfers it wasn't fully powered 3.8 then can't water start it was fully powered.....and REALLY fully powered. 

Kirk referred to the swell as glassy on Facebook...not chop from hell. I would say it was a bit in-between with areas of cross chop hell but there was also big wide smooth glassy swell found venturing away from our launching spot (I think the tip here next time is to ride where Kirk rides if you want the good stuff). 

Tim was out doing his usual hucking (back loops) but the ramps for jumping were not too co-operative (I think his body was also saying WTF I'm 50 something😁). 

Matt was enjoying his new 7m kite he bought for the gorge so Ross wouldn't complain about not being able to go to the "good spots" when he was visiting (which is a good thing because the 9m wouldn't have quite cut it at keho). 

Ross was doing his usual strapless ripping in the waves on his 5m (which thankfully Karen had reconstructed the night before we left) and he even landed some strapless jumps! 

I would have been happier on a smaller kite than my 7m the second day but I think that's just because every 70km gust was reverberating through my VERY sore muscles from day one.

Social Distancing Photo attached.....

Ross's version...

Agreed.  There was some really good swell out in the deeper water.  Inshore there was cross chop, probably a reflection from a depth change and the shore.  Knees and hips are feeling it now.

The wind was ripping 5m, some abrupt lulls but pretty typical wind quality for southern Alberta, from my experience.  Probably better on kites but there were still quite a few windsurfers out.

Sun was out most of the time, temps were not terrible at high teens, the wind had a bit of a cold bite but the beer was good both on site and at the brew pub and highways were pretty empty and the drive safe for everyone.

All told a good short trip for a bit of Southern Alberta kiting.  Next stop Slave Lake......Jerry and Eddy, when are your arranging wind for a visit?

Brad at Pigeon Lake

Brad didn't send me a note or any photos, but it looks like he got out on Monday to do some foiling.

Ted at Dried Meat Lake

On Sunday, there wasn't any wind, so Louise and I went for a 5km SUP ride on the lake.  We stayed away from the public beach where there was a jetski wreaking havoc and stayed by the shore checking out the birds, beavers and muskrats. 

I also got out Monday.  It looked windier than it was.  I actually rigged my 6 thinking it might be too much for my 7, but then went out on the 7 and slogged a lot of the time.  I did have a few runs when there was a gust, and even had a couple of foiling jibe attempts.....  Louise was kind enough to snap some photos - always trying to make me look better than I am....