Mojave - "Moe Jah Vey" 10-11 through 14th

[Josh Shirley]

Jim once said "just one session" well he needed to be set straight.

So Jim Hornbeck, Mike Egan, and I made the trip down to Katherine's Landing to catch the north wind. Sunday the day was cold and mildly windy. Jim on his 5.4, Mike on a 5.6 and I on a 6.3. Around 4 pm the wind picked up some and I rigged down to a 5.2. Finished out the day pretty tired. Next morning the wind was up Jim on 3.7, Mike on 4.0, and I on a 4.1. We were all on small boards and enjoying the strong gusts. After about an hour on the water the wind backed off about a meter. We still sailed into the evening. Both Sunday and Monday the wind was north north west, so the swell never really built up.

Tuesday was the best day for swell and consistent winds. Started off with a 5.8 and then the wind switched to true north and the swell started coming in. I re-rigged to 4.7 and sailed my small board 83 liters most of the day. We packed up around 5pm and I climbed into my own bed around 1:30am. Very good three days of wind. By the time we left the air was back up to 80. The water is about 70 degrees.

If your going down be aware of mussels. The quagga mussels are attaching themselves in all the cracks and crevasses. Your feet need booties. Mike's feet started a fight with them and lost. The rangers even requested that Mike be sprayed down and dried off.

A couple Montana kiters joined us in the camp ground. The mussels even popped one of their kites.

Also listened to John Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat audio book on the way down and back. All in all a great start to the week.

[Josh Shirley]

more photos

[Josh Shirley]

more photos

[RickHeninger]

That's disappointing news about the Quagga mussels... I wonder if Jarek brought those in with all his sailing around the west!

I knew it was blowing when I saw california ablaze... Way to get some you guys!