Utah Windriders Association

All day at work on wednesday, i'm watching 30 mph winds pretty much everywhere. as 5:00 neared, i got a phone call from Todd J. who told me DC had dropped out. i saw that the wind at burmeister had turned westerly and was still @ 20 mph, so since i work in SLC, i figure that this is the day i'll try kiting in the salt lake for the first time. I pulled up to the saltair palace around 5:30 to approximately 15 mph winds, not great but i figure i'll get some rides on my big kite. drag my gear out the 1/4 mile or so the the water. I get my gear rigged up and the wind has dropped to maybe 12 mph, but since i'm all set up, i hope for the best and head out. got about 10 minutes of straight downwind (which was sideshore) kiting before the wind dropped further and the kite wouldn't stay in the air. So i drag my gear back to where i started, and with virtually no wind left, i begin putting everything away. I've got the kite in the bag, and as i pull the drawstring tight, the wind comes up strong enought that i have to sprint after my shirt as it gets blown up the beach. I turn around and it is ripping, now almost directly on-shore. The sun is now just above the mountains in the distance, so it just doesn't make sense to re-rig everything and head out for 5 minutes of kiting before it gets dark. As i'm walking back to my car, with my board blowing this way and that in my hand, i think i can hear laughing barely masked in the howling winds.

here's a link to the wind graph (you might need to scroll back a page or 2 to get to the 10th). http://www.ikitesurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=134&siteID=1116&days=3&Isection=Wind+Yesterday

The lack of wind cooperation aside, i thought kiting in the salt lake was pretty good, apart from the smell. There's a wide open rigging area, the ground (both in and out of the water) is firm sand instead of the standard mud around here, the water is clear, and it's shallow for a long way out. I probably only went 200 yards offshore since i was (justafiably) afraid the wind would drop, but it was only about waist deep. As far as the water goes, a sinus flush on a high wind day probably wouldn't be too pleasant, and a lot of splashing might sting your eyes. My wetsuit still has a distict odor after a rinse.

The wind is a wicked mistress. I have kited the GSL a handful of times (once on Thanksgiving morning). It is always desperation kiting (every other spot is not blowing), but it is fun. Yes, the nasal flush there is nasty, nose plugs are a must on a high wind day. I had one session where the wind clocked from southwest to west to northwest without any lulls. Can't say that has happened to me anywhere else. Glad you got some on the GSL.

ha...

Great story...

I've been there (literally and figuratively) on my windsurfing gear... Feb 2002... During the winter Olympics... Haven't sailed there since... But I got it on video which I actually captured to my computer for the first time a couple of weeks ago... After a short planer, the wind died... I was in a drysuit... And I was able to get back to my truck... With a smile on my face... The water temp was around 26 from what I remember the guy in charge of the marina saying, air was 32... Salt eeked from my gear for months...

In fact, I remember thinking, on a good day, this will be awesome... The wind really has to be good in order to launch from the marina because of the Oquirrh mountains right there... I'm still waiting for that perfect north day to ride some ocean size waves in the acid surf!

I remember stories from those who have had epic rides on that caustic beast of a lake!