question

[shamaro]

nobody ever mentions surfing on the Salt Lake, is it banned or something?

[John Dubock]

Empreror Penguins like Rossberg and Dimitri sail/have sailed the GSL, usually in the winter when its big swells are all too tempting. Its very salty, lots of bugs, spotty wind if it starts to die and will attack your orifices if you get face planted. The Salt Ponds have to be experienced once in your sailing life.

Dimitri has some great stories of sailing the GSL in the olden days, alone and breaking down.

Its a shame because its a huge body of water.

[layne.peterson]

Just loaded picture to album of sailing at the salt ponds in Feb 2004. I might sail there again when the conditions are right but the salt is awful!

[Josh Shirley]

Yes it is banned. Unfortunate too.

[Kenny]

Yes it is banned. Unfortunate too.

Banned? I was not aware. I kited at Antelope Island last Fall and I have been to the Salt Ponds several times this summer. No one gave me any problems.

[lesvierra]

Josh, where are you getting your info? I'm was trying to figure out why anybody would ban kite boarding on large bodies of water like the great salt lake or lake powell. Turns out,

According to the National Park Service at Lake Powell, kiteboarding is NOT banned on Lake Powel. Kite tubing was banned.

According to Utah State Parks in SLC, they are not aware of any kiteboarding restrictions on the GSL, however they do recommend against kite tubing. They did recommend double checking with the rangers at the GSL Marina, no one answered.
you can follow up here (801) 250-1898.

[DimitriMilovich]

Have had many days of good sailing on GSL on N, right after a cold front, including downwinders from Stansbury Island to the Marina (really). Problem is, it drops about 5-10 mph per hour after the front comes through. Usually sailed at Marina. So has Emmanuel. Haven't done so in a couple years. Water low, salt concentration high, never timed right, etc.

I keep waiting for the N Shore crew, Marty, Vern, Doug, to figure out the secret, mud-free accress to White Rock on the N of Antelope Island, but I don't think that'll happen for the same reasons. Too bad. It's a big beautiful lake in the eyes of this sailor. Maybe when I get the light wind gear more dialed, I'll go out and try again on a gentle N. Flow day. Then again, I'll probably head to UL.

[Carl Christensen]

I've been out there more than once. Everyone always assumes that there isn't any water in our pretty great state but then when they find out that I windsurf they get smart and ask if, obviously being a fringe citizen, I do other exotic stuff like going to the GSL or drinking beer. Usually there's better wind elsewhere, like Utah Lake, Deer Creek, Jordanelle, etc, but there is no denying the grandness of the great one. It's a bee-ig pond. You have no idea the scale of the thing until you get out there a ways. The downwinder Dimitri mentions must be something else. The salt water doesn't bother you so much when it's on the more dilute side but one tends to be a bit crusty sometimes. It's not the kind of place to practice dunking maneuvers (tricks), unless you have a pathologic need to rinse your sinuses.

The last few times I've gone I launched Formula gear at the marina on a north and ping-ponged around until I could pop out the gap into the open water. Small gear takes a more direct approach and I've rigged on the Salt Air grass before launching off the breakwater there. A side benefit of is the freshwater showers that might or might not work anymore. The wind and swell can be very good. Interestingly, the tourists usually keep their distance, just to be on the safe side.

Probably the most amazing thing about the whole deal is that there is no one going out there much. The GSL has managed to remain magnificently aloof, just there in plain sight, but, in many ways, so far. The only people who really use it are the brine shrimpers and the (Thursday?) night yachtsmen who manage a casual series of races so remote and yet so close to Moroni's horn.

Nowadays, the spectre of methyl mercury (the most toxic form, and recently found in higher concentrations in the poor ol' prehistoric lake than ever seen almost anywhere in nature) kinda haunts you too. Thanks Nevada. Hope the guys that got the gold from them mines are enjoying themselves on our dime. Bless their hearts. It's a free country by golly. I wonder if they should have to share the loot with us since we are bearing the brunt of their fortunes here. BTW, production is up and so is the airborn mercury and guess which way it drifts. Forget about eating ducks for a while, (as in forever). Apparently Idaho is enjoying the mining industry just as much as Utah. I recently read that they have even more fish and fowl warnings than we do. But the mine owners in Nevada are having a whale of a good time.

[Josh Shirley]

I just thought it would be more fun to say it is banned. Moved you, Kenny, to post. Kind of like the myth that Rush Lake is dried up. I am on to you kiters and your conspiracy.

I was actually looking at the lake last night on google earth. It seems to me White Rock Bay might work on a south wind. Seems like we don't have any decent south wind location. MM19 and Willard Bay have funky prerequisites. Rush is mud.

There is something about the water though. It looks really errie when the wind blows. Maybe it is the thousands of birds, dead and rotting on the shore. Or those creepy Great Salt Lake booze cruises.

[Marty Lowe]

I keep waiting for the N Shore crew, Marty, Vern, Doug, to figure out the secret, mud-free accress to White Rock on the N of Antelope Island, but I don't think that'll happen

Spent many hours trying to figure that one out..

Then started Kiting,,

Bridger Bay works with the little kiteboard fins.

But like you say...........

I'll probably head to UL.

-Marty

[RickHeninger]

I have windsurfed in Utah since 1979... I've sailed on the Great Salt Lake three times! The last time was during the winter olympics in 2002... Yes, Grant McCallister granted me an olympic windsurfing certificate... The only chance I'll ever get for that...

But I gotta tell ya... Salt crystals eeked from my gear for two years it seemed... I felt like that guy from the movie "The Creepshow" by Stephen King... Actually it was Stephen King who played the hillbilly that had a meteor hit in front of his house and it started growing green algae or something all over his house and yard... He called it "meteor sheeut"... I had something similar growing off of my gear for a while... But I didn't rinse it of like I should have... I did rinse it a couple days later, but that was too late I guess... Maybe it was the 26 to 32 degree Farenheit water that made the difference...

I still am excited to catch it on a day where the waves are breaking ocean like... I haven't sailed GSL on a day that REALLY would make it worth the meteor sheeot... I wish they'd make a fresh water bay out there closer to SLC... Why not?!?! A Willard bay out by the airport... Come on Governor Huntsman...

So, when that day happens I am ready to sail with good gear out there... Sounds fun!