Windsurfing spot in Sonoma

junipero · Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 10

Google Larson Family Winery. Take the road that goes to the winery, go through the winery. The road turns to dirt/gravel, follow this until it dead ends at a gate. It is a 25 yard walk to the water, which is an enormous pond, you can launch if you go west along the shore from the cabin.

This pond can be seen from Viansa and Jacuzzi wineries, but the only access is through the Larson Family Winery. This is a windsufing only spot, the banks are too overgrown to launch a kite.

Happy sailing.

To get wind reports, access the Napa Valley Airport site at windfinder.com.

Jrobb · Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 212

...and it's legit?

What is the water like. Form the google airial shot it looks like there's lots of "stuff" in it.

tsokat · Joined: 15 May 1997 Posts: 326

Even if this pond is legal, why anyone, other than a beginner or someone who wants to teach a beinner, would even want to sail on a pond in the Bay Area, with all of our options, I really don't know.

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 1802

Tsokat,
Some of us have a simple rule for sailing. If the round trip drive is longer than the sailing time we are not going. So if I get off work at 6 pm and there is a pond close to home with mid teen wind vs. driving 1 hour to low 20 mph wind, I'm sailing at the pond more often then not.

Coachg

Snapper · Joined: 11 Oct 2000 Posts: 17

Well, the news is out! My bro Hugo founded this spot, and named it "WINGO". The gate is locked at 5pm, but he got a key through the owners of the winery. He has been trying to get me up there to sail the "speed zone" , but alas, I am too spoiled here at the coast. If you get access, then keep the dust down while driving by the grape vines as it is bad for the vines.
Coachg got it.....if you live in the valley up there, it is a quick trip to get some time on the water. Hugo is about 10 minutes from the launch, so he gets a quick session after work and heads home to the family.
One last thing, watch out for the submerged farm equipment! This was a farm before the levy broke and filled this area with waist to chest deep water.

junipero · Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 10

First of all it is huge.

The next thing is there is absolutely no where to sail in the entire north bay, I mean what is up with that?

Plus when it is foggy in the morning, it cranks through that whole area by 2pm.

Come September the ducks take up residence and then the hunters come.

It is a very wild spot.

If any of you windsurfers find a place, at this pond, where we can safely launch a kite please let me know.