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rigitrite
Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 520 Location: Kansas City
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 3:30 pm Post subject: Our special place |
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After a great session at one of our local places, I began thinking about what a special place this area is, and how there just aren't many places like it anywhere in the USA, possibly the world.
The place is called the Wigger area campground at Pomona Lake, about 70 miles west of KC. It's a corps of engineers lake, so it's good sized: a mile wide and about 7 miles long. Normal wind direction is from the south, which is not the best direction for good swell, but on a strong west wind....it's epic.
The Wigger area has a single gated gravel drive to get there, and it's well away from the much more crowded areas of the lake, so that we don't get rednecks just "dropping by". A group of us windsurfers, kiters, and kayakers reserve the area every available weekend from April through October ($40/yr per family), and many people spend every single friday, saturday, sunday camping at the lake, wind or not. It's a large grassy area (mowed regularly) with mature trees, and a gently sloping muddy launch....no giant painful rocks. The corps of engineers provides permanent picnic tables and grill pits around the area too. I think the best thing, is that you can bring your kids and just let them run free while you're out sailing. I bring a tent, so they can have a place out of the wind and sun to read or fall asleep, and they ABSOLUTELY are not permitted in the water w/o a lifejacket. We were there from 11 am - 7:30 pm and my 6 & 11 yr/old daughters didn't bug me once about being bored or "can we go home now???" They get to explore nature, swim, and just tear around.
Anyone else have a place like this that's not only a great place to sail, but also great for non-sailors and kids, and is practically free? Post em up!
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U2U2U2
Joined: 06 Jul 2001 Posts: 5467 Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado
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rigitrite
Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 520 Location: Kansas City
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KevinDo
Joined: 02 Jul 2012 Posts: 426 Location: Cabrillo Inside
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Were you using a GPS? I believe I saw your session data on GP3S. Nice speeds!
-Kevin
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beaglebuddy
Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Only problem is all the wiggers....
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NOVAAN
Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1551
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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Lopez lake in central Cal. Blows 4 plus days a week in the summer. I'm 170lbs and my everyday sail is a 5.5. Can get down to 4.7 once in awhile. For a lake, the wind is pretty steady with an ocean influence. Very smooth water before the crowd gets out. Not a very long reach but perfect for improving your carving skills. Gets busy on the weekend with windsurfers and boat people. The sailing area is a 5 mph zone(most of the time). Park staff are very windsurf friendly. Its warm, has great views, good camping with hotels near and on the beach 10 miles down the hill. This year the water is low making for a longer walk to get your gear in the water. World class wave sailing an hour away in the spring and some in the fall. If the wind is down you can hike, bike, fish or sup. If you like oak trees and wild life you will enjoy this windsurfing gem....
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cgoudie1
Joined: 10 Apr 2006 Posts: 2599 Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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My Special Place. Typical sail used most other summers 4.7. Typical sail
this year so far 3.7. Wind tomorrow 3.7. Sail size in this picture 3.7.
So far this year 11 for 11 (5.2 or better) Special indeed!
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jp5
Joined: 19 May 1998 Posts: 3394 Location: OnUr6
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:57 am Post subject: |
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It's very cool to see the stoke at your favorite place and proof that you don't have to live on the beach to be a "surfer" and enjoy the lifestyle that goes with it. Living on or near the beach most of my life I am used to seeing cars with boards on top and people with that surfer "look" but when I go inland and see cars with boards on top it is always a double take for me. To think there are a lot of places (Kansas?) where a microcosm exists of boardheads (a completely different mentality than most people have) miles from any ocean is kind of cool and gives hope to those of us who would like to someday retire to enjoy the wind full time (think Isobars) yet cannot afford to retire anywhere near the beach.
Lopez lake I love, I camped there in my RV over the past weekend, Blue Jay #4 and was able to carry my gear to the leeward side of the lake and launch from there. It was windy enough to work my way upwind, yes the reaches are short and my jibes are few and far between but I still managed to get up to where most launch from in a couple of reaches. Saturday was a great day for wind and I wore out pretty quickly. Sitting in front of the RV with an iced cold beer after a good session is a wonderful feeling.
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Brian.bigfella@gmail.com
Joined: 11 Jun 2012 Posts: 127
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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Bingen was great back in the day. When I was a teenager I would park my jeep right by the grass and spend a week there without leaving. Sailing was just OK, but it was an easy downwinder to the island where the sailing was incredible. As night I'd leave my gear rigged right next to my jeep and sleep in the back.
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geohaye
Joined: 03 Apr 2000 Posts: 1437
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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When I first read the original post, I automatically thought of Lake Lopez, CA, as the windsurf spot in my experience that most approximates that described lakeside nirvana.
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