Post by Boulder Breath on Jun 30, 2011 7:58:58 GMT -5
Huge waves, fluky winds, boulders, and rebar. This day had a bit of everything for this D.A. (sorry Doug)
Bill and I ventured out to East Bay Rd. yesterday afternoon for a what seemed like 25 - 30 mph west winds. The lake appeared pretty stirred up with hundreds of logs, sticks, and general riff raff tossing and turning in the dark waters a long the shore line.
We rigged 4.6 and small boards for our assault on some pretty big looking waves. Once out in the lake the waves were easily well over head high and the spacing was as large as I have ever seen. The funny thing was the winds were pretty up and down. Bill and I never figured out if it was a slightly northern direction that killed the wind or the size of the waves actually blocking and shutting off the wind when riding in the bottom of the trough's that caused us both to finally head for shore.
I was behind Bill on the way in and saw him safely land at Jones Park to the east of East Bay Road. I chuckled as I watched Bill toss his rig up on to the lawn of the park.
As I approached land I realized the current was taking me a bit more east of the park and past the last bit of beach directly in line with the start of a stretch of boulders. It all seemed innocent enough as I floated in to shore. Perhaps my hours of floating and self rescue has allowed me to react a bit more casual in this setting then I should. As I was finally about in to the boulders from behind a monster wave came in and slammed me up on to the boulders. Felt like it propelled me six feet in the air and just slammed me and my equipment on to the rocks. The next few waves just worked me like no others. I lost grip of my rig and watched as it was violently trashed a long the boulders. I looked to my right and noticed numerous pieces of steel rerod sticking straight up in to the air and started to worry that I may be impaled on one of those bad boys if I don't scramble for higher ground.
Finally I made it to a section of beach just in time to grab what was left of my equipment before getting worked a bit more on the beach by said waves. I lived to warn all who sail at East Bay to stay clear of the boulders and the rebar field. Things could have been much worse. I totally trashed my Futura 101 w/ multiple gashes, tears, and cracks, broke my mast, and shredded my sail. I was able to get the boom off just before my final wave of the day ripped the remaining parts out of my hands and headed them back to sea for their proper burial. I can now recommend the Chinook Aluminum boom as bomb proof. It is the only piece of equipment that survived the ordeal unscathed.
God, I love this sport!
Bill and I ventured out to East Bay Rd. yesterday afternoon for a what seemed like 25 - 30 mph west winds. The lake appeared pretty stirred up with hundreds of logs, sticks, and general riff raff tossing and turning in the dark waters a long the shore line.
We rigged 4.6 and small boards for our assault on some pretty big looking waves. Once out in the lake the waves were easily well over head high and the spacing was as large as I have ever seen. The funny thing was the winds were pretty up and down. Bill and I never figured out if it was a slightly northern direction that killed the wind or the size of the waves actually blocking and shutting off the wind when riding in the bottom of the trough's that caused us both to finally head for shore.
I was behind Bill on the way in and saw him safely land at Jones Park to the east of East Bay Road. I chuckled as I watched Bill toss his rig up on to the lawn of the park.
As I approached land I realized the current was taking me a bit more east of the park and past the last bit of beach directly in line with the start of a stretch of boulders. It all seemed innocent enough as I floated in to shore. Perhaps my hours of floating and self rescue has allowed me to react a bit more casual in this setting then I should. As I was finally about in to the boulders from behind a monster wave came in and slammed me up on to the boulders. Felt like it propelled me six feet in the air and just slammed me and my equipment on to the rocks. The next few waves just worked me like no others. I lost grip of my rig and watched as it was violently trashed a long the boulders. I looked to my right and noticed numerous pieces of steel rerod sticking straight up in to the air and started to worry that I may be impaled on one of those bad boys if I don't scramble for higher ground.
Finally I made it to a section of beach just in time to grab what was left of my equipment before getting worked a bit more on the beach by said waves. I lived to warn all who sail at East Bay to stay clear of the boulders and the rebar field. Things could have been much worse. I totally trashed my Futura 101 w/ multiple gashes, tears, and cracks, broke my mast, and shredded my sail. I was able to get the boom off just before my final wave of the day ripped the remaining parts out of my hands and headed them back to sea for their proper burial. I can now recommend the Chinook Aluminum boom as bomb proof. It is the only piece of equipment that survived the ordeal unscathed.
God, I love this sport!
