Sunday 11/30/03 - Eagle Ocean (Jibe Marker Jill's report)
Sail size: 6.5, wind S 10-20 mph, air temp 50, sunny skies


Ummm, where was everyone yesterday?! It was warm (sort of).... it was sunny.... it was breezy. And I had Eagle Ocean all to myself! I decided to sail once the temp got above 50 degrees, and the EC Airpark was reporting winds SW14-18 knots. I got in a few hours of enjoyable sailing on my 6.5. The wind was up and down, but I was planing about half the time. I was plenty warm enough in my drysuit, without a hood or gloves, but I opted for the OJ technique of surviving cold weather sailing: Don't fall in. I did get dunked once... the water is pretty chilly, but not yet at the ice-cream-headache level.

It looks like we'll have cold temps (mid 40's at best) for at least the next couple of weeks. Could this be the end of Eagle Ocean sailing for 2003?

- Jill

Sunday 11/23/03 - Eagle Ocean (Jibe Marker Jill's report)
Sail size: 5.5-8.5, wind S 10-25 mph, air temp 65, skies cloudy with light rain later

With a forecast of S 15-25, and a strong cold front on the way, it was looking good for an afternoon of sailing on Eagle Ocean (and our first wind on a weekend in a long long time). I got to the water around 11:30. Techno Matt and Martin were powered up on 7.0s. Rev was there rigging his 7.0. As I started to rig my 6.5, Matt came in and said the 7.0 was too much in the gusts, and was getting a smaller board to compensate. He had been having great time on the 7.0 since 10 a.m. (Doh! I should have gotten out sooner!) I noticed white caps on the water, and decided to opt for my 5.5. As I finished rigging, John Medaris and Word Wide Wayne showed up. The 5.5 was the right call, at least for a while.

The wind was due south, which meant launching from the point. It was a bit up and down, but filled in enough to get plenty of good rides, and I was plenty powered on the 5.5. The water was a bit chilly, but a steamer was warm enough with the toasty air temps. We all sailed until about 1 p.m., when the wind backed off considerably. Seemed like a good time for a lunch break. But after the last crumbs were eaten, the wind had still not returned. We all waited and waited, wondering what had gone wrong. The isobars looked good, the front was due to bring a big temperature drop, which usually indicates big wind. Phone calls to surrounding AWOS's showed there was plenty of wind all around us... but on Eagle Ocean, it was blowing about 10, with the occasional gusts to 15. Indy Car Mike and Ralphin' Ron showed up and decided to rig big. We hoped that would bring the wind back. But it didn't.

Matt went back out on the water, but sooned deemed the wind too light for real sailing, and the water too chilly to work on light wind freestyle stuff, and called it a day. I went back to the point, where we had all left our rigs, and thought I'd give the wind one more chance, as I had to get my board back from the point, anyway. It was still light, as as I drifted slowly across the lake, a light sprinkles of rain began.

By 3 p.m., pretty much everybody had given up, as the light rain came and went, and the wind was nowhere in sight. At least there was some good sailing for a little while.

Tomorrow it's supposed to snow. Brrrr!

- Jill