GEMcast 10/22-23

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    • #3898
      Geoff
      Participant

      Sorry for the late post. House got hit by lightning (4th time in 3 years), always enters via the coaxial cable and wipes out my LAN (fortunately not my computers this time, I think, though my TV is in doubt). New modem and router seem to have me back up…

      For Big O aficionados who have never had a serious injury, or gotten into the rinse cycle and wondered if they were going to survive it, or just don’t get off until the possibility of not surviving is the reason you’re out there, this weekend looks to be for you. A weekend where board sports earn the reputation of being “extreme”.

      SAT – Haven’t had time to check out the precip, but before my lightning strike it was looking on the wet side. NW on Lake O (30s, double-digit wave heights). MUCH cooler than it has been, in the 40s. Expect rain. Ahh, 40s, rain and waves big enough to maim. If you’re not advanced in skill level, think about sitting it out.

      SUN – Not quite as strong, nor wet, but near-gale force to gale force winds overnight should kick up the waves for Sunday and give that extra touch of sense of death-defying urgency (especially if you launch in areas where the shore is lined with rip-rap). Been there, done that, am personally not that interested in doing it again. But at least it’ll be a little warmer. Still, probably a day for advanced riders only.

      Finger Lakes will be less strong, but NW and WNW isn’t the best direction. NW is OK for parts of Cayuga; WNW on Oneida can be OK, depending on the direction it hits at Sylvan Beach (expect some really big dynamics coming down off the Tug Hill). Expect big dynamics in the wind.

      In sum, for thrill seekers and old-tyme riders who have lots of experience and the chops for near-gale conditions, this is the weekend you’ve been hoping for. If you’re not sure you’re in this group, you aren’t.

      Oh…and it very much can get even bigger, so this may not be the max for the season! I expect we’ll see something more impressive in the next month or so.

      GEM

    • #3899
      windydoug
      Keymaster

      Nailed the Lake O forecast Geoff.

      Scott, Joe, Bill and I ended up at Webster Park watching Rick Griffin arguable the biggest strongest and hardest windsurfer in our region windsurf.  He initial rigged his 4.8 pretty flat and slogged for parts of a run or two near the Webster Park Pier before the wind started to get itself figured out and went West in the upper 20’s.  The wave action at Webster is pretty intense and long lines of swell break so that you often need to point the board downwind and try to outrun the break for 100 yards before punching through the back of the foam.  All with the Pier poking a couple hundred yards out downwind (hopefully) of you.

      It was pretty impressive to see.  Rick is a big jumper and hard sailor but he didn’t jump much, even after he went to his 4.2 super flat.  After a pretty long session he packed it in as a 3.8 was eventually the proper sail size.

      Hence all of us spectating in the Real Feel 39 degree air.

      Wd.

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