Holy S#!!. Gnarly. Windy. BIG. Kiters, windsurfers, surfers, yakers....all good. It's been too long! Didn't get all the kiters names but I saw Denis catching some huge air. I guess Mike and Coach did the dawn patrol.
I only had a few hours but finished up on my 4.0. BIG on the outside. Put it this way, early on I figured I'd try and get to the outside...had one last set too get past but when that thing walled up in front of me (10'?) I turned downwind and ran like a scared dog. When I left Randy, cdelp et al were still getting good rides on the inside. Want to hear some more stories. The stoke is burning for more time up there before it gets cold. What a gift.
A Superior Report...
Moderator: MK
The 12-second Wave
The 12-second Wave:
I've got to put together a story of this morning - it's been rolling through my head all day.
I only got a 2-hour sesh from 9-11, but it was the best wave session I've ever had.
I've only seen it like this a couple of times before - and this was the first time while kiting - but the waves were actually lining up and coming through in long, beautiful walls. Normally, they break outside and then kinda' reform towards the inside. I was getting sweet rides with 3-4 bottom turns - the best I've had in a long time.
Then, out of nowhere while hunting for waves on the outside, I dropped in on a 7+ foot monster that was 50+ yards wide. I managed to hit 4 bottom turns on it! toes dug in, cut back on the lip, do it again. The last off-the-lip buried me in whitewater and I actually couldn't see anything in the full cover-up.
I got spit out the front instead of eaten up like usual, and the wave had connected to an inside set! This one was long and uniform, and only a little smaller. I managed to connect another 4 or more bottom turns before crashing into the foam on the last one.
It was a 12+ second ride. Un-fricken'-believeable!!!
-Coach
I've got to put together a story of this morning - it's been rolling through my head all day.
I only got a 2-hour sesh from 9-11, but it was the best wave session I've ever had.
I've only seen it like this a couple of times before - and this was the first time while kiting - but the waves were actually lining up and coming through in long, beautiful walls. Normally, they break outside and then kinda' reform towards the inside. I was getting sweet rides with 3-4 bottom turns - the best I've had in a long time.
Then, out of nowhere while hunting for waves on the outside, I dropped in on a 7+ foot monster that was 50+ yards wide. I managed to hit 4 bottom turns on it! toes dug in, cut back on the lip, do it again. The last off-the-lip buried me in whitewater and I actually couldn't see anything in the full cover-up.
I got spit out the front instead of eaten up like usual, and the wave had connected to an inside set! This one was long and uniform, and only a little smaller. I managed to connect another 4 or more bottom turns before crashing into the foam on the last one.
It was a 12+ second ride. Un-fricken'-believeable!!!
-Coach
Last edited by Coach on Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Superior went off and it was awesome. Good kiter turn out with Nate, Tom G, Eric, Matt, Coach and a couple of others that showed up at the tott-lot. They were on 8 to 12m but I was fully powered on a 5.5m (kite) and had an awesome 2 hour session with some fun launches of the huge rollers. The waves/swells were 10+ feet once you got out past the break. It was still going off plenty when I left with Randy ripping on the poleboard. I was initially intimidated but so glad I went. Nice car ride home feeling pretty stoked, confident and pleased!
Kurt
Kurt
Bear with me as I am operating at about 11% capacity right now.
With only one previous Duluth session under my belt and only a few years of sailing experience I was so anxious about going up today that I woke up at 2:45AM....churned out some work, sent some emails and was in duluth before 7am. --- Kurt and I had a chat sometime early at the Tott Lot and he headed off to Wisconsin Point and I set up camp waiting for someone else to show up. --- Coach and I hit the water around 8-ish, me on a 5.2 him on a 12M kite...fantastic...as he aluded to above. Though his riding was a fair amount more refined, the two or three cut-backs/slashes and five or ten jumps I got were well worth unbalanced exchange rate for crashes and subsequent dunkings. --- The wind direction and the BIG, mostly closed-out sets made upwind progress difficult...so that combined with a little too much surfing and not enough sailing led to a long walk back after effort one. --- ...Took an hour nap in the van and by then the entire Wisco Point kite crew returned and headed out on the water along with Chris, Tim, Randy, Dave and myself. --- With a little more focus and better luck, I actually sailed back to the launch that session. --- Closed the day after a snack break with another 45 min session ended when Tim and I fell victim to the same suck-hole monster set...though I opted for the walk of shame while he braved at least another few tacks.
I shot a quick video as I was leaving...nothing great but gives you an idea: http://ocupop.com/duluth/
what an awesome place...good to meet everybody and look forward to doing it again soon.
With only one previous Duluth session under my belt and only a few years of sailing experience I was so anxious about going up today that I woke up at 2:45AM....churned out some work, sent some emails and was in duluth before 7am. --- Kurt and I had a chat sometime early at the Tott Lot and he headed off to Wisconsin Point and I set up camp waiting for someone else to show up. --- Coach and I hit the water around 8-ish, me on a 5.2 him on a 12M kite...fantastic...as he aluded to above. Though his riding was a fair amount more refined, the two or three cut-backs/slashes and five or ten jumps I got were well worth unbalanced exchange rate for crashes and subsequent dunkings. --- The wind direction and the BIG, mostly closed-out sets made upwind progress difficult...so that combined with a little too much surfing and not enough sailing led to a long walk back after effort one. --- ...Took an hour nap in the van and by then the entire Wisco Point kite crew returned and headed out on the water along with Chris, Tim, Randy, Dave and myself. --- With a little more focus and better luck, I actually sailed back to the launch that session. --- Closed the day after a snack break with another 45 min session ended when Tim and I fell victim to the same suck-hole monster set...though I opted for the walk of shame while he braved at least another few tacks.
I shot a quick video as I was leaving...nothing great but gives you an idea: http://ocupop.com/duluth/
what an awesome place...good to meet everybody and look forward to doing it again soon.
When I first headed out, I was thinking to myself that the waves were not that big. I've been in bigger on South Padre, surf side. Then I got on the outside of the break where 12 footers were everywhere. I had a mix of fright and exhilaration while going down those rollers as they crest into waves, all the way back to the shore.
Around 1pm, we went to get refueled at Old Chicago then went to Wisconsin point for side-on conditions and waves spaced out a little more. All the wave action kicked up a bunch of dirt in the water by the shore so it looked like we were kiting in liquid clay.
I ended up breaking my board today too. A simple toe-side to heel-side after a jump off of a wave did it. My other board delaminated into my leg, so now I have two broken boards.
Anybody has a board I can borrow for the weekend?
Denis
Around 1pm, we went to get refueled at Old Chicago then went to Wisconsin point for side-on conditions and waves spaced out a little more. All the wave action kicked up a bunch of dirt in the water by the shore so it looked like we were kiting in liquid clay.
I ended up breaking my board today too. A simple toe-side to heel-side after a jump off of a wave did it. My other board delaminated into my leg, so now I have two broken boards.
Anybody has a board I can borrow for the weekend?Denis
(================P-</
Sponsored by Slingshot Kiteboarding
Sponsored by Slingshot Kiteboarding
Wi point was better for me. It was a little more cross shore. waves were more managable for me wind seemed a smige lighter also. It was a good experience for me first time in waves and first time in wind that strong.
crazy... and fun..
crazy... and fun..
The real pro isnt the one who doesn't make a mistake. The real pro is the one that does the best job hiding it!
Surfers got some good rides at Lester...nice water temps up there right now 
Photos courtesy of http://superiorsurfclub.com
Photos courtesy of http://superiorsurfclub.com
Quick note to the Superior crew from last week...check your air filters, intercoolers, etc. I spent a good three hours today sucking, shaking and swabbing sand out of my van's engine compartment. Removed about 6 cups of sand from cavities within the hood alone! There was about a half of a cup in my airbox and maybe another half that shook out of the air filter.
Don't need to diminish that gas mileage any further!
Don't need to diminish that gas mileage any further!
What a gift.
What a gift!! I woke at around 4am Thursday with a felt sense that the wind had hit Duluth. Mike had driven up the night before and couldn’t sleep at all. He was at Tot Lot at 7, greeted by Coach, and they were on the water at 8. I pulled into the parking lot at 10 and both looked like they had seen heaven. Mike was ready to take a nap in his van and Coach had to take off to work. He described his wave of nine bottom turns and thought these had been some of the biggest conditions he’d been in, and the two of us have shared some pretty big conditions.
I rigged my 4.5M and had a beautiful run out in NE side on conditions, only to encounter the monster terrain and the difficulties in pinching back home with too small of a sail in big conditions. The winds were pretty gusty for Superior and seemed to fluctuate dramatically as you worked down the shoreline. Port ramps were everywhere before the winds shifted more easterly, directly onshore. I eventually went to a 5M to hold better power through the lulls and we all seemed to settle in on playing the inside. It was great riding with a posse of kiters and sharing the stoke with fellow windsurfers Chris and Diego. It was amazing to see Diego go from initial thrashing to accomplished Superior rider in a matter of hours. Those two sailed nonstop while I rested for lunch and a nap. Round two was more relaxed, more familiar with the day’s wind and terrain, and everything felt really good. The kiters had left for more sideshore conditions, but the swimming area was packed and surfers and kayakers were all over the place. Judd arrived around 4 for a spectacular show of waveriding. His time in Padre really showed itself and the crowd on shore was nonstop ooohing and aahing as he disappeared between waves, lofted huge air, and slashed up waves like I’ve never seen before on Superior. No doubt, he showed the advantage of a kite in these very close conditions.
Blasts from the past abounded. Dave Knight showed up with his vintage equipment that just wasn’t quite up for Superior terrain. Scott, one of the Superior originals, came sailing down the beach with his Rushwind sail, the size he didn’t know. My old Superior sailing friend and hang gliding master, Doug Johnson showed up and wowed everyone with his remote controlled glider.
Judd had been given a little over an hour allotment from his travel crew on their way to Canada. Chris refused to stop as long as I was gonna keep going, and Diego was right there with him. Mike had left earlier with a complete look of satisfaction and exhaustion. The winds continued at 25-35mph through the night and we finally got out of there around 6:30. Off to Grandma’s for supper and brew with Jim Norman, off to Bev’s Juke Joint for awesome blues with Eddie Shaw. It was great when Doug and Shelly showed up. Slept in the parking lot and woke to a 10-15mph easterly breeze.
Jim came to Tot Lot to help me launch my 16M, but there just wasn’t enough wind on top to keep it flying. I was so sore it didn’t matter. So, off to Park Point to play my horn and enjoy the beautiful sunny day, when Matt and Nathan (?), Slingshot rep, show up with a friend they’re going to teach. The wind’s still look iffy, but I eventually head back to Tot Lot to see the wind’s filled in and clocked from SE to NE. Do I rig and risk familial distress or go home and miss perfect glass wind, blue skies and sunshine? Time to think about this, so I leave for a sandwich and conclude that these days occur so seldom…back to Tot Lot. My 16M is perfect. The wind’s build to 20mph and the terrain is so sweet, the waves moving slower, much less need to be so aggressive. I’ve got a long way to go in getting my kitesurfing down, but wow, what a beautiful sensation. The waves are now perfect on the outside, I rig my 7M and windsurf out to the lighthouse gallery for some fun, the wind seems to be building a bit and I’m thinking, “Dad…thank you so much!”
Conditions still perfect, but it’s late and time to head home, fully spent. Sorry, Jim, I just didn’t have any more energy. Hope you had a good solo session.
Oh no, more wind on Saturday…oh well…what you gonna do? Three days in heaven…I feel like I’ve been on a long vacation that didn’t feel anything like Minnesota…. Thanks to my wife for understanding how special this trip was.
For all in attendance, there should be no doubt about the glory of Mother Superior.
I rigged my 4.5M and had a beautiful run out in NE side on conditions, only to encounter the monster terrain and the difficulties in pinching back home with too small of a sail in big conditions. The winds were pretty gusty for Superior and seemed to fluctuate dramatically as you worked down the shoreline. Port ramps were everywhere before the winds shifted more easterly, directly onshore. I eventually went to a 5M to hold better power through the lulls and we all seemed to settle in on playing the inside. It was great riding with a posse of kiters and sharing the stoke with fellow windsurfers Chris and Diego. It was amazing to see Diego go from initial thrashing to accomplished Superior rider in a matter of hours. Those two sailed nonstop while I rested for lunch and a nap. Round two was more relaxed, more familiar with the day’s wind and terrain, and everything felt really good. The kiters had left for more sideshore conditions, but the swimming area was packed and surfers and kayakers were all over the place. Judd arrived around 4 for a spectacular show of waveriding. His time in Padre really showed itself and the crowd on shore was nonstop ooohing and aahing as he disappeared between waves, lofted huge air, and slashed up waves like I’ve never seen before on Superior. No doubt, he showed the advantage of a kite in these very close conditions.
Blasts from the past abounded. Dave Knight showed up with his vintage equipment that just wasn’t quite up for Superior terrain. Scott, one of the Superior originals, came sailing down the beach with his Rushwind sail, the size he didn’t know. My old Superior sailing friend and hang gliding master, Doug Johnson showed up and wowed everyone with his remote controlled glider.
Judd had been given a little over an hour allotment from his travel crew on their way to Canada. Chris refused to stop as long as I was gonna keep going, and Diego was right there with him. Mike had left earlier with a complete look of satisfaction and exhaustion. The winds continued at 25-35mph through the night and we finally got out of there around 6:30. Off to Grandma’s for supper and brew with Jim Norman, off to Bev’s Juke Joint for awesome blues with Eddie Shaw. It was great when Doug and Shelly showed up. Slept in the parking lot and woke to a 10-15mph easterly breeze.
Jim came to Tot Lot to help me launch my 16M, but there just wasn’t enough wind on top to keep it flying. I was so sore it didn’t matter. So, off to Park Point to play my horn and enjoy the beautiful sunny day, when Matt and Nathan (?), Slingshot rep, show up with a friend they’re going to teach. The wind’s still look iffy, but I eventually head back to Tot Lot to see the wind’s filled in and clocked from SE to NE. Do I rig and risk familial distress or go home and miss perfect glass wind, blue skies and sunshine? Time to think about this, so I leave for a sandwich and conclude that these days occur so seldom…back to Tot Lot. My 16M is perfect. The wind’s build to 20mph and the terrain is so sweet, the waves moving slower, much less need to be so aggressive. I’ve got a long way to go in getting my kitesurfing down, but wow, what a beautiful sensation. The waves are now perfect on the outside, I rig my 7M and windsurf out to the lighthouse gallery for some fun, the wind seems to be building a bit and I’m thinking, “Dad…thank you so much!”
Conditions still perfect, but it’s late and time to head home, fully spent. Sorry, Jim, I just didn’t have any more energy. Hope you had a good solo session.
Oh no, more wind on Saturday…oh well…what you gonna do? Three days in heaven…I feel like I’ve been on a long vacation that didn’t feel anything like Minnesota…. Thanks to my wife for understanding how special this trip was.
For all in attendance, there should be no doubt about the glory of Mother Superior.
Ride...just be it!
www.just-be-it.com
www.just-be-it.com
WOW That was awesome didnt think we could get waves like that
it was great sharing the water with everyone awesome to show up and coach was ripping on his 12octane matt denis and I rigged and joined in the fun along tom,kurt micheal and randy were windsurfing with deigo and others . what a awesome spot the tot lot that shiz goes off. we rode the wisconsin side in the afternoon .. Coach the it was a little more side shore at the spot we went and the wind wasnt as strong so it was easier to get out past the big break . i had more fun at the tot lot just being in those huge waves .. Friday was awesome as well we hit tot lot in the morning and afternoon sess ion at wisconsin we didnt go to the side shore spot we went out on the point and it was also very sick clean waves great for surfing! long wide open beach. no that by far is the sickest kiting I have experinced in MN. I can only pray that we get more windy dayz and hope to see u up there!
Nathanb
it was great sharing the water with everyone awesome to show up and coach was ripping on his 12octane matt denis and I rigged and joined in the fun along tom,kurt micheal and randy were windsurfing with deigo and others . what a awesome spot the tot lot that shiz goes off. we rode the wisconsin side in the afternoon .. Coach the it was a little more side shore at the spot we went and the wind wasnt as strong so it was easier to get out past the big break . i had more fun at the tot lot just being in those huge waves .. Friday was awesome as well we hit tot lot in the morning and afternoon sess ion at wisconsin we didnt go to the side shore spot we went out on the point and it was also very sick clean waves great for surfing! long wide open beach. no that by far is the sickest kiting I have experinced in MN. I can only pray that we get more windy dayz and hope to see u up there!
Nathanb
Spanked
Well, it's Monday and I'm still feeling very spanked. Dave, I think I faced one of those waves you saw and definitely got a working. It seems the morning session was a blur. I was elated to see you make it up, but was too busy in survival sailing to notice much else until the afternoon. I share your explitives and humbly kneel to the power Superior puts out.
I forgot to mention one of the sweeter moments of the trip. Saturday, Nathan's parents showed up with energy to spare. It was so cool to witness their delight in watching a son in harmony with the conditions. I didn't have a camera, but their happiness is etched in my brain, along with all the fond memories of sharing the waters and wind with my sons.
Any more kiter comments from Thursday's event?
I forgot to mention one of the sweeter moments of the trip. Saturday, Nathan's parents showed up with energy to spare. It was so cool to witness their delight in watching a son in harmony with the conditions. I didn't have a camera, but their happiness is etched in my brain, along with all the fond memories of sharing the waters and wind with my sons.
Any more kiter comments from Thursday's event?
Ride...just be it!
www.just-be-it.com
www.just-be-it.com