High Wind Advisory at Lake Mojave
We had been watching the forecast all week, which called for strong Southerly winds in the Mojave Desert. A welcome respite from the cold north winds that have not eased up yet this Spring. There would definitely be wind, but it would be storm driven, not the normal and predictable thermal effect. We packed the full range of Gin Kites and Xenon Boards, ready for anything from 5m to 16m winds. Around noon on Thursday we got a call at the Windzup warehouse... the Jackson Hole contingent was already in route and passing by. We had to ship out some boards that afternoon before we could hit the road, but we would meet up with them and many more for the first session of the weekend the next morning.
Lake Mojave is a desert sailor’s hidden paradise, and Six Mile Cove is the primary destination for most. Free camping and limited facilities allow for beach front property and launching within feet of your camp. With 237 miles of shoreline Lake Mojave provides plenty of room to go Gilligan and get lost upwind on distant shorelines. If you are into adventure kiting and massive down-winders, this is the place. From Windzup HQ the Lake is a quick 6 hour drive, passing thru red rock canyon country and the swelling Sevier and Virgin Rivers along the way. For locals it is within an hours drive of Las Vegas, which boasts an international airport and plenty of, well, other options.
As Heather and I bombed down the dirt road towards 6 Mile, we saw the first kites lighting up the sky with bright colors. The Wind Line had just arrived with a vengeance and the first larger sized sails quickly came down and were switched for 7-9 meter kites as the wind settled in for the afternoon. Pascal Joubert and I put up our 7 meter Gin Zulu III’s, while Wayne Phillips pumped up his 9m C4. The other campers joined us and soon a dozen kites spread out over the lake. In between sessions we built camp and set up camo netting for wind-friendly shade from the 95 degree sun and lathered up with multiple layers of UV lotion.
During the afternoon charge, I had toured miles upwind following the contours of the undulating shoreline, before deciding to bomb across the lake for the Arizona side. On the way I pulled the obligatory mid-lake send, jumping states from Nevada to Arizona. In tribute to the ancient race for the chimes, I snagged a twig off a branch on that far shore, as proof of my journey. While I cranked back toward 6-Mile in the SE wind that had graced the water all day, I noticed that there were no kites in the sky. I arrived way upwind of the cove and began chasing the swell back down-wind when a boat came charging on a course directly at me. At first I thought there must have been an accident and every one was putting there kites down in preparation for a Life Flight Chopper. But the Boat Captain informed me that the wind had died and was switching SW and off shore at the cove, he was there to give me a gratuitous ride in. Feeling lit on the little 7 meter, I declined and went off full speed. Of course, about a hundred yards later I found the wind line he warned me of, and I had to work it. After making it back in with kite overhead and in style, we all high fived and cracked up some cold brews... it was of course the Cinco de Mayo weekendo.
Saturday and Sunday brought more of the same winds and we all had a great time. Wayne was throwing down huge airs and mega-loops. There was a lot of folks going huge and pushing themselves. The Laluz and Rayo found themselves at home in the windy and sometimes chaotic water. And the Zulu proved rock solid and comfortable in the strong and gusty winds that powered our sessions. I am continually amazed with the Zulu, she’s fast thru the window and cranks upwind, yet delivers steady power. Quick turns and controlled loops had me smiling the entire time and feeling at ease when the dial turned up.
Sunday’s session started and ended early as high clouds drove in the impending storm. We would hit rain outside of Zion Park on our way home, that turned into a flash flooding lightning storm of awesome proportions. We camped at Piute that night to scope out conditions, and that reservoir is at 97% capacity and filling. The beaches are gone and the roads lead right into the water… a good sign for this summer, lots of water to play on.
Windzup,
Brian Schenck
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