our big downwinder last weekend

Kevin V and I at the bar at Coco Pazzo (an excellent restaurant, I should add...) toasting our upcoming adventure

I know you've all been anxious to hear the full report from last weekend's Windy City Waterman paddle.  Despite the fact that the weather did not cooperate at all, we had an amazing experience and accomplished a lot.  I'll run through the events via photos and captions here, then at the end I'll fill you in on all the details.  Here goes...

We arrived at the launch at about 5:45 on Sunday morning to an ominous sky... fortunately, the weather was pushing east and away from us.

After a quick skipper's meeting and a look at the shorebreak, we decided we were a go.

So we started unloading and rigging all the gear.

A special Thanks to Gary Stone of Paddleboard Specialists for loaning Kevin his personal Bark Dominator.

Kevin and his wife Jenney... don't worry, Jenney, we'll make sure you get him back!

Kevin, Dimitry and I ready to get out there.

The photos make it look smaller, but the shorebreak was about head high.

Kevin and I pushing out.

And, into the fray we went...

4 1/2 hours and 15 miles later, we surfed onto the beach in Waukegan.

Post paddle, looking pretty exhilarated.

Thanks a ton to Jenney and my Dad Gary for driving the chase car with our equipment and provisions.

And before I go, as always, Thanks to Kim and Tiz for all your support and encouragement!

The Story:
     As you know, our original plan was to do our big 50-mile paddle on Saturday.  Kevin was coming to town on Friday evening, so we were going to head straight up to Racine, get a good nights sleep, then launch around 5am on Saturday.  Well, once the forecast for Saturday came in calling for thunderstorms, we decided to hold off until Sunday.  And good that we did, because those storms did come in, and in addition to lightning and strong, gusty winds, quarter-sized hail was reported on the north shore, right where we would have been paddling.

     We knew that strong north winds were in store for Sunday, which meant waves.  Although I've spent a ton of time sailing and windsurfing in strong winds and big waves on Lake Michigan, I hadn't done a downwinder in those conditions yet on the SUP.  Dimitry hadn't done any downwind runs at all, and while Kevin had done some big downwinders on the ocean, those experiences were quite different from the short-period, mixed up wind swell we get on Lake Michigan.  So, it was going to be new territory for us all, and we were all excited for it, but with these conditions, it seemed very unlikely we'd be doing the full 50 miles.  For that matter, it was even possible that we wouldn't be able to get out at all.  On big Nor'Easters like this the shorebreak can be monstrous.  I fell off to sleep hoping that the morning wouldn't bring disappointment. 

     The alarms went off at 4:30am.  I was up in a flash, put on a big pot of oatmeal and started mixing the Infinit Nutrition mix that would sustain me throughout the day in my hydration pack.  You can imagine my eyes, bulging in panic, as the drink squirted out of a hole in the bladder of my pack all over the bathroom vanity.  DAMMIT!  Catastrophe already and we were barely out of bed.  Fortunately, I had a backup bladder for the pack, and I loaded it up feeling quite pleased with myself for being so prepared.

     After the short drive to the launch site, we checked out the shorebreak and called it 'a go'.  We rigged up and launched by about 6:45, paddling with the wind and waves on our left side for the first mile or so as we pushed to get away from the lee shore... the last thing you want is to get caught too close to a rocky or otherwise inhospitable shoreline with a 30-knot wind pushing you.  Once we were safely away from shore, we turned downwind and started getting into a rhythm, catching the bigger swells and surfing them toward the far distant Chicago skyline.

     We had been paddling about 30 minutes when I saw that the nozzle on my backup hydration pack hose had broken off.  I checked the pack and sure enough, my full ration of Infinit had gone to the fishes, and along with it went that 'good feeling' of being prepared.  I couldn't believe my bad luck... fortunately I had a few packs of goo and an extra 30 oz. water bottle on board, so I knew I'd be OK for a while at least.  We pushed on as the wind and swell built.  By 9am the waves were 8-10 feet and the wind was gusting into the 30's.

     All three of us were falling a fair amount, being tossed around by the mixed up swell.  In contrast to ocean swell, which tends to be consistent and rhythmic, Lake Michigan wind swell is very chaotic.  The waves are steep and short-period, meaning there is very little space in between them.  They tend to change angle from one wave to the next, so you are constantly tweaking your heading to stay lined up, and the bigger set waves are punctuated by many smaller pieces of chop that come at you in between, around and on top of them.  It's kind of like paddling through a washing machine on 'agitate'.

     I have to say, even in these tough conditions, my Naish Glide not only performed, but shined.  The Glide was able to get down the face and surf the swells much easier than either Kevin or Dimitry's boards would do.  And I will tell you, the feeling of shooting down the face of a 10-foot wave out in the angry soup of open water Lake Michigan on a big Nor'Easter is something I won't forget, and hope to experience again soon.  This was without exception the most exciting paddle I've been on.

     Still, for all the exhilaration we were feeling, we were all surprised to see that after 2 hours we'd only covered about 7 miles - not even half the distance to our first possible landing spot in Waukegan.  We had all been expecting to hit speeds of 7 to 9 miles per hour since we had the wind and waves behind us... A pace that would be typical of an ocean downwinder.  Whether it was our course, the amount of time we spent falling and re-mounting our boards, or some other factors we hadn't counted on, we were making much slower progress than expected. 

     As part of our safety protocol I had my cell phone sealed up in a couple of ziploc bags in my hydration pack, so I took a minute and called my Dad & Jenney, letting them know that we were doing fine and not to expect us in Waukegan for another couple hours.  They were with our chase boat driver and informed us that the boat would not be able to launch in the wavy conditions.  "No problem", I told them.  We were all feeling good and we could land in Waukegan and decide if we would continue or not then.  Once we knew that they wouldn't be worried, and that we'd have to make shore somewhere in Waukegan at the very least to replenish our food and water, we settled in to having fun in the crazy conditions.  By this time, the overcast had given way to an outrageously blue Midwest sky dotted with fluffy, grey-lined clouds so low that you thought you might reach out and grab one.  Of course, you wouldn't dare try, because it took every ounce of concentration and balance to stay on your board, and every bit of your focus to read the water so you could catch the next big wave and feel that high of screaming down its emerald face.  With every ride, you'd catch yourself laughing and hollering, caught up in the rush of riding this ultimate roller coaster.

     After another two hours of fun, we headed into the beach at Waukegan having covered 15 miles.  It was after 11 already, and after a bit of discussion we decided it would be best to call it a day.  The next leg of the paddle toward Chicago was about 24 miles, and would have had us landing with barely enough time to race Kevin and Jenney to the airport for their flight.  We'd had an amazing day and paddled a good distance in the most intense conditions that we (or anyone else in Chicago, as far as I know) had ever paddled in.  We had fun, pushed ourselves and our equipment, and learned a lot.  This was a very successful experience.  I will definitely be watching the weather for the next opportunity to do a big downwinder like this again.

But... But... But, we didn't do our 50 miles.  Could we have?  Absolutely.  Had we not been worried about time, we could have just sat on our boards and let the wind and waves push us to Chicago.  But riding downwind in a gale is not what we set out to do or what we've been training all summer for.  We wanted the challenge of paddling for 12-plus hours... working our way across a great expanse of the Lake by our own endurance and effort.  So, we've re-set the date for our half-century paddle for September 10th.  Stay tuned for location info and other details.

Thanks for reading everybody.  See you on the water.

PS I took a bunch of video footage while we were out on the water, so you can look forward to a short film in the coming days...

... and so it continues

I know you're all waiting to hear the details from our big paddle this weekend... I will have a full report up in the next day or so.  As you know already if you've been following me on facebook, we weren't able to do the full 50 miles on Sunday due to the conditions, but we did have an amazing day.  Kevin, Dimitry and I did a rip-roaring 15-mile downwinder from Racine to Waukegan in some of the biggest conditions we've seen this year.  It was super fun and very challenging. We shot lots of photos and video while out on the water, so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, I wanted to let everyone know that we will still be doing our big 50-mile paddle sometime in the next 2-4 weeks. We've all been training really hard and we're not going to let this season end without getting the half-century under our belts.

As always, thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement.  See you on the water!

And so it begins...

The Windy City Waterman team needed every ounce of their big breakfast as they set out for the Stand Up For Charity paddle this morning. After some last minute instructions, the guys pushed off into some challenging conditions: 30 knot gusts from the north/northeast with 8' swells. It was damp and cool at the start, and so far the weather doesn't look like it wants to help out much. Reports from the chase team has the paddlers through the first 15 miles and "feeling exhilarated."

Dimitry, Matt, and Kevin: ready to go!

12 hours to go!

It's just 12 hours before the start of our epic SUP adventure, and the entire Windy City Waterman entourage is on its way to Kenosha, Wisconsin — our starting point on Sunday morning. Everyone is incredibly stoked to get this expedition underway!

The Windy City lived up to its reputation today, with unpredictable weather that included electrifying lightening and a furious downpour. We caught a lot of the action on our way north.

With all the crazy changes the wind and weather have brought about, we're looking forward to seeing what the lake has in store for us tomorrow.

Our "ground crew" will be posting photos, updates, and hopefully some videos — stay tuned, and hope you can join us tomorrow!

aaaaaaahhhhhhh.... This weather's making me crazy!!!

OK... now look at this.  For the past few days they've been calling for light South winds turning west for Saturday, but now they've switched  it to stronger West winds for most of the day.  This is a big problem for us.  West wind would be a side wind, which would mean we'd have to paddle pretty much on the left side for the entire 50 miles.  Not fun... and more importantly, not good for our chances of success. 

So, after much deliberation, we are switching the paddle back to the original date of Sunday, the 14th.  Sorry for the back-and-forth, but as all of us who enjoy the Lake know, you can't argue with the weather.  And besides, look at that forecast for Sunday... Strong North wind means we'll have waves.  We expect to see the seas building to 4-6 feet during the day.  I've never done a downwinder this long, and I know it will be a big challenge.  It's going to be a very exciting day! 

One other thing to note, the tail wind will make this a faster passage, so if you're planning on meeting us at North Avenue Beach when we land, it will likely be somewhere around 3:00 or 4:00 PM.  Keep an eye on the blog throughout the day for updates on where we're at. 

course and date change for the big paddle!!!

Yesterday I put in my last training session - about 10 miles - before our big paddle this weekend.  There have been a few program changes due to weather and logistical issues, so here's the updated plan:

• We will now be doing the big 50-mile paddle on Saturday, August 13th (THIS SATURDAY!) instead of Sunday the 14th.
• Due to forecast-ed weather conditions, we will be launching from Kenosha, Wisconsin instead of St. Joseph, Michigan.  North winds are in store, which would make crossing from St. Joseph difficult if not impossible, and since our goal was to do 50-miles non-stop and land in Chicago, launching from Wisconsin works just as well.

So, if you're interested in meeting us at our landing point at North Avenue Beach in Chicago, plan to be down there sometime around 5:00 pm.  My technical team will be updating the blog throughout the day with our location, photos and progress updates, so you'll be able to see where we're at every step of the way.

Also, any paddlers who want to join us for a bit, feel free to paddle out, say hello and paddle with us for a mile or two.  Check the blog during the day to get an estimate of when we'll be passing by your local launch!

...and now a word from our sponsors...

So, now that we're getting close to the big day, it seems appropriate to express a little gratitude to some of the supporters who have helped us along the way.  Here I am catching some shade under a bush hat from our sunscreen sponsor Headhunter.  I've been spending 20+ hours a week on the water, and I haven't had a burn all season.  Thanks Headhunter!  I'm also wearing my indispensable Kaenon Klay sunglasses.  The polarized optics are amazing and the frames are super comfortable and durable as hell.  Plus they look great!  Thanks Kaenon!

fun surf day

This week is going great.  We had a strong Southwest wind on Tuesday, so I did a training paddle from Evanston to Montrose and back, a 13-mile loop.  The first leg was straight into the wind, gusting into the mid-twenties.  It was a tough workout that took me almost 2 hours.  The trip home was a super fun downwinder.  The Naish Glide is such a great board for catching the bumps... what a great time!

Then yesterday it was back to the beach for some surf.  The wind had shifted to the North and blown all night, so we had some nice waves.  I met up with Al and Ed for an afternoon surf session.   Unfortunately, my Naish Mana is being repaired after being vandalized, so I ended up surfing the 14' Glide.  I was amazed how much fun it was cruising down the line on that huge board. 

Here's Ed Coyne working hard...

... and relaxin' with equal enthusiasm.

Al's digging in here to catch a nice one...

... and he got it!

Me, sliding down the face...

... and, that's a wrap.  See you next time.

meet WCW paddler Kevin Vangritis

     When I was up in Madison for the MidwestSUP race there, a strapping guy with a charming southern accent came striding right up to me, shook my hand and said, "So, you're the guy paddling across Lake Michigan.  Well, I want to come with you."  And that was how I met Kevin Vangritis.  We spent the better part of the afternoon chatting over beers, and by the end of the day I was really hoping that he would be able to work it out to join me on the crossing.  I'm happy to say, he has.  I sent Kevin a few interview questions so we could learn a bit about him.  Here's what he had to say:

1. What's your age?
Slightly older than 20 and significantly younger than 100.

2. Where are you from?
Morrisville, NC

3. How long have you been paddling?
 I've been paddling for approximately 2.5 year since discovering the sport while in Maui, Hi.  After recovering from double knee surgery, I was looking for a sport that would help me keep active and in shape while not putting too much stress on my knees. I have always enjoyed water sports and have come to realize just how versatile this sport is.  It enables me to push myself as hard as I want, from enjoying a fast paced, high-energy downwinder run, the exhilaration of paddle surfing, or a leisure cruise along the coastline with my wife to enjoy the beautiful scenery.     

4. Why do you want to do the WCW Lake Michigan crossing?
I'm always up for a challenge and looking for ways to expand my paddle boarding abilities and experiences.  I started out paddle boarding on flat water and have moved on to ocean riding (which is my preference).  In the ocean particularly, the conditions are always different giving me the opportunity to face new challenges and test my abilities.  After talking with other paddle boarders who have challenged themselves with truly amazing feats of endurance, I feel I am ready for this challenge as well.  I look forward to learning from this experience and hope to use it as a building block for other challenging adventures on the water.

I would like to send a very special “Thank You” to Karen Wrenn, Morgan Hoesterey, Mike Simpson and Will Rich. These four individuals have recently accomplished awesome SUP endurance challenges of their own and have helped prepare me for the challenge ahead. I also want to thank Matt for allowing me to share in his adventure.

5. Is there anything else you'd like me to mention?
Paddle boarding is such an amazing sport.  There is just so much you can do with this sport and I have met so many amazing people, a number of which that have become to feel like family. Everyone that I have met in this sport seems to enjoy it just as much as I do and are always willing to share their experiences to help fellow paddlers grow.