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April 2013

Van Pugh Parking

Submitted by webguy on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 12:25
Van Pugh ResidentSeppe Van Pugh, Pepe Le Pew's Dutch cousin.Van Pugh Burn Out
A windsurfer who was concerned about the parking situation. Shred Dog, is that you?

There has been much anxiety recently over windsurfing access at Van Pugh Park on Lake Lanier- more specifically, windsurfing trailer access. To recap for those who haven't been paying attention or cared (which is the larger number of you, we're sure): Recently, several club members found themselves under the scrutiny of park officials for parking trailers along the curb by the windsurfing beach as we have since before World Champion Philip Köster was born. While we thought we'd put the issue to bed after consulting Chief Ranger Chris Arthur, a subsequent episode indicated that things weren't quite settled.

For the windsurfing community, the issue was both symbolic and real. Lake Lanier is the largest open body of water in North Georgia. Van Pugh Park is the most popular windsurfing location on Lake Lanier, mostly due to its exposure to prevailing westerlies. Most of the best high wind sailing occurs here as countless photos in our Foto Gallery document. If there is a picture of a windsurfer in N. Georgia five feet over the water, it likely was taken at Van Pugh. (Clarks Hill is every bit as good and big but it's two and half hours away in Augusta).

Sprung

Submitted by webguy on Sun, 04/14/2013 - 09:39
Spring
Spring

Spring has sprung like Tigger off his meds. This is the time of year when two opposing seasonal forces, like a tide running against the current, meet. We cheer the longer days and warmer temperatures that give us more sailing time and less ice cream headaches. But, we lament the waning effects of the jet stream as it slowly moves north for the summer like a migratory goose. The fronts that come through carry less and less energy and, in the back of our minds, we know that by June, it won't be worth packing the smaller stuff.

Water temperature vs Wind
The relationship between Lake Lanier water temperature and wind. Sorry for the graph but our art department is on vacation.

This winter was warmer than even our climate-changed winters of late. The only winners here are the bugs that didn't get killed off and pruned back by temperatures in the teens. We windsurfers didn't benefit much because good sessions were few and far in between..