Howard Park - Sailing Report

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webguy
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Howard Park - Sailing Report

After leaving home at 5 am Saturday, I arrived at Howard Park in Tarpon Springs at 1 pm. On the way down there was no wind but at the park it was blowing hard, still raining a bit and 74 degrees. There were five other windsurfers there. I rigged a 5.5 and went for a few runs until the wind eased off and I rigged a 6.5 and went for a few more runs. At 4 pm the wind died and most everyone else left. Then it started raining cats and dogs and the wind came up strong. This one guy got back on the water and was hurled across the water. He made a few of these hurled across the water runs and then finally got blow down wind. Then he became stuck because the wind just died again. I didn’t think he had too much fun doing that. Looked more like work.

Sunday it was supposed to blow 20 - 30 from the west. I arrived at the park at 9:45, got a really fine parking spot too. I say that because by noon all the parking spots had been taken. The park was full. As I said, it was supposed to blow 20 -30. By noon the front had passed and the skies were clear and the wind was light. The sun was out and it was 70 degrees. Everyone was talking about how bad this was going to be if the wind didn’t show. I rigged my 8.0 and went out and fooled around with Brian, a local. He was on a 6.5. All of a sudden there came a little wind. I pumped up that 8.0 and off on a plane I went. Several runs across the water convinced everyone else to rig and go. 8.0 was great until 2 pm then it was 6.6 and at 4 it was 5.5. I finally left the park at 6:30.

This was really a fine day. The park was crowded. There were snowbirds walking, young things sunbathing on the beach, skim boarders, swimmers and, of course, windsurfers. I counted 50 boards on the water and the beach. Of all these, six were girls. It was much more like a summer day than February and that is why I went. Windsurfers were in full suites, shorties and in a few cases just bathing suites.

These are a great bunch of guys to sail with. I made new friends. Howard Park must be the old person windsurfing capital of the world. Quite a few guys in there 60's and 70's. They make you think you can windsurf right up to the day before you die. I felt just like I was at home at Van Pugh standing around talking and joking with all our regular guys.

I have been to quite a few of the so called “ Great Windsurfing Locations “ and I have come to the conclusion that Howard Park in Tarpon Springs has to be the most windsurfer friendly place I have ever been. This park is 7 hours from home, sailable in all directions, flat water, waves if you want to go out far enough, warm water, warm air ( even in February ) and waist to chest deep water over 90 % of the sailing area. If you broke down way out there you could just walk back. I guess the only thing lacking may be wind everyday but I have been there twice this winter. I had two good days two weeks before Christmas with Drew and again this last weekend. If you have never been to Howard Park, you should consider it.

I have found camping about 1 hour away in Desoto Park just south of St. Pete.

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webguy
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I hear a weed fin is a requirement at Howard Park. Did you find this to be true?

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webguy
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FYI: I got an answer to my own question when I called a local shop in the area. The answer was: if you dont have a weed fin then dont bother launching.

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webguy
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I have never used a weed fin at Howard.

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