Lake Murray

General Information

Our information is dated. If you can help out with information drop us a line

Recommended Wind Directions

NW: yes | N: yes | NE: yes

W: yes | | E: yes

SW: yes | S: yes | SE: yes

Legacy Directions

4 hrs. Nice sized lake just outside Columbia. I-20 to SC 6N (towards Lexington). Carry on past the dam. Correspondent Lanneau Lide of Columbia, SC writes: There's good sailing on Lake Murray when fronts move through, mainly in fall, winter and spring. There's very little shortboard sailing in the summer. Most of the access to open water with unobstructed wind is private, however. The only public launch site likely to have wind is on the north side of the dam, with a large public parking area, a boat ramp, and picnic tables. Launching from this spot in the prevailing westerly breeze is only a little tricky: you have to point well in order not to be blown into the dam, but you're initially in a bit of a wind shadow from a point a quarter mile upwind. After you clear the point, the wind is unobstructed, and you can sail well upwind so you don't come close to the dam when you return to the access after sailing. Westerly and southwesterly breezes blow several miles down the lake before reaching the dam, so swells are not uncommon in strong wind. Northwest and northerly winds cannot be sailed from this site. South wind is uncommon but can be sailed here. Easterly winds are very difficult to sail on any part of Lake Murray. More info from the Whitecap Windsurfing site and directions to SC E & G Park Chuck Hardin speaks highly of the big swells set up by W/NW winds.

Local Tips

Ability

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Map

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