I went out to the lake today to have a peek and get some info. Paul and I have been contemplating how rideable the beach area could be so I promised to go have a look. I fired up the GPS tracker on my iPhone (didn't have my GPS on me) and got some data.

First the images:

Next image overlay

Now the details/findings:

The track you see there is 1.5 km long roughly and, despite what it looks like no, I was not walking on water. I was walking anywhere from 10-20 feet from the current water's edge which incidentally was on a well worn ATV "road" that paralleled the shoreline. The result is a sandy pathway ranging from 6-15 feet wide. It's a little bit rutted and had a few pooled areas (recent rains) but I'd say it was rideable.

If the wind's right.

The right winds will be due North but I'd say you could have a bit 'o fun out there in NW/N winds all the way to N/NE winds. The perfect stretch is the easternmost leg where you can see it sort of straighten out. If you had NW/N winds (like today was) you could presumably ride that stretch flat out cross wind.

Downwind issues/concerns? The terrain went kinda like this so if you can imagine, from the tracks above, we go waterline, sandy beach for anywhere from 10-15 feet, a band of scrub anywhere from 1-3 feet wide and then the worn pathway I was on. From the edge of that path you are looking at mostly grasses (old growth) and some perhaps kite puncturing if you hit hard. There is a varying distance from the path edge to the treeline but at no point is it a line's length close. I'd give it 3 times line length at all points and up to 10-15 times for the bulk.

Near the east end of the "run" there is a fenceline that stretches out towards the waterline but is still about 15-20 feet from the edge of the path. It'd eat a kite, yes, but easy to just lift the ripstop six feet off the deck and clear the fence, right?

The west end won't really let you get much past the Sailing Club but this is primarily because of the beached craft's masts sticking up. You could potentially fly over them? If we find this to be a worthy spot we could probably contact the owners and offer to move them to higher ground.

The good stretch to the east carries off eastward about 2-300 yards? To get there in a north wind you'd have to be able to work your way upwind about 100 yards overall perhaps (see the "bowl" in the tracks?) You'll have to see it....that stretch to the east is so straight that it'd likely be worth a short walk to haul the gear over if you couldn't get there under kite power. To the west, the path trails off to the point where the tree line is way too close for comfort.

Other concerns - There are stones. Quite a few but mostly grouped and mostly near the waterline. In a kind gesture, mother nature made them all bright bright white (looked almost like seafoam from a distance) so the inland ones stick out like mad. The pathway is generally clear - hence the ATV tracks. They don't like too many stones either.

I had a good walk around the club proper, the little jetty they built up, what used to be the boat launch, the boardwalk dock that's reaching 4 feet over terra firma now.....it must have been a water lover's dream in it's glory day. Quite sad actually but I'll take comfort in keeping the wind powered sports alive in the area if I can. Moreso if the water level continues to decline.....we might just have our very own dry lake in the near future.......mixed blessing.

Amenities - The sailing club has male and female outhouses out there (like those signs are actually adhered to) and the most gorgeous stone fireplace with what looks like four, five or six camping pads? I'm going to call and see what the rules are on camping out there but can tell you that without question we'll be taking the tent trailer out there for a day long getaway this summer and will park it right on the lakeshore at treeline. We haul RVs and all sorts of stuff out in the winter, why would we not be allowed in the summer? I could see if the camping pads were sail club property (looked into membership - too spendy for what you'd get out of it) but if they say it's a go, it's a go. I'd go camp out there for sure. Especially if the beach area turns out to be rideable or the water turns out to be tolerable to learn on.

One last thing - the smell. The dog got a bath when we got home. A full on shampoo frothing bath. The water stinks and there's no getting around it. But it's not that bad and I'd dare say if the breeze is blowing it'd be OK. That, and the picnic/camp area is off the lake in the trees so the smell may filter out a bit. Still, I'd call it tolerable to the point that you actually don't notice it anymore after a bit. I say that based on today's visit (no smell at all really this early in the season...unless you go swimming) and a mid-June picnic last summer where yes, it smelled but we got accustomed to it and had a nice picnic that lasted hours. It wasn't that bad I assure you.

I'm going to spend at least one afternoon out there with my wetsuit and booties on just walking the lake to see how bad it really is (the rumor is that it's a foot or two of loon s#!t and no fun to have to stand in for any length of time - tough place to ride for a beginner but epic for a proficient kiteboarder - average depth 17 inches, so shallow that no matter how hard the wind is nuking, waves just don't form...butter smooth, all the time).