This summer weather wise is one to remember for seasons to come. We’ve had all sorts of interesting weather patterns: Big storms with hail, big winds with huge waves, & weather moving in from the east.
I was out on a Sonar with my Adult Keelboat class getting ready to wrap up our day on the lake. We started our beam reach east back towards the sailing center. As soon as we got to the breakwater, I could see this rogue storm cell coming from the east right behind the Moran Plant. I immediately grabbed my radio and hailed the center alerting everyone of the impending storm. At about that time, Emma had seen the storm pop up on the radar. She scrambled all the staff onto motorboats to assist the numerous 420 renters out on the lake. Meanwhile, I could see the squall coming in our direction aboard the Sonar, so I decided to execute a 180 degree turn and flee west. To our dismay, we didn’t quite dodge the wall of rain that swept across the lake pretty quickly. This story is a perfect example of how we can never predict what will happen with the storms and wind on the lake and how you always need to be looking east & west for approaching weather.
I’m sure this summer will again break records for rainfall as long as this pattern continues. Everyone seems to be in the groove of breaking down boats and moving into the big white tent as soon as our guaranteed afternoon storm rolls in. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for a sunny second half of the summer.
With the passing of the 4th of July many people think that the summer is coming to a close and I can tell you that they are wrong. Yes everyone had a blast at Rock the Dock and we had a super turnout with many generous donations but that is just the beginning. We have plenty of programs coming up for kids and adults as well as the whole family together. Stormboarding as well as the water wind and weather camps look really pretty sweet to me. In the Stormboarding course you’re taught the basics of windsurfing and the Water Wind and Weather is a new really cool program where 8-10 year olds can split their time at the Echo aquarium learning about Water, Wind and the Weather then come over to the Sailing center and put their knowledge to the test out on the water. These are just two examples the numerous camps and classes we have going on for the rest of the summer. Things are also going to start to look a lot different around the center as we have and will continue to upgrade our facilities and boats. We have had some great help from our volunteers and Mates this summer and they have helped do some great work so let’s keep it up. We did get our second Rhodes 19 in the water thanks to Colin and his helpers so for all you keelboater’s out there we got one more for you and were looking into getting another Sonar, so keep your fingers crossed and I will see you down at the Sailing Center.
The wind continues to blow over Lake Champlain and the season is in full swing! Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been able to sail almost every day. Even with all the rain we’ve had I must say we’ve been pretty lucky that most of the thunderstorms in the area have kept away. This is my first year as a sailing instructor and I have to say, this is the best job ever. It’s so much fun to teach sailing! I think everyone should come down to the lake and enjoy it, this is what summer is all about.
In the last two weeks I’ve had the chance to sail with many different groups and classes. I would have to say that my most memorable experience of the last two weeks is of July 3rd. We were sailing on one of the Sonars and we had been out for nearly three hours when a rain storm threatened. Frank was my student and it was his first experience sailing, and
although he was having a great time he was both ready to go back in and less than excited by the idea of sailing in a rainstorm. We were near Oakledge Park but rather than head straight back to the Sailing Center Frank suggested we tack out into the bay with the hopes of steering around the downpour as it shifted through Burlington Bay. We did, and he was right. We managed to avoid getting wet while every other boat in the bay got caught in the downpour. We made it back just before the next round of rainstorms swept through. At least that was one day where I didn’t get rained on, and it was due to my students keen eye on the sky.
This summer season has got off to a great start! It also marked the official start to the WAVES initiative! We were very excited to have Josh Bakelaar, a former employee of ECHO who is now pursuing a Master’s Degree at UVM in Soil Science as our first guest speaker. Although it was the first week of camp, 25 enthusiastic campers surrounded Josh the minute lunch began. Lucky for him he brought in some fun specimens for the children to check out, including a turtle shell and snake skin. Once the kids filled their bellies with tasty lunches from home, Josh engaged the students in a neat activity that utilized each child. All the campers constructed a giant spider wed of sailing line that helped them understand how different parts of an ecosystem are all connected! The kids found ways to connect soil, turtles, sun, and even Champ! You can only imagine how tangled our web was by the end of the activity. Just another wacky Wednesday at the Sailing Center!
Over the last few days mother nature has tossed us almost everything in her arsenal. Although she tests us everyday, there is nothing she can throw that we don’t have a back up plan for, and there is really nothing that will dampen the spirits here at the Community Sailing Center. The wind may not blow everyday, but the kids rock the boats to where we’re going. Learning these methods known as kinetic sailing is a major part of sailing and gets you through the windless days. Rainy days with thunder are fun-filled with events like tie up the instructor, which tests the kids skills of knots and lines, or sailing jeopardy and numerous WAVES activities that use fun game like charades to teach the kids about different wetland critters and their habitats. with so many options and games to play, no sailing does not mean no fun (maybe even more fun, but then again maybe not, there’s nothing better than sailing). All we can do is plan for fun and get it done, sun or thunder, windy or calm, we’re ready for anything!
The weather on the Lake has been intriguing me as of late. I’m from the Midwest where South winds bring Texas warmth and Gulf rains. Winds from the West are gentle breezes left over from the Dakota plains, and weather from the North (well, NNW) is generally expected as a Arctic Jet Stream bringing cold, cold and more cold. But I’m not able to wrap my head around the weather here yet. I have gotten to see some great storms roll across the Lake from New York, and had the distinct pleasure of seeing the North East breeze blow in some crazy winds by way of Colchester Bay. This job is teaching me that the Waterfront Coordinators have become the front line for the campers and instructors to be weather hounds, watching, waiting, and warning when necessary of all possible issues that arise. This puts a great deal of responsibility on our plates to not only be aware by watching the clouds, winds, waves and radar but to learn what to expect from the storms moving our way. While we WC’s all can’t be as good as Tom Messner or Colin Davis, we are honing our skills as amatuer meteorologists and storm-trackers to keep the Community Sailing Center a safe place for us all to access the Lake.
As an aside, the average annual precipitation for Vermont is 40.13 inches and as of the end of June, we’ve received 17.83″, which puts us right on track for the yearly average but about an inch below where we were at this point last year (18.94″).
In the month of June, the water temperature hovers around 60 degrees. The coldness of the water depends on wind, sun, and how willing one is to spend the day in a wetsuit. For the sailing instructors, June is motivation month. Students don’t want to do swim tests, they don’t want to capsize and they don’t want to get splashed, all in the name of cold water. But we, as instructors, spend our day saying things like, “It’s not so bad,” “It’s better if you just jump in,” “The water was a lot colder in May,” and “No I’m not going to do the swim test with you.”
After a windy and somewhat cold morning out on 420s two of my students accidentally turtled their boat. They did a great job but the wind and the wind and waves were too much and I had to make a decision. I had been saying all day that the water wasn’t so bad, but I didn’t have to be the one to get in it. After a few seconds of playing AC/DC in my head (to get psyched up for the plunge) I hopped on their boat and helped them right it. In order to right the boat, I held onto the side while my body was slowly lowered into the water, which in this instance took about 10 minutes. Eventually, after much shivering and numbness, we got the boat upright. I climbed into the boat, made sure my students got in as well, looked over the boat to make sure it was still all in one piece, and took a deep breath. My students and I were soaked to the bone and as I turned the boat to sail back to shore I said out loud, “Man that water’s cold!”
It is a beautiful day—the sun is out, the radar looks clear, and there is a steady 12 to 15 knots of wind; in other words, you are absolutely giddy about the prospect of getting out on the water. Who wouldn’t be? Early season sailing on the lake is great because of the weather and the fairly strong winds.
On the other hand, because it /is/ the beginning of the season it may have been a while since you were out sailing in one of our boats.
We all love to get out on the water, but safety is our primary concern at the Community Sailing Center, so here are a few questions to consider before deciding to come down and try to rent a boat:
How long has it been since you were out sailing? Would you feel comfortable righting a capsized or turtled boat? Where is the wind coming from—would you get pushed away from or towards the Sailing Center if you were drifting on the water?
Not to worry if you decide you do not feel entirely comfortable heading out on the water on your own just yet. We have plenty of other early season options of which you and your family can take advantage!
If you feel pretty comfortable but you just want a quick rigging refresher, you should come down on a Friday afternoon at 5:30 to join us for a mini refresher followed by Sailing Center organized 420 racing. Every Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 we offer free racing on a first-come first-serve basis.
Alternatively, we offer private lessons on all of our boats (except kayaks and canoes), which can be extended to family lessons for a discounted price on each additional person on a boat. Going out for a few hours of a family lesson can be a great way to get everyone back into the swing of things before starting to head out on your own.
Finally, we offer a series of adult classes that run throughout the summer and whose dates can be found online at http://communitysailingcenter.org <http://communitysailingcenter.org/>. For the sailor who wants to jump back into it after a ten or fifteen year hiatus, taking a class can be a fun way to grease rusty cogs in your memory while you get to know a group of like-minded friends.
Fair winds and safe sailing,
The saying holds true for the beginning of this summer season. To best describe the weather here on the waterfront only one word is necessary; variable. We have seen it all so far, from beautiful sunny days with a slight breeze to torrential downpours with severe winds whipping across Lake Champlain. The weather we have seen at the sailing center truly shows us both extremes of the spectrum, along with everything in between.
The wrath of mother nature was initially seen a few Sundays ago when an extremely intense wind storm slammed us here on the waterfront. Never before in my life have I seen winds so strong and waves so immense. Our docks were hit pretty hard and there were some waves that challenged the persistence of our moored keelboats, but we made through. Comparing that day to one we have today, with beautiful warm weather with perfect green flag winds we are able to allow complete access to all that Lake Champlain has to offer. Through all of the extremely variable conditions, the Community Sailing Center is committed to provide as much fun and accessibility to the lake as mother nature will allow.
This week at the sailing center has been a great one. the wind has been blowing every day so far. Today we did 420 rides with the kids. That was a blast. Two of my kids went from being petrified of the 420’s to absolutely loving them and wanting to go out every time I got back in. It was great to see that transformation. It really goes to show how staying calm and having fun can really affect everyone else around you. As an instructor it’s great to be able to have this effect on kids. The look of pure excitement on their faces is priceless. I remember one kid telling me how sailing today was better than The Great Escape. He was describing how it was more intense because there was a chance we could capsize. I enjoyed that. I hope that the rest of the summer can be as great as this one.
