• Thursday-What'sUP July 21 - 10:38 pm

People are always talking about "harnessing" the wind. It looks like these windsurfers did just that recently, when they zipped along on Lake Superior at McLain State Park. Jan Dalquist was on hand to photograph this adventurous group of guys, including her son, Dave, the surfer in the bottom photo here today. Sure looks like a lot of fun to be out there gliding along, bouncing over the choppy waves. I wonder how fast those sailboards can get going? I bet if the wind is really whipping, you'd feel like you were almost flying, must be quite a rush!

Looks like a great way to cool off in this oppressive heat!! It's going to be a little cooler here today!!

Very cool and definitely a gas-saver!

I think I stretched my camera lens permanently taking these pictures of kite surfers in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington state a month ago. I'm amazed they didn't suffer head-on collisions as there were many more of the kites as well as regular wind surfers in the uncropped photos.

Sure would love to feel that cool wind off the Lake. We also have oppressive heat, Deb S, plus oppressive humidity. Today it's supposed to reach a HIGH so far this year....98 degrees!! :P

Great photos! One of these days I have to find the time to get out the boards and sail again.

To answer your question about top speed, Mary, the current world speed record on a sailboard is 49.09 knots, held by Antoine Albeau. That kind of record is set on a very specialized course, the Saintes Marie de la Mer canal in southern France. At that speed, you really, really, really don't want to make a mistake, like pulling your clew through the eye of the wind.

In these photos, it looks like the riders are moving across the water at 15 to 20 mph, which doesn't sound super fast. But 20 mph on a board is moving right along, and it's a total thrill to be harnessed onto your sail with the board carving the water underfoot.

Now THAT looks like fun! I have to find out more about windsurfing!