Windsurfing near Oswego

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone! I’m looking for a company or any spots with windsurfers near Oswego, NY. I’m kind of progressing beginner level, would enjoy some chat and advice from others. Moved to upstate New York not long ago, so don’t know much about what’s going on around here.

Thank you!

[windydoug]

Hi Liubov!

Glad you found our community discussion board.  I’ll try to help as best as I can.

Regarding your search for favorable friendly launches I have heard through the grapevine that Oneida Lake has some favorable launches.  I have never sailed there, but have heard about Sylvan Beach.  On good south wind days some folks from the Syracuse area will head to Seneca Lake State Park to windsurf and kite, I’m not sure if that is too far for your liking.  Seneca (and to a greater extent Canandaigua at Kershaw Park) are good lakes to learn on in a gentle/moderate wind with south in it.  You may be able to make some connections with the Syracuse area crew (kite/wing/windsurf) if you were to head to Seneca on a good south wind day (maybe just to watch).  Maybe as the season gets going a little more, some of them will check in on this post.

All of us are glad to hear of a new windsurfer giving it a go!  IT is an exciting sport….challenging and rewarding.

I shared a link in the “Looking for Lessons” post on this forum that is great for instructional video.  It is called Get Windsurfing and quite thorough.

Hope this helps.  Let us know if we can answer any other questions.

Windydoug

 

 

[mihelbergel]

There’s a really cool spot called Fairhaven Beach State Park just west of Oswego. In the park itself (east side of Little Sodus Bay) there is windsurfing in the open Lake right on the beach. This spot is popular with locals. On the west side of Little Sodus Bay there is another great launch area on W. Bay Road across from the boat marina. I have windsurfed at both locations and it’s great on west wind or east wind, however, it may be challenging for a beginner in open Lake Ontario. Although I have never windsurfed in Little Sodus Bay itself, I did see a possible launch area at the extreme northeast corner of the bay in Fairhaven Beach State Park. This might be a better option for beginners, but be careful of boat traffic if you try it. Good luck! Let us know how it works out if you go there, especially in the bay.

[windydoug]

The below was shared previously by long time Oswego area windsurfer Frank G.  I couldn’t view it for some reason although the forum says it should be there.   It is a resource we are lucky for.  Reading what he says below, we are also lucky to still consider Frankiebob a windsurfing buddy.

Hope to see ya out there Frank.

Windydoug

Hi Liubov.

I poster this about 5 years ago for East side Lake Ontario sailing spots. I had it on word so I will just repost 4 you. I stopped windsurfing 2 years ago when I dislocated 2 vertibrae over 1 cm. I was scheduled for spine fusion the week sugery centers were closed for Covid. Turned out to be a real gift since I slowly healed without sugery. Spine Fusion is not something you want. I was looking at the blog wondering if I could sail Seneca in the South wind Thursday. It could happen! Frank
West Barrier Bar Park Fairhaven – On the west side of the Little Sodas Bay. Very end of west bay Rd behind Fair Point Marina. Go all the way to the end of the dirt road. NW is dead on shore. Good in N fantastic in NE with swell. I have sailed in W when I was too cheap to pay to get in the State park. If you sail in a W launce soon as the road hits the water so you are away from the sea wall. Easy sand launch Sea wall keeps the shore break mild in NE. Free. Use to be a favorite of Kiters .
Fairhaven State Park – Off 104A east side of Fairhaven. My all time favorite place in a W, NW. Lost favor from the Syracuse Clan because it is typically 4 knots less in a W than points west but I still go there because it is a safe easy launch especially when the water is cold. The east part of the beach has got more round stone in the past few years but still easy. Fairhaven can be sailed in a slight SW say 260 deg. Nice waves. $7 park fee unless your a Sr. like me and get in the Golden Park program for free!
Rudy’s Clam bar – On the West side of Oswego State college. Take Fred Hayes Blvd off 104. in Oswego. Park West side of the Clam bar. Steep round rock launch that the water gets deep fast and bad shore break. Good in W, WNW, N,NE. We windsurfed there a lot when we were young because there is always a crowd to show off to plus clams and beer!. Worse in high water. I have not sailed there in years.
Mexico Boat launch – End of RT 40 off 104B in Mexico. This was the go to place for 30 years because there always is a little more wind there. Good in W, WNW. Fee during season. Step over the rocks and launch from a 10 ft sand beach next to the rock entrance of the little salmon river. The channel entrance protects from bad shore break but there is little room for error and no place to exit down wind. High water covers the little beach and makes it dangerous.
Selkirk Shores state park – Is just around the corner a few miles on Rt 3 on the east shore. Go to the Southern most part of the park and launce near the parking lot where grindstone creek enters the lake. Good in a NW or NNW when Mexico gets closed out. Starboard launch. Launch is a gentle rock beach.
Sandy Island Beach State park – end of Rt 15 off Rt 3 up the lake 15 min. South of North Sandy Pond. This is a nice sand beach and was a favorite place to take girl friends before it became a state park because it is the first nice sand beach up the lake. Good in NW NNW but the wind seldom blows there.
Southwick Beach State Park- Up the lake 20 min off rt 3 where 193 intersects. Good in a S,SW, NNW . SSW is dead on shore but can be manageable because the water is shallow and it is an easy launch. Southwick is the nicest sand beach with the best launch on the east side but good sailing days are rare because the wind never blows there. I bet I have stopped at Southwick beach a hundred times it was blowing SW 12 and it was 20 farther up the lake at Rays or Henderson. We use to sail there on crazy SW or S forecasts or very cold because its safe. Enjoy it if you get it.
Black Pond management Area – Never sailed because it is too long a walk to carry. Understand it is a favorite of kiters because of easier carry. Always plan to make a wheeled cart to roll the half mile needed.
Rays Bay Beach – Is on Rays bay near Boomer Cove. Rt3 left on 178 at the Cherry Tree Inn Take a left on Lighthouse Hill. Take a left on unmarked road after power lines cross. Rays bay Beach is marked on Google maps but it is just state owned land with no facilities at the end of a long dirt road. The rock shoals at the corners of Rays and Sawyers bay are the best waves on Ontario but hard to get at. launch is a 20 yard walk down a steep hill with and shallow slippery shale launch. Good in SSE, S, SW. Worth the effort. Google earth Satellite will show the shoals I’m talking about. Secret spots and special parking permission for a few to get to the shoals caused a lot of bad feelings in the Syracuse clan 25 years ago
Henderson Harbor – Wescott beach State park. Good in SW WSW. launch on the nice beach south of the boat ramps. Most of us sail from Joe Cushman’s camp on Rock Ledge Dr. Only log cabin. SW forecast use to be a guarantee up there 25 years when Dick Gafney owned it and had a fridge full of Coors. But just has not been firing like it use to
Northern Bays – From Pillar point to Point Peninsula seem to get a lot more wind. Mike Moran has a camp up there and gets way more windsurfing but I am not knowledgeable. Just too far to drive. You can see that there is more wind there on WindyTTY

[mihelbergel]

Doug, the info from Frank is a great resource. Would it be possible to add it to the Rochester Windsport website so it remains accessible? Thanks for sharing!

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for all your replies I really appreciate all of the advice!

I was wondering if any of you guys would be interested to give me and my partner a private lesson. I know we can learn a lot of information from YouTube or other internet resources, but also as a teacher I know how one hands on experience can worth hours of videos.

[windydoug]

Yeah Eric,

That is a good idea.  I could add a “further afield” page for sites.

Lesson wise I would try to connect with the Cayuga Windsurfing Club, or CDGA Sailboard.  They have the right gear and can answering rigging questions of your own gear as well.

WD

[Geoff]

I have, over the years, discussed most if not all the spots FrankieBob put in his post. Allow me to focus in on what I regard as salient points, especially for those new to the sport. Be aware that Frank goes back to, like, the beginning. He learned to sail on stuff deemed too difficult to use today; was a high-wind sailor in the heyday (those musculoskeletal constraints were earned and, contrary to the best line in “Heart and Soul”, pain is not always temporary). Adrenaline junky kind of windsurfing. So…dialing it back a little, here are my thoughts on these spots in SE and E Ontario.

Also, allow me to put in my 2c about being cheap. Get yourself an Empire Pass, so you can go in any state park all year long. It’s the best $63 gym membership you can buy. Period. With all you’re putting into windsurfing, the Empire Pass is a drop in the bucket. Many to most of the best sites are state parks.

I wouldn’t recommend most of these sites for beginners (will indicate which ones).

Fair Haven SP

Some don’t want to pay the park fee and so launch west of the inlet. Bad idea for non-experts – not a simple launch and you’re boxed-in by the breakwall. Go in the park, launch to the east of the swimming area near the picnic sites. And, being in the state park, if trouble befalls you, there are rangers to help rescue you. Good spot for light-wind sail surfing with an SUP. Best on a NW to WNW, also decent on NE.

Mexico Boat Launch

Not for beginners. BIG climb over SUV-sized rip-rap with an abrupt drop into the water. No place to bail out if you get washed downwind, so a most unpleasant walk-of-shame. Narrow “band” of error. Good waves for advanced sailors. W to NW

Selkirk Shores SP

Smooth “pebble” beach, with pebbles about the size of your fist. The more north the better, as the waves tend to be hard onshore and likely will teach you the meaning of “getting rejected”. Sailable, but not my idea of the best spots. WSW to WNW

Sandy Island Beach SP

Broke my all-time fave mast there. Sandy it is. Probably not the best for due W, but SW or NW would be OK. The eastern shore of Ontario never seems to be that good when it goes far S, so I would go on a day when there is a westerly. Pretty big waves for the amount of wind; broke my mast in a flubbed duck jibe on a wave, the tip of the mast dug into the bottom, a wave mashed the board down onto the mast. Before that, the waves were nice and smooth, well-formed.

Southwick Beach SP

Same as Sandy Island, but the beach is a little more friendly and the water gets deeper more slowly. NICE waves, but again a due W is difficult to negotiate. Go for SW or NW. Never seems to fill-in on a due S. GREAT spot for surf sailing or paddling an SUP. Nice amenities, the biggest downside is that during the summer the lifeguards will insist that you carry hundreds of yards away from the swimming beach. WSW to WNW

Westcott Beach SP

Protected by a spit of land from open water waves, this is the best site for beginners. Except that in recent years the lifeguards have suppressed launching from next to the boat launch breakwall. So you either have to be a bandit (sneak out before they catch you), or schlogg through the boat launch (big breakwall and angles make this difficult), or ask a camper if you can squeeze out from their spot (mostly they’re amenable). Much smaller waves, but if you want bigger fare you can head N out in to the bay exposed to open water. One of my fave spots, especially when the wind is marginal and you’re hoping for a late afternoon thermal. Late day thermals are pretty reliable here in late summer when it is sunny, clear and any westerly wind. WSW to WNW

Ray’s Bay

Forget about it. Expert high-wind sailors only. If the Mexico launch over rip-rap is intimidating, here you just have to throw your stuff in the water and jump in off the rocks. I understand the waves can get huge and smooth and fabulous. Of course, if things go bad you’ll need the State Police and/or locals to find you and your stuff. W to WNW

Chaumont (Sha-mo) Bay SP / Point Peninsula SP

Takes forever to get there, and therefore more secluded. Chaumont is protected flat water because of the peninsula blocking Ontario swells. So a little gusty like an inland lake, but a nice spot with a 1000 Island’s feel. Point Peninsula is open water bay, it would be akin to Ray’s Bay but more open-lake like. Best on WNW

Cape Vincent / Cedar Point SP

Relatively flat water. Cape Vincent is close enough to the mouth of the St Lawrence that lake swells come in if it’s windy enough. Cedar Point is more protected; I’ve not sailed there but have sailed a lot out of the Clayton Yacht Club in Clayton, NY. Roughly 5 kt current in the river, so not for anyone who isn’t skilled at staying upwind (or downwind) depending on the wind direction. Best on a SW or NE. It’s hard to beat the 1000 Islands in the summer, but again it’s a spot for skilled sailors. Cold water, BTW.

GEM

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