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Lake Russell Windsurfing Website
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| Russell's Lake Hartwell & Lake Russell Windsurfing Website |
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| Lake Hartwell - Favorite Local Spot: | ||
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Lower Lake Hartwell |
There are a number of lakes within a short drive from Athens.
Lake Hartwell (Corps of Engineers Project)
is one of a series of lakes along the Savannah River. The lower part of the lake, near the dam, is
favorable for sailing, with 1 to 3 miles of open water. Several peninsulas stick out into the Lake.
One of these is Long Point Recreation area, my favorite spot for windsurfing in the region.
Long Point is close to the town of Hartwell, GA.
Other locations with potential include Elrod Ferry, Singing Pines, and Sadler's Creek. When the Corps of Engineers sites have been closed, I have sometimes sailed from Hart State Park which is on a narrower body of water, but can work in a W or NW wind. The red dots on the images indicate places from which I have sailed. |
Long Point Recreation Area |
| Until Spring 2009, Lake Hartwell was as much as 25 feet below full pool, due to the drought. This lead to unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous, conditions for sailing, leading me to try Lake Russell, as descibed below. The good news is that Lake Hartwell has recovered to where it is within 3 feet of normal. |
| Lake Russell - An Alternative: | ||
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Middle Lake Russell |
Lake Russell, also on the Savannah River, is a potential alternative. Lake Russell has been maintained at near full pool through the drought. It is a very pretty lake,with less development than Lake Hartwell. However the Lake is narrower, and the winds swirl a bit more in spots. I'm investigating several spots. My favorite so far is the Elbert Boat Launch. Its location is reasonable for most wind directions, except SW. Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area in South Carolina may be good in a SW wind, although the park is located up on a bluff, so finding a launching spot may require some work. |
Elbert Boat Launch |
| Closer to Atlanta: |
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| Lake Lanier, closer to Atlanta, is the home base of the Atlanta Boardsailing Club. Lake Lanier is suffering from the same drought conditions as Hartwell, and is also substantially below full pool. |
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