Lake McConaughy Lake McConaughy - Kitesurfarea.com

Lake McConaughy
Cornfields and Kiteboarding
Ogallala, Nebraska
By James Brown
What is the official site name? Lake McConaughy
What is the spot’s nick name? Big Mac
20 Questions
What is the best time of year to hit this spot? Wind during any of the summer months.
What is the best internet site to check the wind? Go to www.noaa.com then search for
Lemoyne, NE
How do I get there? From I-80, head North at Ogallala. Follow the signs 8 miles to Lake
McConaughy. Cross the dam and take a left after the railroad tracks towards Lemoyne.
The most common spots to camp for kiteboarders are on the North shore by Lone Eagle
campground (Gate 2), or on Sandy Beach (Gate 4).
What is the usual wind direction? Southeast
What are the best conditions to get lucky? Any Southeast wind is going to be the most
consistent, and it is side-on when you camp on the North shore. Afternoon and sunset sessions
tend to have the cleanest wind. You can do a 10 mile downwinder if you want. If the wind
is coming from the North, you can drive around to the South side to camp and launch.
What conditions should I avoid? Thunderstorms can blow in at any time. Keep your eyes
peeled for lightning and sand blowing up on the beach across the lake. Bring a weather
radio to get the latest weather updates. Listen for Keith and Garden counties.
What gear should I be sure to pack? Follow the number one kiteboarding rule—bring all
your gear. You may need an 8m or a 25m.
What is the water temp like? You can wear board shorts from June through September.
What is the launch like? There are miles of sandy beach.
What are the local schools?
Colorado Kiteforce: www.coloradokiteforce.com 970-485-2296
Fuze Kiteboarding: www.fuzekiteboarding.com 303-683-5033
Larson’s Ski & Sport: www.larsonsport.com 303-423-0654
PKS Kiteboarding: www.pkskiteboarding.com 970-376-3159
What are the local shops? Same as above.
Lake McConaughy is known throughout the region as the best
place to kiteboard, due to the 22 miles of sandy beaches and consistently
windy conditions. Kiters from Colorado make the simple
4-hour trip almost every weekend to get a taste of the good life.
If you are traveling through the area, make sure you stop to check
it out. Claudia Nygard (aka Kite Girl) was supposedly amazed with
the spot when she visited a few years ago and was rumored to
have said it was the best place she had been all year.
Paul Macaj lays one down for the camera. Photo John Feicht
What is the name of the local association? RMKA (Rocky Mountain Kiteboard
Association) http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/rmka/
Where should I stay? Most people camp right on the beach in tents, cars or campers.
Lone Eagle campground has bathroom/shower facilities along with R.V. spaces, hookups
and dump stations.
Where are some of the best places to eat? A good call for a hot meal is the mouthwatering
home style meals at Junie Mae’s where barbeque is their specialty. It is located on the east
side of the road between the dam and the railroad tracks. North Shore Lodge also has a
restaurant and is located West of Sandy Beach.
What else is there to do if I get skunked? Fishing (white bass, small mouth bass, walleye,
wipers and catfish), sailboating, swimming and wakeboarding. Boat and jet-ski rentals
are available.
Is there anything else I need to know about riding this spot? Make sure you pay both
your park permit and campsite fee. Park permits can be obtained at park headquarters
before you reach the lake on the right, or at area stores if the entrance booths are closed
at the time. Cost is $17.35 for the season or $3.35 per night. If you show up in the middle
of the night, go take care of it as soon as you wake up, or risk a ticket. Campsite permits
can be obtained for $5/night at any of the entrances. They are required for camping on the
beach. Have cash available for after-hours envelopes. Park Headquarters (308) 284-8800,
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks
Are there any safety issues or rules I need to know about Lake McConaughy? Alcohol
is prohibited. Drive slow on the beach, especially at night. Definitely don’t drink and drive.
Watch for thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, hail and tent-eating high winds.
Are there any interesting bits of trivia about this spot? Nearly everything about Lake
McConaughy is big! Even its nickname, "Big Mac" reflects its giant stature. Its 35,700
surface acres make it Nebraska's largest reservoir with over 100 miles of shore line. At full
storage, McConaughy is 20 miles long, four miles wide and 142 feet deep at the dam. The
dam is among the largest of its type in the world, and the fish grow to trophy proportions,
accounting for several state records.
42
Over twenty miles of beautiful sandy beach. Photo Nick Nedele
Blake Pelton sends up some spray. Photo Ben Horton
James Brown gets an epic early season session. Photo Reed Moulton

Nitinat Lake
Canadian Dream Session
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Photos and words by Kyle Touhey
Deep in the dense woods on an island off of Canada’s west
coast lays a little piece of nature’s kiteboarding paradise known
as Nitinat Lake. Not what you would expect from the cold country
up north, Nitinat boasts warm water, and predictably strong
yet super steady winds. With a little bit of travel via ferries and
logging roads, the dedicated kiter will have no problems finding
this spot. Once you set up your tent, crack open a Molson beer,
and take a look out at the lake, you’ll be blown away more by
the pristine beauty than the strong breeze. Most B.C. kiters
make at least one annual pilgrimage to work on their latest
tricks in the flats or play in the small swell in the middle of the
lake. Grab a spot with the locals around the campfire at night—
they are a friendly bunch to ride with and swap stories.
Chris Hunter gets back to nature with a forest soul-session.
CANADA
20 Questions
What is the official site name? Nitinat Lake, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
What is the best time of year to hit this spot? Spring/Summer – May through
September provides many good thermal days. The most reliable winds are usually in
July/August.
What is the best internet site to check the wind? www.bigwavedave.com or any local
weather website (sunny days are best).
How do I get there? Find your way over to Vancouver Island. BC Ferries
(www.bcferries.com) runs car ferries from Vancouver, BC and there are a few ferries that
go to Victoria from Washington State. From Victoria, take HW1 to Duncan. Turn left onto the
HW to Lake Cowichan and then right to the north road towards Youbou. The pavement
ends and becomes gravel. Follow the main logging road until you come to a major T-junction.
Take the left road. Nitinat is about 10 minutes further. Drive straight through town and
take a right at the Nitinat Park sign to get to the campground. The trip takes about two to
three hours.
What is the usual wind direction? Westerly – Side shore and VERY steady.
What are the best conditions to get lucky? Sunny, warm, or a few drinks at a singles bar!
What conditions should I avoid? Always avoid rain, clouds and fog. It makes for unpredictable
winds and bad camping.
What kite sizes do I bring? The best kites to bring are your 10 meter to 16 meter. The
12 meter is probably what you will be riding.
What gear should I be sure to pack? This here’s a campin’ spot folks, so bring your
spare tire, food, water, beer, campstoves, tent and a warm body (or two) to sleep next to.
There is a gas station with a mini market for small necessities.
What is the water temp like? There are rumors of board-shorts weather, but you might
want to load a 3/2 and shorty because, well…it is still the great white north, eh!
What is the launch like? There is a beach with fist sized round rocks with patches of
long grass. Please stay well upwind of the windsurf launch. Wade out in to the shallow
water and have someone hold your kite on shore to launch. The winds are kind of fluky
from the nearby trees.
What are the local schools?
Strong Kiteboarding offers all-inclusive weekend tours complete with PWC assisted and
IKO certified beginner lessons. Check out www.strongkiteboarding.com for more info.
What are the local shops?
Airtime Boardsports, in Vancouver: www.airtimeboardsports.com 604-734-9463
The Bosun’s Locker, in Victoria: www.thebosunslocker.com 250-386-1308
North Shore, in North Vancouver: www.nssb.com 604-987-7245
What is the name of the local association? Nitinat Windsports Society helps to maintain
the beach and campground.
Where should I stay? Bring a van, RV or a tent. The campground is right next to the
launch site. There is a CND$10/night fee for camping, but they rarely collect.
What locals should I look for? Most everyone comes from either Vancouver or Victoria.
Check out Mark Vincent for big airs and Stefano Rista for the latest new-school freestyle tricks.
Where are some of the best places to eat? This depends on where you set up your
camp stove and who is mastering the BBQ. You need to bring your own food.
What else is there to do if I get skunked? You can mountain bike and fly-fish near the
campground. If you feel like going for a drive, there is some epic West Coast Canadian
surf and wave kiting a couple of hours north in the Tofino area.
Is there anything else I need to know about riding this spot? Please respect the
water, beach, campground and surrounding nature. Canadians need their beavers and
other similar animals to survive! Follow the speed limits in the little town. There are kids
playing. Often you will awake to a calm and glassy lake. Sit back and enjoy your coffee,
because the winds will switch on in a few hours.
Nitinat is known for the friendly kiters on the beach and open space on the water.
Chris Hunter throws chunks off some rollers.
The local peanut gallery enjoys an afternoon show.
Are there any interesting bits of trivia about this spot? Over the years, the regulars
have built a driftwood sauna near the beach. Currently it is blown down after a storm, but
with any luck it will be rebuilt again soon.

46
47