Sailing Chicago
by Jay Grizzell
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Maybe you'll be able to use this on a game show or to win a bet, 'cause...
The origin of "windy city" as a reference to Chicago was from a New York newspaperman that used the
phrase in a disparaging manner because he was sick-&-tired of hearing Chicagoans brag about their city
and how it rebuilt itself from the Fire (1871). Something like "can't stand Chicagoans 'cause they're all
windy". Somehow it mutated into a meteorological phenomenon.
That said, we do enjoy fresh water, obstruction free harbors, quick access to the lake and favorable winds
during the (short) sailing season. SW winds prevail during the summer, providing relatively flat seas in
near-shore areas. Any winds steady out of the NE over the longest fetch of water can cause waves to
build to 5-9 feet which have a cycle much different than open ocean waves of same height (impacted by
the relative shallowness of the lake). Cross hatched and confused seas are a common occurrence that
those familiar with Coastal waters are unaccustomed to.
Overall, it's a wonderful place to play...for 5+ months a year. Upside = bottoms can be faired to glass
conditions every season!
Blue Seiche is in the Galley Section.