Owner:
squiz
Member
Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3072
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21st November 2021
Windsurfing: Bradfield Wind Direction: N Wind Stength: 5/20 Surf / Sea State: smooth Air Temperature: 9 Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny periods Max Speed: 16.99 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 28.50 mile (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Sunday 21st November - Windsurf **** River Stour at Bradfield – sunny and
cold.
Foil – 16.99 knot max, 16.29 knot ave., 13.11 knot hour, 14.93 knot mile,
45.53 km., 12.73 knot alpha.
Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning
7.8m.
With the winds from the north and the temperatures set to drop I was a
little nervous of going today as the cold plays havoc with my poor old
hands but we woke to lovely sunshine here in Felixstowe, with Rob and
Michael heading to the River Stour at Bradfield I decided to man up and
join them:) We left home at 9.45 as Mag wanted a ski coat from Lidl, sadly
we tried both Lidl’s in Felixstowe and they did not have one so set off
for Essex. It is a lovely drive over to Bradfield with the trees in full
Autumn colours, we were not expecting the rain enroute but we did get a
nice rainbow. I arrived at 11 with Robert and Michael already there and
Andrew Twinn already on the water with 7.8 on his fin board but it did not
look very windy. We set our foil boards up then rigged, with lightweights
Robert going for 6m and Michael 6.5 I had no choice than rig my 7.8. I was
actually third foiler out today Robert and Michael beating away first,
there was loads of water and it was going to be a high tide today so we had
plenty of time. We then spent ages sailing back and forth hoping for a
gust, I pumped up a couple of times but the North wind was very light and
gusty. With only 5 knots of wind must headed back but I stayed out and
eventually I was rewarded as the breeze filled in nicely, lucky really as
my hands were beginning to get cold! I then had a really good couple of
hours in mostly sunshine doing long runs from Bradfield across Holbrook Bay
about two miles. To be honest 6.5 would have been faster and easier but I
could not be bothered to head ashore and change, it was also a little up
and down, typical with the wind in this direction! There were some big
gusts in front of Holbrook school but I was OK as the river was lovely and
smooth there:) As for gybing I got a few but turning with a smaller sail is
definitely easier but I am improving. In the end I had the whole river to
myself and did some shorter runs from the launch beach to Wrabness going
for some gybes if the wind was not too strong. Being on the water non-stop
for three hours I did not get cold until I went in a couple of times near
the end of the session! With the tide turned and the wind dropping it was
time to call it a day heading back to the van for some yummy hot homemade
butternut squash soup and to see how Mag had got on? She had gone for a
lovely walk, had a birthday phone call from my Dad who is 92 today and a
good catch up with our boys, so a top day was had by both of us, maybe I
will do it all again tomorrow. Not a fast day but was pleased to get 6 mile
runs over 14 knots and just missed getting a PB for the hour :)
We were last to leave the field and had a lovely journey home with the sun
setting behind us. I then watched the English Ladies Rugby team play the
USA off the park, Ladies Rugby is great so entertaining and the men won too
beating the World Champions by a single point:)
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