Owner:
Harry
Member
Member#: 186 Location: Registered: 14-04-2003 Diary Entries: 418
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30th July 2005
Windsurfing: Shoreham Wind Direction: SW Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Showery then sunshine Max Speed: Distance Covered:
Aaaahhhh.....I've just come. Another windier-than-expected day. All
good!
I'd finished my "study leave" work on Tuesday so needed some wind. Friday
was marginally breezy but not quite enough for my current biggest kit.
Saturday was looking hmmm maybe possible for some 20mph action, but nothing
too special. So was very nice to wake up to winds gusting 25 mph+, albeit
raining.
So with SW winds and a visit to Surfladle being necessary, Shoreham was
calling. Arrived 11.30am. Rain had cleared. Word on the beach was that
5.5-6.0 sails were advisable. Naahhh couldn't believe that, it looked like
solid 5.2 weather, so out came the missus. Correct decision. Was sooo
satisfying for once to pick the right sail size that was absolutely perfect
for practically the whole session.
It started off proper windy to warm me up....and then got windier! Stonking
feet-in-the-straps-and-go sailing. Low tide all afternoon so easy stuff.
And as if that wasn't enough, there were actually some half-decent waves at
Shoreham today, and I got in a stackful of meaty jumps. The solid wind
meant it was easy to get planing straight away off the beach and pick up
enough speed to often boost "fat air" off the incoming ramps on the inside.
Aaaaahhhh....sorry....I've just come again....
The waves were often good enough to ride and smack....if I'd been on the
Quatro. Sudden changes of direction aren't Mr Bee's cup of tea - with him
it's just full speed straight ahead all the way. (I realised today that he
really does need to be traded in for a more modern freestlye wave. He just
ignores any waves, and often throws a big tantrum if at high speed he is
banked into a tight gybe.)
Having been sitting around on my arse all week, my fitness levels weren't
optimal. I was fine for my general sailing for a long session but I felt it
did start taking its toll after a while on my normal/duck/STS gybing. They
weren't bad, just not as good as I would have expected, considering the
conditions. I was hoping to get in some good strap-to-strap practice but
fatigue was limiting my enthusiasm to really go for new stuff. (well,
that's my excuse anyway). I did pull off one very clean tack on the inside
though! Think I fortuitously timed it well with a wave pushing underneath
the board to float the nose.
After a solid 3 hours on the water was really starting to feel it, so came
in for a break and drove to Surfladle, still in my wetsuit, to drop off the
sails I'd sold on ebay for them to post. Drove back and the sun had come
out now so ignored my aching limbs and went out again. But the wind had
also dropped a tad and I was underpowered. Couldn't be arsed with this, I'd
had my fill, so came in before I drifted too far. Again, a short
walk-of-shame to finish :(
Incredibly busy today - as would be expected for a windy Saturday. I
counted about 60 boards on the beach and water at one point.
Really is turning out to be a half-decent summer - not as good as 2004
obviously, but still, very respectable, and often the wind is at the
weekends. Possibly windy again tomorrow, and looking at the charts, looks
like next weekend could just maybe turn out good as well. Which would be
annoying since I'll be at Edgbaston for the 3rd day's play :)
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