Sorry for the esay, but I am Mega Stoked!

I went out this weekend just gone on Sunday, where it all started very badly, but ultimatley I had a Mega result.

I went to Fairbourne in Wales it was honking 4.5 weather. I got rigged up and took my newly modified home made wave board to the beach. I was just about to place it on the beach when a massive gust came through and ripped the board out of my hands. Well after it had spun and bounced down the beach half a dozen times it landed in a small pool - just before it went up the rocks!!! So in a valient attempt to save it from another spinning flight I leapt in to the pool and grabbed the board, only to find that I had jumped on to a rock!! Yes it did kind of hurt and several expletives did leave my mouth. So with a sore and bruised foot I eventually ventured to the sea. The tide was on it's way out so the waves were 3 to 5 footers just right for sailing in Jan - don't want anything too challenging. The modification to the board worked great and it now gets on to the plane very quickly and is alot smoother and easier to wave ride without loosing any speed. I had a great laugh. So after an hour or so I decided upon taking a break. Sat in the van I was stuggling to gain the enthusiasm to go out again as I was quite tired - sailing in the sea really does test your fitness and I am not very fit at present. Still I convinced myself that just a few more runs would be ok and I would be alright. So I ventured to the brink once more and boy was I glad! After blasting over the shore break I really nice peachy wave ramped up in front of my and remember thinking 'looks like a good ramp...'. So up I went sheeted in tightly, next thing I am thinking where's this going. The nose was going around to my left (port tack sailing) so I looked over my left shoulder, next thing I know I have gone round and I am looking at the nose of the board going in to the water, still in the straps I push the sail up and there I am up and sailing off...... yes I my very first BACKLOOP!!!! YEEeeeehhaaaaaa!!! It took me a while to get my had around what had happened. I turned around had a great wave ride back in getting 3 or 4 turns on the waves I picked out and decided yeah that'll do for today.

MEGA STOKED!

Cannot wait to get out again and roll on the warmer weather.

Take Care,

Hans.

Woohoooo... Nice one. I keep meaning to go for a back loop, but just can't get enough of forwards... For some reason there seems to be more potential for injury with a back loop.

Congratulations.

Al.

Well done Hans

Well done Hans,

I find the backs really hard to land ( never managed yet) I think they're the easiest to initiate, but landing them is the hard bit. I've come down from great hights nose first only to crash or I bail first. Snapped an axxis 254 years ago landing nose first from a backwards.

The forward just needs a little more bottle to initiate, but much easier to land.

Whats Fairborne like these days , haven't sailed there for years. Any Kites out? Fink I'll have a trip up there this year. Springers here we come!, its the only pub Ive been to after sailing and ended up at a strangers wedding reception dancing with the brides mother!

Later,

Dunkster

Cheers Boyz!!!

I too am looking forward to some good spring sessions and doing a forward is definately on my list of things to master in 2005, as well as Vulcans...

Fairbourne is still a great place to have a good sail, great palce to learn about waves / tides and fairly safe but I don't need to tell you that - you must have been there loads I am guessing? No kites though...

Yeah the locals are real friendly - except at the cafe they always seem a bit odd...? Before I got my current van I always used to stop there for a brew before sailing... no need now as me van is fully equiped. Just need to fit the carpet and plumb the bath in and it'll be sorted ...... teehee ;-)

Take care yo'all,

Maybe see ya when the next big blow comes through.

Hans.