Owner:
squiz
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Member#: 6903 Location: Registered: 13-08-2007 Diary Entries: 8
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29th January 2021
Windsurfing: Levington Wind Direction: W Wind Stength: 5/20 Surf / Sea State: flattish Air Temperature: 10 Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny periods Max Speed: 17.98 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 26 miles (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Friday 29th January - Windsurf **** - River Orwell at Nacton Shore –
sunny periods.
Foil – 17.98 knot max, 16.56 knot ave ., 6.39 knot hour , 13.19 knot mile
, 42.00 km .,12.58 knot alpha.
Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning
7m.
I haven’t been out on the water since 19th December and was starting to
get desperate, I am not bothered on the really cold days but have missed a
few sessions now at my winter bolt hole, Levington with the temperature in
double figures but the marina is closed for windsurfing at the moment:(
Although I live very close to the sea here at Felixstowe, I am not keen on
open sea sailing this time of year and have agonised long and hard about
going over to Nacton Shore to get out on the Orwell. With the car park in
an out of the way place only 8 miles from home I think I can safely say
that is local for me. So, after missing yesterday’s really mild 12-degree
day I was keen to get one session in January before the temperatures drop
again, there is talk of snow tomorrow! Steve M who lives right on the bank
of the Orwell near Nacton saying he was going out today I decided to give
it a go. I loaded my van with three sails, a 6m, 7m and 7.8m plus my foil
board and the F2 295 to cover todays forecast which was 20 knot westerlies
turning a bit further north later. With high tide around mid-day, I set off
around 9.30 and soon arrived with only one other car in the car park. The
tide was well in, the water flat I set up my foil and rigged 7, I already
had my wetsuit on and was ready to go at 10.15 but then my gps would not
turn on!!! I wanted a record of the session so I drove home to get my spare
and was back in 30 minutes! Steve was here when I returned and was nearly
ready as I carried my board to the water. It was sunny and mild as I waded
in but the west wind was very gusty as I sailed down towards Levington. I
got flying in patches but it was a little hit and miss but not cold at all
and didn’t put my gloves on until much later in the session! I did not
push things too hard today as wanted to stay out of the water and I have
got a bit of a problem with my left hand as well as the usual dodgy back
but I had some nice flying runs when the gusts came in the end passing the
marina as the wind increased. So, I decided to head down to Felixstowe dock
but the wind dropped but I made it in the end stopping on a shingle bar
with loads of oyster catchers. After a few pics I started the sail back
with the tide now on the way out. I thought this might be a struggle but I
caught a gust and got back to the marina as the wind dropped. Now I thought
I was in trouble as I did loads of short runs making little progress
against the tide and was thinking it was a long walk back to the van.
Luckily the gusts started to arrive and I made it back OK in the end. With
some north in it now I had several runs across Nacton bay towards Pin Mill
before calling it a day as I was losing the water fast now! So not a bad
session in the end out despite the wind being up and down with my hands
only suffering when the sun went in being out for the best part of three
hours covering 26 miles and I got back to my van too! After a quick chat
with Steve who also had a good time before driving the 8 miles home for
warming shower!
Photo Gallery here
MK booms here
77 Sports (Exocet) Here
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