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December so far in the Forces-of-Nature Diaries
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Toys Used
Owner: squiz
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Member#: 6644
Location:
Registered: 27-05-2007
Diary Entries: 3081

23rd August 2015
Windsurfing: The Dip-Felixstowe
Wind Direction: sse
Wind Stength: 18/24
Surf / Sea State: big swell
Air Temperature: 17
Sea Temperature: 24
Weather: sunny
Max Speed: 25.50 (knots - unless stated otherwise)
Distance Covered: 5.93 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)

What a funny day !!! I was looking forward to it so much and windsurfing let me down again:( With the best wind forecast for the morning, low water at 11ish and rain later I decided to get down early. Mag and I were at The Dip at 8.30 but sadly the big winds were not really there but there was a big swell because of the onshore wind and a huge shore dump:( The gauge was reading 14/20 mph!! so sail choice was a nightmare??? Neil and Craig Hurrell arrived and we decided on 6.5 and 7m on big boards. I was first to try and launch but it was hard to get off the beach as the groynes are fairly close here and the wind very light inshore!!! :( I got washed up the beach knackered on my first attempt breaking two battens and lucky not to break my mast! Craig got off ok so I tried again, I was patient this time and after 15 mins managed to sail straight off the beach. It took a while to get going but once away from the shore it was fine and for half an hour I had some of the best conditions I have ever had at Felixstowe sailing in the troughs between the waves in the sunshine, gybing was good too on the waves and I didn’t fall in! There were lots of kiters out now in the River Deben and I decided to join them taking care over the shallow shingle bar and was flying up the river toward Bawdsey but sadly sailed too close to the shingle bar on the far side and went from 25kts to zero in a second and daren’t look at my gear as I thought I must have broken something major, lucky for me I had only completely sheared my harness lines right off!!! This meant I had to sail back to replace them, I managed to sail close along the beach back even if the wind had gone light now:( Loads of people were there now, Chris Phillips, David Coles, Nick Icke, Ian Clarke(Happy Birthday) ,Andy Marshall, Phil Trett, Mark Davis, Neil & Craig Hurrell, Peter Cutts and Mark Smalling arriving a bit on the late side! Mark S started to rig 6.7 changed his mind rigged 7.3, got washed up the beach banging his board against a groyne. He then decided to walk the half mile to kite beach to launch floundered around for a while ending up a mile away at the end of the prom, so a double walk of shame - he actually walked further than he sailed and went home well depressed!!! :( David broke a batten on his never used before lovely Severne 7M and was lucky not to lose his fin on a groyne !!! The wind was very up and down now, I rigged the 7.8 but couldn't get off the beach so called it a day! But my day was not as bad as some plonker in a 30 footer who thought it was a good idea to try sail out of the river at the stroke of low water and ran aground for a couple of hours – he had four boats trying to help including the Harwich inshore rescue boat – lucky for him the tide turned and he was pulled off and had to head back up river as he needed to check his hull for damage! Of all the sailors out today I think only the Hurrells had a really good sail! There was a nasty accident when a kitesurfer turned in front of Mark Davis without looking - the kitesurfer lost hurting his arm and damaging his surfboard:( Then it clouded over but lucky for me I got home before the rain started !!! I am pleased I am working a few days next week so I don't have to think about windsurfing as the wind looks all over the place in both strength and direction !!!:(

PS - the highlight of the day was seeing a young seal playing in the waves right by the beach at The Dip :)
Toys Used:
F2 Xantos CS 295 133
Tushingham Lightning 7.8
Tushingham Lightning 6.5

 

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