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squiz
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Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3081
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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 :)
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