Owner:
squiz
Member
Member#: 496 Location: Registered: 05-01-2004 Diary Entries: 2
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24th December 2017
Windsurfing: Portland Harbour,Weymouth Wind Direction: W Wind Stength: 15/20 Surf / Sea State: flatish Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: cloudy with rain :( Max Speed: 29.76 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 25.59 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Sunday 24th December – windsurfing **** Portland Harbour - cloudy with
rain :(
29.76 kt. max, 28.23 kt. ave., 15.70 kt. hr., 22.42 kt mile, 22.42 km.,
18.91 kt. alpha.
What a top night in our VW campervan just outside Southwell near Portland
Bill, it had rained in the night and the breeze had picked up! We decided
to have breakfast at the carpark on the North end of the harbour so packed
up after changing the gas bottle) it had lasted 77 nights in the van –
a record) and left at 9.30 just as the Weymouth lifeboat was heading
through the rough water at Portland Bill! We stopped at the Olympic rings
overlooking the harbour to take a picture and a few windsurfers could be
seen far below. Several large campers were parked in the large carpark here
despite several signs saying no overnight parking:) There was only a couple
of vans in the carpark and it didn’t look overly windy so we had
breakfast. There were a couple of brothers out on modern slalom boards with
matching Black Tushingham X-15’s but it did look a little up and down.
They came ashore and I asked what size sail they were using, it was 7m the
same as mine which I had left at home! So, I had to make up my mind what to
rig, I had only brought the F2 Ride 282 (115 lt.) with a 7.8, 6.5 and 5.8.
I didn’t want to rig big so went with my favourite combination for the
year the 282 with 6.5, that’s quite a small set-up for me! I was soon
rigged and zipped into my winter wetsuit, full hood and gloves which I
didn’t need:) and was on the water at 10.30. With the wind in the west
and the tide high my plan was to try for an hour and even took my watch. It
was still fairly quiet in the harbour and if anything, I was under powdered
in all but the strongest gusts and wasn’t planning full tilt for most of
the time. With the wind in this direction it was easy to be pushed further
out into the harbour where the water was bumpier. The first session lasted
over an hour and had great fun, it took me half an hour to fall in but
didn’t get cold even if the water was chilly! The best part was sailing
close to the large concrete slip and gybing close to the shore:) It would
have been easier on a slightly bigger board with the wind up and down. I
didn’t try for a mile even though there was plenty of water but the wind
was not constant enough! With the first hour complete and the wind easing I
headed back to the van and had to wobble the last few hundred metres in
very shifty winds. The carpark which cost us a very reasonable £3 was
close to full and Mag had been entertained with some top kitesurfers, some
in Santa hats! The tide was dropping and there were loads of people out on
the water with most of the windsurfers launching from the OTC end and the
kitesurfers from the café end but generally the two didn’t clash as the
kiters stay very close to shore in the shallow water where the wind is too
gusty for windsurfers! I got my three best times in this session but I
failed to break 30 knots with the water just too lumpy and the wind too
gusty. If anything, it got worse as the wind swung further north so I
decided to call it a day, a good two hours and much milder than it had been
earlier in December! Back at the van and warmed up with a delicious bacon
and egg sandwich made by Mag it was time to back up and head for Devon and
Christmas with Rob, Hannah and Arlo at Hannahs mum’s cottage in the
middle of nowhere! With the sat-nav set we covered the 60+ miles through
some of the prettiest countryside that the UK has too offer and we will be
back next year to explore when the weathers better. We had a lovely evening
with a cottage full of Hannah’s extended family with Arlo being the star
of the show, boy has he grown. It’s getting late now, we are snug in the
van with the wind howling, Santa will get a bumpy ride tonight!
PS – I would just like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Heathy and
windy New Year :)
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