What a top day :) up early and go and park in the lake carpark for breakfast but not alot of wind so rig my 8.5 and take the longboard for a cruise hoping for 30 kts, sadly not enough wind but really good fun and the only a few out :) Then with the tide breaching the lake path return to the van,change and which the locals rig to sail 'the tide' including loads of kiters !!! Mag had already walked the lake path,took some pics and then looked at the lovely town centre which included lots of proper shops :) We then set of for another walk along the coast to Hoylake with the tide even higher than yesterday !!! Then it was back to the van for lunch as the wind filled in and I rigged 5.8 on the Falcon 80 and had another go - not brilliant but okay with the wind sw the fast run was sailing the wrong way back up the course.So after an hour or so decided to try the longboard again and the best time sailing until it was dark and yes got my first 30 kt max on the big board and it was so easy to sail upwind too - none of this walking half way and I had some good blasting against some of the speedsailors on slalom kit including Ian Richards and Peter Cutts :) While all this was going on Mag
set out to walk to the islands just off the coast which you can reach at low tide. You had to look at the notice board and see what time the islands were clear of the tide and what time to leave so as not to get stuck out there! They are called Little Eye, Middle Eye and Hilbre. You have to go from one to the other to make sure you are on a solid path. It was hard work because it is sooooo windy and it was in her face on the way out there. It was also pretty wet, good job she had her walking boots on but it would have been better with willies! Mag went right to the end of Hilbre to a castle at the end then followed a couple back as didn’t want to end up there on her own. There were hundreds of oyster catchers on the tide line – literally hundreds in flocks. She saw some brent geese but other than that just gulls. We saw lots of cormorants or shags on the little eye through binoculars this morning but they had all gone when she was there. There are lovely rock formations, lots of different layers all washed smooth. There are caves too. It would have been great if I was with her but she did enjoy it very much and we will do it another time !!! Back to the car park for tea made up of 30p pasta salad and £1.40 chicken breasts from the wonderful morrisons whoopsies as Rob (our son) and Hannah call them. Then back to the carpark knackered and my gps messed about and still is - will have to ask advice later and will have to add a manuel entry for my longboard session.
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