Wednesday 27th May – windsurf ***** - Gruissan – sunny – nw 25/40+ mph

Fanatic 80, 5.8, 28 cm fin, max 36.01 kts, ave 32.01 kts, mile 28.59 kts, 106 km, 152 mins:)

Another relaxing start to the day in our perfect spot in the woods and it’s blowing a gale again!!! That’s 7 days in a row with wind over 40 mph with many over 50!!!!! Hopefully the last windy day for a week. We had a small detour to the tourist information centre for a bike map – there are some top trails for mountain bikes around here :) We made it to the beach at about 11 and parked at our spot by the canal and the wind was gusting to 50 mph :( Luckily it eased so I rigged the 5.8 – I put big hole in the top of my sail while rigging :( this is an oldish sail and the monofilm has gone nice and crispy! But Mag helped me tape it up and I am running out of tape – oh to have a set of new sails like most of the locals – have never seen so many expensive Prydes, Lofts, Norths etc etc!!! perhaps I need to start doing the lottery again:) Still my old kit was flying today and it’s the smallest kit I have ever used here at Gruissan! and  I would have had some top alphas if only I could gybe the 80 – I was doing 30 kts coming in but kept falling off – my gybing also let down my hour attempt too but it was fanastic fun trying :) I spent the session sailing from the canal to the etang exit and there were some really strong gusts to keep you on your toes! My two best runs were following a couple of speedsailing kitesurfers flying along nearly in the sand!!! I was so close behind one of that the spray from their board was going all over me! I find going really fast hard here as you seem to have to beat both ways to stay in the flat water but I managed to stay really close to the beach most of the time and when I did slip offshore a little I just headed to Gruissan breakwater to turn round. I was very pleased with my 36 kt max but just can’t get fast 10 second runs??? But got at least 20 mile runs over 24kts – so a top day in the sun and Mag enjoyed her day wandering about collecting treasure off the beach – she loves it here even when it’s windy – I am very lucky:) Exhausted I called it a day after 2.5hours, even washing my wetsuit in the canal before heading back to the peace and quiet in the woods to relax and read before going for a stroll around the vineyards again – the perfect day:)