Wednesday 29th May – windsurf **** The Manor, Felixstowe – sunny periods then clouding over.

F2 Xantos 295 with 38 cm fin and Tushingham Lightning 7.8.

Fin – 24.55 knot max., 22.87 knot ave., 16.21 knot hour, 20.61 knot mile, 53.80 km., 14.49 knot alpha.

It had been promising some wind here today in Felixstowe for a few days and for once it actually delivered even if the sea was a complete lumpy mess, typical of Felixstowe, not my favourite venue but I only live half a mile from the beach so I have to make the most of it! It’s always best at Felixstowe around low water so after a few messages on WhatsApp it was agreed to meet up at The Manor at one with low being at 1.37. Relaxing morning at home then a walk up the town via the prom where the sea did look lumpy and then I headed down for midday and was the first there. It looked breezy with the SSW onshore wind so after saying good bye to Mag who had come to walk along the prom I had to guess the wind strength as my wind gauge is still hidden in the grass at Wrabness! I took a chance with the Xantos 133 and the 7.8 which I had rigged by the time Michael Galbraith and Andy Mexome arrived and they both rigged much smaller 5.5 and 6.5 but I had my suit on so decided to see if the bigger kit was OK. To be honest it was fine most of the time and with the onshore wind I started off with four 1.70 miles runs up towards the pier but it was impossible to go fast in the big sea and I also spent most of the time beating trying to make upwind to Landguard. Then getting boarded with going slow I decided to go broad and head to The Dip to see if Mark Swain was out there and if the sea was any better? This was the best run of the day a four-mile broad reach parallel with the coast, if anything I was a bit under powdered but it definitely smooths the sea out when going broad. You had to had to avoid the lobster pot lines that were everywhere and as usual it got even lumpier at Jacobs Ladder just past The Fludgers! Getting level with The Dip I saw that there was no one there so started to beat out past the red and white bouy. It was then a slow beat back into a big sea, I was going to clear Jacobs Ladder but got tangled in a lobster pot line so headed two miles out to sea. I was making good progress back when the wind switched SW meaning a few more tacks to make it back. I ended up past the Wadgate post a couple of times to join a large number of yachts with full sail beating down the coast including boats from the UK, France and the Netherlands, I believe it is a North Sea race and great to see them sailing in big sea with the wind increasing! I tried a fast mile back but it was particularly challenging and, in the end, I was pleased to land after covering 33 miles. It was well overcast with light rain so after a chat with Andy we packed up and headed home. Just to make it clear after sailing most of Felixstowe seafront, as did Andy we can say the sea was a lumpy mess everywhere which is why I try to visit other venues when the conditions allow!

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