Friday 18th October – Windsurf **** - Point Clear – sunny periods.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham X-15 7m and 36 fin.

F2 277 Ride with Tushingham X-15 6.4m and 30 fin.

Fin – 31.58 knot max., 29.40 knot ave., 11.17 knot hour, 21.24 knot mile, 62.10 km., 18.38 knot alpha.

With a SW wind of 24 gusting 35 and a 3.30 high it was another trip over to Essex for Mag and me:) We left Felixstowe at 10.30 just in time for Ken Bruce’s pop quiz and arrived at The Green an hour later with Roger Vickers already there but not much water! I checked the wind on the beach and it was only 15/20 mph so when Neil Hurrell and Peter Cutts arrived it was time for a chat in wall to wall sunshine. The wind had increased, now gusting to over 25 mph so I rigged my X-15 7m and 6.4m for my two F2 Rides, the 282n and 277. By the time I had my wetsuit on it had of course dropped as Neil wobbled off the beach with 6.9. So, I went for the bigger option and headed out, I had only gone 50m when I hit the bottom really hard and was lucky not to damage anything! I headed into the lagoon but there was no where near enough wind so I headed out to sea where there was more wind. I beat out to East Mersea and then two miles to the open sea where it got particularly rough. It was getting strong on the beat out and I was looking for a fast mile run sailing close to the beach but again the wind eased, I did plan but not flat out as I had hoped! Turning near Brightlingsea I was returning back to the lagoon but the wind went light so I landed on the shingle point with Neil for another chat while the sailors in the lagoon were wallowing :( There was a dark rain cloud approaching and the wind returned with a vengeance so I quickly set of again in search of some flat water and 30 knots! I soon made my first 30 and then got my fast two runs of the day heading towards the shingle bank and bearing off into the choppy water! With it approaching high water and the shingle bank well breeched and pretty windy it was time to return to the van for lunch with Mag. Refreshed and with the wind still up I swopped to my smaller set-up which was better but I didn’t improve on my top speed. The tide was still too high making it choppy so we sat in the shelter on the shingle bank for another chat. Then with the tide dropping and the water flattening off I had some nice runs but the wind was a little up and down. Another plus today was there was only one kiter out who tucked himself behind the shingle bar so no near-death incidents today:) So another OK day at Point Clear and for my fourth visit in a row I have broken 30 knots, always pleasing but have again only got another 29-knot average. The lagoon is a funny place to go fast as I broke 30 knots on 8 runs but only got one 10 second 30:( It was a day of mixed weather, from sunshine to rain and included a nice rainbow and as usual we were the last to back up and leave and it is not much fun driving home in the dark! Again another good turn out from Felixstowe sailors probably out numbering the locals!

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