We were told yesterday afternoon that the warehouse where Mag and I have been counting boxes of crap from China don't need us anymore! We were pleased to be able to get back to our retirement:) So with strong westerly winds forecast I arranged to meet Peter Cutts at Alton water at 11 o clock, not my favourite venue but it was sunny and the tides were not good for any where else local. Arrived at 'The Puddle' at 10.45 and was the only one in the carpark and the wind looked light :( Another windsufer arrived so I started to rig my 7m as Pete arrived :) he nearly rigged 7.8 but the wind filled in but looked very gusty !!! West here is a poor direction leaving huge areas with next to no wind and I found getting up wind a struggle too, in fact I sailed like a big girl all day - Alton has the knack of making me look like a complete novice :( My first run across I made the mistake of landing on the far bank by the big fallen tree to make adjustments and then couldn't launch as no wind in corner - didn't make that mistake again! The wind did really come in the afternoon but with it came really bad chop so trying to go fast was challenging to say the least, one minute you were floundering the next you were hit with 35 mph!!! making it very tiring :( The plan was to beat the short way across and reach back looking for a gust to go broad but heading close to 30kts towards the beach is not much fun trying to avoid the jetty and dinghies ! On one of our breaks the manager came over with his clip board and asked us to sign in and pay!!!! :( :( :( with no wallet good old Pete paid my £7 for half a day ! I was given a windsurfing leason today from Pete and was sailed off the water beating me hands down even if his 30 kt peak was during a mega spin out! :) and I have the picture of the crash :) I shouldn't keep moaning about Alton every time I go ! I should just stay away but it was great to catch up with Pete before his month away in Tarifa - have fun and take loads of pics:) As I had paid £7 for the privelage I was going to make the most of it so had 15 mins.in the lovely shower, the best part of the day:) I stopped off at The Starnd near the Orwell Bridge as the sun set seeing loads of birds in the mud:) Then nearing home I noticed I had another flat tyre on my trailer :( so thats another £45!!! expensive day but then when I got home Mag said that the warehouse couldn't do without us and we are back tomorrow:)
|