Saturday 18th June – bike *** – Landguard for breakfast – sunny periods.

There was a chance of a of a good NE breeze filling in this afternoon so after a bit of a lay in doing our ‘wordle’ and reading and with the weather nice and sunny we packed our Weetabix, heading out on our bikes just after nine to have it at Landguard:) We took our usual route down through Langer Park to Landguard Nature reserve with loads of linnets and rabbits. The large white Stena ferry was just heading out and I was surprised by just now breezy it was, a good 15 knots from the NE with sea being super smooth too! We enjoyed our breakfast at our usual spot watching several yachts leaning over nicely as they set out to sea! I was getting a little jittery as I wanted to get out windsurfing so we headed back along the prom into a head wind! Then up Bent Hill and home where I hitched the trailer and changed out of my cycle gear.

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Saturday 18th June - Windsurf ***** - The Dip at Felixstowe – sunny periods with light rain.

Landboard Fin – 21.40 knot max, 19.95 knot ave., 10.47 knot hour, 17.82 knot mile, 56.06 km., 4.55 knot alpha.

Fanatic Cat with Tushingham Lightning 8.5m and 39 fin.

 I was tempted by a trip Bradfield but with high tide at 3.20 it was a little late so I headed down to The Dip which is good as only a few miles from home! I put out a message on WhatsApp saying I was heading down but I think most sailors were heading to the Stour for a foil. I got down around 10.30 and it looked good, smooth water with a good breeze, I am guessing around 15 knots as I seem to have misplaced my wind gauge but a few kiters had just launched so it was looking promising for a longboard cruise. So quickly put the battered old Fanatic Cat on the beach and rigged my favourite longboard sail, the Tushingham Lighning 8.5:) With high temperatures of late I thought it was time for my shortie which was OK but with it being cooler today with not much sun n=my arms did get a little chilly. I left the beach at 11 and as the board can be challenging to turn, I once again did long runs. With the track at the back the longboard tracks along really well, just love it, fast too:) After four brilliant long runs I landed half way along Landguard beach for a couple of photos, then with the track now forward and the daggerboard down I started the beat back with the wind now increasing to easily 20 knots, sadly there was some very light rain and the sun now only appeared for brief glimpses! It’s always great fun sailing upwind on a longboard with the dagger down in the beating straps but with the sea now picking up quite big and loads of wind it was challenging but made it back to The Dip in 5 tacks with only one kiter now out. Despite chilly arms I decided to carry to Bawdsey beach which included a run into the fast-moving water of the River Deben near the sailing club. Sailing out was interesting against the water that was whizzing in! I landed on Bawdsey beach for more pics and a snack, then moved the track back once more and with the dagger up I set off once again! That run was over three miles of fast reaching, it was such fun I decided to carry on doing four more long runs, landing past the pier. Now all I had to do was beat back into the big sea but I made it back in three tacks. Great session, the only windsurfer out with a few yachts and motor cruisers covering very nearly 35 miles with a good top speed of 21.40 knots, just missing a 20 knot average by a whisker, I am now officially knackered!