Friday 8th  July - Windsurf *** - The Dip at Felixstowe – sunny and hot.

 Foil – 13.98 knot max, 11.96 knot ave.,, 4.29 knot hour, 10.69 knot mile, 14.82 km., 0.00 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and an Evolution Freeride foil with a Sailworks Retro 7.5.

After a top early morning two rivers bike ride, the Orwell to the Deben I was hoping for a sea breeze to give me a chance to try out my new foil gear as I haven’t foiled since April 22nd! I had all but given up when windsurfing mate Ian turned up to say he was heading down to The Dip to meet up with David Coles so I decided to join them. I arrived around 2.30 and to be honest it looked marginal at best but everyone else was rigging so I set up my new purchased Sailworks Retro, a camless sail I got from Robert which I hope will be better for light wind foiling as my much-loved Tushingham twin cammed lightning are pretty heavy to use, great for fin but not so good for marginal foiling! Then I gingerly put my new Starboard foil and board together trying my best not to scratch it:) I just have to just start using it, I really don’t like using brand new kit and am much more relaxed used an old board from 1997! Shortie on, the launch went OK as I headed out, with a new board foil and sail I took it easy but you soon pumped up and was flying. I was a little up and down but I slowly started to find my feet, the board feels much smaller than my Exocet and the short nose is great for riding over the waves. The wind was too light really for this sail, I hope to get the Retro 8.5 which hopefully will improve my lightwind foiling days? With the beach disappearing and the wind dropping it was time to call it a day. Not my best session but great to be back foiling again:)

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Friday 8th July – e-bike ***** – Short two rivers, Orwell to the Deben – sunny and hot.

Mag is absolutely loving her newly fitted e-wheel on her mountain bike, it has enabled to enjoy her bike again, she has been out early most mornings this week and I decided to join her today as we had wall to wall sunshine:) So we were down on the prom before 7 with loads of simmers out by the pier we cycled right to The Manor, you definitely get a nicer bunch of people first thing with many a cheery good morning:) There were bunnies everywhere at Landguard Nature Reserve where we briefly stopped by the River Orwell, then back along the prom with Mag turning up the long steep Convulsant Hill which she whizzes up, the get thing about the easi-fit e- wheels is you still have to peddle they only assist you, especially in leisure mode, you also have climbing or a manual slider to give you even more power! As the weather is so nice, I decide to continue onto Felixstowe Ferry to enjoy the calm sea and lovely warm weather taking a few pics as usual on the way. A quick spin around the boat yard before taking the shortest route home. Then back to bed where Mag is reading with a cuppa to sort out my pics and send some to the local TV weather. For the second day running I am lucky enough to get one on Aislings About Anglia weather of Mag on her bike at Landguard, I also have two pics in the Star newspaper so a good day:) Then up for breakfast and do my exercises in the now hot back garden while Mag water with our old shower water! I have one eye on the weather as it is supposed to sea breeze this afternoon but it does not look overly promising so we have lunch after screwing my new foil together!