What a top day !!! :) with the wind forecast to be wsw turning w making Felixstowe no good a group of us had an away day at Peter Cutts home venue - Point Clear, a nice spot just around the corner from Clacton with Mersea Island just across the water :) It has varied sailing with a small flatish water lagoon and big estuary sailing - you can sail a couple of miles flatout parrallel to the coast :) With low water during the morning you couldn't sail until 2ish but Mag and I arrived at midday with Neil and Lee Hurrell to be met with winds gusting to 35 mph !!! and sunny but no water :( As there was a military open day at the Martello tower the green area was open to park making it much better than parking on the narrow road :) We all walked along the prom to look at all the people dressed in all sorts of solders uniforms and lots of old military vehicles and we spotted a windsurfing couple - Keith and Jan Hyland who we haven't seen for 20 years !!!! Keith has now given up windsurfing :( and has an interest in old military vehicles and had his 1950's British style jeep he had renovated :) We had a nice catch with them before heading back to the van for lunch as the skies darkened - we all sat in our campervan as the skies opened and the wind disappeared !!! We then had Peter Cutts,Mark Smalling,Ian Clarke and Steven Carter turn up :) - gear choice was now a problem but I measured 20+ mph on the gauge and hoping it would build more I went with 7m on the 133 and was first on the water with Neil and Lee. I floundered out but on reaching open water the wind filled in but to be honest it was a bit up and down - from maxed out to under !!! I spent the best part of a couple of hours sailing 2 mile runs along the coast going for mile times and was fairly pleased with a 24 mile with a top speed of 28 knots, it was great sailing really broad :) but it was never windy enough to try the lagoon. I then went in as the wind went light and I was even having trouble water starting :( After a few of Mags lovely scones and home made jam I took to the water again. It seemed quite breezy so I sailed into the lagoon in search of some flat water. I had fun with Peter and Mark going for some speed runs, I was was under most of the time and flat water was in short supply but Peter and I both found the same gust and made 31 kts - he just pipped me !!! The wind dropped so we headed back to the van for a cuppa with a local lady suppling buns :) as usaual we were last to leave the carpark at 7:30 !!! Top day - nice weekend :)
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