Lake George, SA, AU
Fanatic Falcon 85, 5.5 evo3, 23KA/CL
Finally home after a seemingly eternal F.I.F.O. mission that i book-ended with some social catch-ups with old friends now liviing in Radelaide.
Woke up this morning at 2:30am (Perth time) to drive back through the Roo's in the dark to make my flight. it all seems like a bit of a blur right now, and suffering mixed emotions, someone hand me my tampons...after reviewing my data at home, gotta say that i feel like a right royal twit! ....Mistakes, there were a plenty...
Here is a list of things not to do, hopefully others can learn from my mistakes.
1a. Take the right gear (SHOULDA taken the CA44) Got carried away with going fast on the wrong gear.
1b. Go with at least one other from your team (SHOULDA waited for at least one more SRM'er for backup/team scores).
2. Allow for more than 1 decent day (WOULDA been better if Day 2 was as per Day 1) Stupidly decided to leave the hour category for Day 2 which didn't happen. Arrive earlier, warm up into it, don't get arm pump in the first 2 minutes. Familiarise yourself with the place- it's not your typical sailing destination, for me at least it's a compelety unatural feeling to be sailing in such ridiculuously shallow water, weed and quicksand.
3a. Tighten up those alphas (COULDA got a 26.4 alpha at 57m, and my PB of 24.97 was only 360m long- that's 140m of juice at the end that went astray
)
3b. COULDA tried more nm's ending in the shallower water, where i was pinching at the end of the session as I gained in confidence (See item 2 - familiarisation)
4. A KA/CL 23 is NOT a weed fin!
SHOULDA, WOULDA, COULDA.
Hopefully i will be less cynical tomorrow after a good sleep and maybe try again next year, when i will know what to expect a little better.
On a positive note I really enoyed meeting some of the friendly GPSTC crew, which has once again demonstrated the immense value of this website's social culture.
THANKS ESPECIALLY TO JIMBOB - SAMMY THE SNAIL SALMON - TRICKY - HERBY - KIMBA - CHRIS A. and the guy in the ute who showed me how to get where i needed to be.