Monday 2nd October – windsurfing *** sunny periods

28.18 kt. max, 24.27 kt. ave., 9.66 kt. hr., 18.91 kt. mile, 21.80 km., 15.11 kt. alpha.

F2 Ride 282 + Tushingham X-15 5.8

F2 Xantos 310 + Tushingham Lightning 8.5

With the wind gone around to the west Levington was the best local venue and with high tide at about ten I was at the Marina before nine. Tom Alexander arrived just after me and it didn’t seem that windy so I made the mistake of rigging 8.5 for the 310 with Tom starting to rig his biggest sail, 6m. As I headed out across the bay I was hit by a huge gust making me think that I had made a mistake! I had a few runs down to the docks before the tide turned but the wind was very up and down:( There is a great little bay to gybe at the end of the port and the reach back can be good running down the swells but not today. Then as I approached the corner near the Marina the wind had really increased so it was time to try and get back! In the end I was lucky to make it back to the van as winds increased to well over 30 knots!!! I was dumped in a couple of times but made it back just as Mag arrived on her bike and learned that Tom changed to a 5.2 before he headed out and even that looked a handful! Mag had had an eventful bike ride in the strong winds and had fallen off into some stinging nettles:( Mag made a cuppa while I debated whether it was worth rigging again as I had just had a reading on the gauge of 40 mph!!!! and the river had chopped up and there were some big waves rolling down the Orwell and the tide had turned and was heading out, not the best direction for river windsurfing! In the end I rigged my 4 cammed 5.8 as the 5.6 I used yesterday needs a new battern and some sail tape. By the time I was ready to set off on the 282 and 5.8 the wind had dropped!!! The wind had turned slightly more onshore making it all the more gusty with the wind particularly light on the far bank:( I increased my top speed on the big kit of 25 kts to 28 kts but it was hard work so I decided to call it a day as I had already had to swim on the other side of the river to reach shallow water! Mag made a nice sandwich as we watched the world go by. Mag had to give Tom a plaster as he had cut himself walking his board back. It looked bad when wet as there was loads of blood but luckily when he dried it of it was only a small nick. Not the best Levington session but two 24 kt averages in a row so not too bad:)

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