Thursday 3rd September - Windsurf ***** - Point Clear – cloudy with rain late.

Foil – 20.48 knot max (year PB), 19.44 knot ave (PB)., 11.75 knot hour (PB), 17.45 knot mile (PB), 46.60 km., 10.93 knot alpha.

Exocet RF 91 AST with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning 6.5m.

Fin – 24.70 knot max, 23.01 knot ave., 8.72 knot hour, 16.97 knot mile, 22.08 km., 18.21 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham Lightning 7m and 36 fin.

Today looked like the best bet for some decent wind so with a good high tide (13.53) several of us decided on another trip across the border in to Essex to one of my favourite venues Point Clear. After my epic 109 km windsurf last month Mag decided not to come today but I dropped her off at the Shell garage by the Orwell bridge and she had a 12 mile bike ride home:) AS usual I arrived on the Green way too early, loads of mud and the water miles away so I did the circular walk along the beach, past Brightlingsea and back through the shanty town which sadly looks a bit run down with litter everywhere:( On getting back to the van Neil had arrived and was rigging 6.9 for his fin board and several others turned up with the aim of foiling which was my hope as I have never foiled here before and was keen to get up the River Colne which offers a couple of miles of fairly flat water and it can be windier too! I had time to rig too sails, 6.5 for the foil and 7m for the fin later and followed Neil out onto the water a little too early really and I had a job to get out through the lumpy mud and I keep hitting the bottom much to the amusement to those watching from the car park! I thought the 6.5 was going to be too big but after a couple of tacks and a run out to sea it seemed fine, so I tacked and headed up the Colne to be followed by Andy, Simon, Shaun and Jon all on foils. The wind is always a little patchy up here but you could fly most of the time and some really big gusts were keeping us all on our toes. I can’t help myself by trying to go fast, it is the speedsailor in me but on a foil bearing off in a gust things can go wrong fairly quickly! Still it was great fun trying and I ended up with a string of PB’s breaking 20 knots four times with a years best 20.48, a best ever average of 19.44 and I was particularly pleased with my best ever mile of 17.45 and all on a slow old Slingshot foil with a large 76 front wing! I was trying to take a leaf out of the areas top foiling gyber Andy Mexome who makes it look effort less and rarely does his board hit the water, I am not so lucky but am slowly improving I just have to really work on them! After a good session yesterday I was getting pretty knackered so I headed back ending up out to sea the Jaywick end before having a few runs in the flat water of the lagoon where Andy was showing off his gybing prowess but I soon bored of the short runs on the foil, so tired so headed back to the van for lunch. Steve Carter, ex- Felixstowe windsurfer was here after moving home to Wales several years ago and it was great to catch up. With the tide now dropping I was keen to try my fin board on what is the best time to get into the lagoon, sadly the wind was dropping and it was hard work. In the end I got a few nice runs and got a set of nice gybes including an alpha of 18.21. Shame the wind didn’t play ball as it was only me and one kiter out! So, time to call it a day and head back, a quick chat with Andy then all I have to do is back up two boards and sails, I only got a little wet when the rain arrived! As I was first to arrive it was only fitting that I was last to leave! Maybe a short foiling session at my local spot of Levington tomorrow, will see in the morning?

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.squirrell.1/media_set?set=a.10219909841869085&type=3

http://mkwindsurfing.co.uk/booms/

https://www.77sports.co.uk/