Thursday 15th July- Windsurf *** - The Dip at Felixstowe – cloudy.

Fin – 19.11 knot max, 17.04 knot ave., 9.54 knot hour, 12.84 knot mile, 29.84 km.,7.29 knot alpha.

Fanatic Cat with Tushingham Lightning 8.5m and 39 fin.

I was not going to go windsurfing today after yesterday’s mega 4-hour session and our son Rob, partner Hannah and Grandson Arlo are coming for a long weekend visit. So, Mag and I went for a walk along the prom at Felixstowe via Lidl this morning in wall to wall sunshine and with the wind offshore it was lovely, took a few pics to send to the local TV and was lucky enough to get one on About Anglia:) Home for breakfast and exercises in the back garden as it starts to cloud over:( Then Rob rings at 12.30 to say they are just about to leave so I was free for the afternoon so decided to go windsurfing as there was a good northerly blowing, several mates were going to Bradfield again but did not want to drive all the way there so decided to head down to my local beach at The Dip to join Andy and Michael who were out foiling! The tide was fairly high when I arrived, not ideal here as there is little beach to launch so I quickly rigged my 8.5 and set off. I meet the foilers coming back from Orford Island and Andy stopped for a chat saying that the wind was dropping but I decided to carry on, and see? It is always a bit patchy until you clear the cliffs at Bawdsey when the wind picks up. It is strange heading this way now that Orford lighthouse has been demolished. With had too much north in it to be ideal so it was a tight beat pushing you further offshore where the sea was particularly lumpy. I got level with the coastguard cottages at Shingle street the wind was getting light so I decided to turn back and had a really good run back using the swell to quick going! I then had several runs down the coast with wind gusting over 20 knots. It is fun sailing downwind on the big raceboard and I made it as far as The Fludgers before deciding to beat back and made it back on the beach without breaking anything which was lucky as there was no beach and was thankful, I was not foiling! So an interesting sail and home for a shower and the family arrived safely so lot forward to a fun few days :)

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