Friday 18th November - Windsurf ** River Orwell at Levington Marina – sunny and mild.

Foil – 17.75 knot max, 15.85 knot ave., 2.74 knot hour, 3.85 knot mile, 15.46 km., 11.43 knot alpha.

Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning 8.5 and 6.5m.

It’s been a few days with no windsurfing and after yesterdays no show breeze I was keen to try today with a slightly better forecast and tide. It is continuing to be mild too with sadly temperatures supposed to drop right down next week it was nice to make the most of todays sunshine. Arrived at Levington Marina around 9.30 with super keen Robert already there:) With foil boards sorted and with some white water on the river we were tempted into rigging small sails me 6.5 and Robert 6m but by the time we had our wetsuits on you just know they were way too small! We both had a wobble across the river before coming back to rig bigger, I went for 8.5 and Robert 7.5. To be honest that only improved things slightly as the gusts were narrow and short lived:( After several sessions using smaller sails the 8.5 felt big and clumber some especially when gybing ! Might be time to get a large lightweight foil sail for the light marginal days but new sails are just so expensive! I had a run down towards the docks in search of some breeze which was a mistake as light that way and Robert found a little more wind above the launch beach. The tide turned and what little wind we were getting disappeared so time to call it a day. I was packing up as Mag turned up with lunch on her bike:) it was a bit of a struggle for her as she is suffering side effects from her recent covid jab:( but she enjoyed the tree lined path with its beautiful Autumn colours:) After a quick shower I returned to the van to enjoy a very yummy chicken sandwich with a hot cuppa. Robert headed for home as local Steve Miller arrived for a chat on his bike:) So not a great windsurf, the highlight being a fly past by a large flock of geese, it is always nice to be out on the Orwell in the sunshine. Maybe some breeze sun/Mon but much colder so could be a visit to the other river I sail, the Stour?

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