Monday 22nd November - Windsurf **** River Stour at Bradfield – sunny and cold.
Foil – 21.36 knot max (PB), 18.91 knot ave (Spot PB – 4th fastest)., 8.52 knot hour, 14.26 knot mile, 31.50 km., 13.66 knot alpha.
Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5m.
With a forecast pretty much identical as yesterday it was too good an opportunity to miss so Mag and I headed once again to the lovely River Stour at Bradfield to meet up with Robert where we had it all to ourselves, apart from the many birds flying past:) Arriving a little later that yesterday the tide was fairly low so in no hurry, foil boards on the beach, it was time to pick a sail, with some good gusts coming through I went for my 6.5 with much lighter Robert going for the same, he did well to hold on to that at times but in the end he was spot on where I needed a little more sail as the wind eased down! It took a few tacks to reach deep water and I broke 20 knots quickly heading towards Mistley but as usual it is a little gusty in this direction. I had a few long runs just past Wrabness through the moorings, always fun. With some big gusts coming through and some smooth water I was very pleased to get a PB top speed of 21.36, it is so much better using a smaller sail, much easier for gybing too but not my best turning day, I got a few round but also ended in the water too, once under my sail which was not much fun in the cold water! Sadly, the wind went patchy so I did not do as many miles as yesterday but still great to be out on the beautiful Stour in the sunshine not getting cold at all. I stopped to take a few pics, shame they are not very sharp of Robert doing a fly past! I had a bit of gybe practise in front of the launch beach but with the tide dropping and the wind easing it was time to call it a day. I was soon warming myself with the diesel heater on with some more hot soup. Mag had another top walk to Wrabness Nature reserve seeing loads of birds including some long tailed tits! That might be it for windsurfing for several days as the temperature is set to drop:(
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