Sunday 24th July - Windsurf **** - The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny and hot

 Foil – 17.83 knot max, 17.03 knot ave., 11.29 knot hour, 15.99 knot mile, 57.91 km., 11.29 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and Evolution Freeride foil with a Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5.

Fin – 21.31 knot max, 12.35 knot ave., 2.20 knot hour, 14.21 knot mile, 6.52 km., 0.00 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5m and 36 fin.

Funny old day really, being carnival weekend, sunny too I decided to take my trailer to Squiz Lane at the Manor at 7 in the morning to make sure I could park and meet Mag at the end of the prom as she was out on her bike, there was good 20 knots of breeze so it looked good for windsurfing later:) Several sailors were heading down around 10 and I was lucky enough to get a lift down as I had walked back earlier and the small car parking area was full! The sw wind was still blowing 20 knots so I rigged 6.5 for my F2 Ride 282 at 115lt. with shortie on it looked like it was going to be a good day! I was on the water at 10.15 but realised straight away that the breeze had sadly eased, I had one long run out getting to 21 knots but struggled to get back to my starting groyne not helped as it was wind with tide! I quickly set-up my foil gear and was flying straight off the beach so went broad and had a good run down towards The Dip with the 6.5 perfect but then things went wrong with the wind dropping even farther and it turned into a long slog back but after six tacks I had made it half a mile past Felixstowe pier, I was thinking do I go back and change to 7.5 or pack up as I was hopefully picking my Dad up from hospital later today! Then the wind filled in a little and I managed to pump up onto the foil, strangely once flying there seemed loads of wind! As I am not keen on pumping, I did long runs out, some to three miles and in the end got my best top speed and average on the new foil gear and am feeling more comfortable all the time. There were now several out, mostly foiling but it was up and down but great to be out in the hot sunshine:) With the wind up I decided to have another 3-mile run up the coast, playing with the swell heading up at the Red and white bouy at The Dip before starting the long beat back, getting back nearly all the way in one tack. It dropped again so after a couple of slow run close to the shore I managed to get up one last time for a long run before calling it a day. I had been out on the water well over four hours non-stop so it was time to call it a day, getting home around for to discover my Dad was being sent home form hospital so after a quick shower Mag and I headed to Ipswich Hospital to pick him up which all went well, glad to think he is now home:) With the wind blowing into the night the fireworks which were due to be set off from the pier were cancelled! We then had a lovely visit from my son and his partner who are having our second grandchild next January:)

Tomorrow is looking promising with a good WSW forecast so I might head to Levington early for some flat-water gybe practice?

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