Okay, this weekend the usual summer winds kicked in like the proverbial banshee. Wahoo! Shouts of joy abound on the beach today. Smiles all around. Big winds and an ebb tide will do that.
Today was a three sport day - a trifecta, and we hit it big here. Long run in the AM soaking in the sun and trails. Bike ride with the spouse and boys - lounging on the green listening to the band celebrating Italian American Day! You have got to love this City. If you're bored here, it's your own damn fault. Then a quick peanut butter and banana sandwich squished down my throat on the way to the beach. The trees were bending over - a good sign.
Got to the beach and it was a no brainer. I love it when you don't have to think or wait for the wind. Rigged the 4.7 square meter sail and slapped it on the 85 liter board. Used the big fin to test its ability to handle stronger winds. Should have used the smaller 21 cm wave fin. That would have been better to slash up the waves the ebb tide was delivering. Out on the water for about 1.5 to 1.75 hours. And I am whooped.
Yesterday was the same kind of winds, but the buggers tricked us. I rigged a 4.7 initially and then there was a big lull. The winds dipped to about 15 knotts for about a half hour. As I sadly re-rigged to the 5.4, the wind really dropped, and it looked like we were about to get skunked in a huge way. Voila! the wind magically turned back on like some one hit the switch out by the bridge. I left on the 5.4 but should have re-rigged back to the 4.7. Instead, I was overpowered for about an hour and a half. Not so much so that I really had to come back in and definately re-rig. There was a great big swell just near the South Tower and it was rolling from south to north. Very fun, but it was right smack in the most powerful section of the wind.
Next thing I know, I was hit smack in the face by a bird. Now, I have been a windsurfer since 1983 and I have never been hit by a bird. It hurts. I think it was a cormorant. No harm, no foul, and I kept on sailing. I was just glad I didn't hurt the bird, but if you have been ever smacked in the nose by the wing of a very large bird, you know that they could do some damage.
There was a bad news/good news scenareo on Saturday. Good friend Rick was run over by a 65 foot Sunseeker - the captain must have been drunk. Suffice it to say, the boat is much larger than a windsurfer and his/her board. Rick say the thing angling for him and pitched the gear, dove down. Dove down deep as he could and he could still feel the propwash. His gear was bushed by the bow wake and only scuffed in a minor way. Rick was untouched but the drunk scared the shit out of him. He filed a police report and the Coast Guard was after this guy like white on rice - they never did find the boat as, no doubt, the drunk high tailed it to wherever port was. Gear can be replaced. Friends cannot. We were very lucky Saturday, very lucky.
All in all, this has been a stellar weekend. Carpe Diem Friends.
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Monday update. The spouse is now on the bench awaiting a new assignment, so I got out for an hour this evening. Good strong winds on the outside - 4.7 was the right call with the big fin and the 85 liter board, although there was a bit of a lull and I got a bit worried I would have to swim in. Unfounded concern. Nice evening session was had by those who got our earlier. Let's call this bonus Monday as I don't get many Mondays on the water these days.
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