Today looks like it might be the best windsurfing opportunity I'll get before the winter chill chases me from the sea. The trouble is, I feel so out-of-practice and so unfit, it's making me nervous. Otherphil isn't decided whether he's going to come and give it a go or just take pictures of me crashing!
At the moment, the reports suggests it's gusting from Force 6 to Force 8 with the wind dead onshore which is all a bit much. Smallest sail I have is 4.5m when a 4m would be more appropriate. According to the forecast, things should ease up once the wind veers soon after midday. If that's so, it should be great.
The gnarly conditions set me in mind of "Breath", the book by Tim Winton that I've just finished. If you are a surfer or love the sea or even if you just like good books, this is definately worth a read. The descriptions of the 'Old Smokey', the big wave are deeply evocative.
[Follow up: 07/11/09]
Conditions proved less perfeect than hoped. Otherphil and I arrived at Climping by which time the wind had dropped a lot. Too much in fact. I rigged up my 4.5m sail and wasn't out long before coming in to switch up to the 5.3m. This proved to be a good move because as the sun sank low over the horizon, the wind filled out just enough to keep me powered up for loads of carve gybes. All right, none of them would have won prizes (well perhaps one) but it was fantastic being out there in the surging forces of nature, skittering across the wave tops.
Now I need more! COME ON WIND! I shall attempt the loop this year.
