Our 42nd Wedding Anniversary – now known the love of my life for 46 years xxx

Tuesday 26th - Windsurf ***** - River Stour at Bradfield – mainly cloudy but milder.

Foil – 17.94 knot max, 16.51 knot ave., 10.08 knot hour, 14.17 knot mile, 46.07 km.,11.18 knot alpha.

Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning 7m.

With 4 pretty full windsurfing sessions in 5 days I was going to have today off especially as it is our 42nd wedding anniversary but despite being milder than of late it did not look very inspiring for a walk or bike with Mag. Then super keen Robert messaged to say he was going to Bradfield for a foil so I checked Landguard and the NW wind had just increased from 12 to 20 knots so that was that, decision made, got up quickly, two Weetabix, trailer hitched I headed over to the River Stour at Bradfield arriving at 10.45 with Robert already there and local James arriving shortly after:) There was even some brief glimpse of sunshine and with the wind probably from the WNW slightly off it was a job to know the strength of the wind but it did look windy in the middle of the river with James saying it was going to increase and he was right with good solid gusts to 25 knots! I again rigged my favourite go to foiling sail the Tushingham Lightning 7m (sadly now more tape that monofilm – am looking for another), Robert went for his 6.5 while James went with his swanky 6m Severne foil sail! I was first out after a short wade out around 11.15 and had three hours of the most fun you could have on a windsurfing board, pretty much having the whole river to myself as I sailed broad into Holbrook bay, not pushing it too hard just sailing broad using little sail playing with the swell with the magnificent Holbrook school as a backdrop, this is undoubtably the best foiling venue locally:) Again I am trying to gybe at every turn and am progressing slowly, meaning although not fly all the way round I don’t fall in quite as often:) I stopped for selfie time near the school before starting the beat back in some really strong gusts but the 7m handle them really well, I passed James and Robert by the launch beach and decided to carry on towards Mistley although now sailing against the tide, not a problem in these winds. Another foiler was now on the water with a severne foil, at first, I thought it was Michael Galbraith but it turned out to be Mark Davis who was absolutely flying upwind going really well and loving his new foil. The Severnes are a good-looking foil, well made and a great price, certainly a big rival to the Slingshots! I got at far as Mistley quay as the wind went a little patchy so after stopping for the second photo shot of the day had some good broad runs back and with the tide now dropping decided to call it a day having been out the best part of three hours covering nearly 30 miles definitely 5 stars for me and everyone else today:) Robert called it a day at the same time while James continued for awhile practising his gybes which are coming along nicely now. Fin sailor Tom Alexander had arrived and was just going out, we thought he was way too late to sail a fin board with the tide going out but surprised us all by having a really good session on his 100lt. board with the wind still strong:) When James came ashore, he noticed my front footstraps were not in a good position for gybing so I moved them, so let’s see if that improves things???? Time to head for home, stopping at Mistley Quay to take some pics, then sadly just past the Brantham Bull Pub I spotted a dead Jay in the road, never seen that before. My sons’ partner who runs a very well-known bird/animal sanctuary in Felixstowe called Paws and Claws is also called Jay and I thought she would love to see it; she collects animal bones and also knows a local taxidermist so I thought the Jay could live on. So, I turned around, not easy with the trailer, stopped on the hill and quickly picked up the bird, not too badly damaged:) Arriving home around 3.45 we quickly put the trailer away and took the bird to Jays and see the wildlife she is looking after, too be honest she is amazing and their house is like a mini zoo as she hand feeds and medicates many animals and birds including a baby squirrel, 3 magpies, a blackbird, a great tit, a tawny owl (looking very sad) plus a duck, a gull and finally probably 20 or 30 pigeons and doves! If you would like to support Paws and Claws check them out on Facebook, were you can donate:)

PS - so thats 5 top sessions in 6 days at 5 differant venues including a mega windy day at Southend, thankfully it is calming down now, time to get out walking and biking again, could be good with temperatures rising over 20 degrees :)

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