A bitter sweet day at Southends Ray. Huricane Katie timmed here arival for the retreating tide, perfect conditions, so I thought. Rigged a 5.7 only to realise there was no chance in hell I'd hold it as the wind suggenly ramped up.

Even with a 5.2 the walk out took twice as long batteling into the wind and once we crossed the ray all we could see was chop, even going down wind to the East course didn't help as West wind was pushing so hard the tide wave were rolling down the course.

We waited for low tide but the wind was so strong the water continued  flowing out an hour past its returne time. Pete and myself were the only fools to take to the water, after several attemps to run the course me managed one, it was slow and as Pete said "there's no way were going to get fast runs in this stuff" so he headed back.

I stayed and as the wind eased the tide started to flood back in and make the couse more doable. While the water was easing it was so low the bank sheltered if from the wind leaving only the bottem half usable.

Anyone who's sailed the east course knows the bottm end gets super shallow but this was the only spot with wind. When you see my track all my peaks are right at the very end in ancle deap water.

If ever there was a day for "it only" this was it, That said I learnt a lot. When I finally got running the wind was light (had to do a lot of walking back up wind and my weight jacked had nothing in it other than foam), normally I'd have been on the 5.7, so I figgure the efficiancy is better then brut force