Sunday 31st March – windsurf **** The Dip - Felixstowe – sunny but cool.

F2 Ride 282 with Tushingham Lightning 7m and 38 cm fin.

27.01 knot max, 25.39 knot ave ., 13.26 knot hour, 22.88  knot mile, 42 km., 16.79 knot alpha.

After a couple of days enjoying the best of what Suffolk has to offer it was time to head to The Dip here at Felixstowe, my first home session since 18th November last year. With the wind from the NE and low water, the best time to sail this direction late afternoon I was in no hurry to get to the beach as there can be a bit of a shore dump, also the sea flattens off. I arrived at around midday with Mag and there were a few out and although it was sunny it was a little nippy! After a quick chat Mag walked home while I decided what to rig, in the end I went for 7m with my 115 as David Coles had rigged 9.6 for a cruise up the Deben on his formula board. In the end I was out nearly two hours and the only thing getting cold were my hands. I beat up to kite beach by the golf course where the water is smoother. A few kiters went out later but didn’t stay on the water more than ten minutes! Although the wind was gusting to 25 mph the 7m was fine as I was beating then sailing broad. It was too lumpy to go really fast and out by the red and white bouy there was a big sea running! I had some great mile+ runs and got my months best mile which was fun if a little challenging:) I was getting some nice gybes close to the beach before broad reaching away. I did try a quick foray into the Deben but it was not windy enough also you had to beat against the tide and the return was way too broad so I headed back out to sea for a couple more long reaches before calling it a day. Several were out enjoying the sunny sailing although hood and gloves were the order of the day. Next week is looking all over the place for weather so not sure about a sail yet but at least the forecast snow has now disappeared!

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