Monday 10th August - Windsurf **** - River Stour at Bradfield – sunny and hot.

Exocet RF 91 AST with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning 8.5m.

Foil – 18.38 knot max, 15.81 knot ave., 9.60 knot hour, 13.78 knot mile, 23.35 km., 8.96 knot alpha.

After two lovely days over the border at Bradfield in Essex foiling, I was expecting to have a day off today but then learned that long time windsurfing mate who couldn’t make the weekend was heading over today to continue the windsurfing lessons for his Grandson. Well that set the seed in my mind that we could head over in the afternoon to catch the tide and have a nice catch up as Pete has recently got a nice new campervan. The farmer who we pay to park in his field is at the moment allowing us to stop overnight so this was a rare opportunity to get away in our much loved little VW as we have not had much opportunity of staying out after we had to come back early from the French Mountains at the start of the Corona outbreak and now everyone and their Uncle seem to be getting campers/ Caravan and we fear wild camping is going to be extremely difficult in the future:( As we were not in any hurry we had a nice morning in the garden with me doing my exercises while Mag was having fun setting up her new cold frame. Then I sorted out the van, bedding, food etc as we didn’t need that much for one night away, I learned that I had a big pic in the local paper and we needed Weetabix for breakfast so stopped at Tesco on the way out of Felixstowe. Peter was already there sitting by his camper but his wife poor Gill had been stung in the mouth by a wasp which had been a problem over the weekend! Will the Grandson was having fun out on the river windsurfing in the light airs and really warm water! The farmer came over in his telehandler (that’s a big fork lift to you and me) came over for a nice chat as several foilers arrived. So I decided to rig up 8.5 even though that looked like it might be too big as this was the most wind we had had and then we discovered we both had senior moments, first Mag who went to tesco got the paper and fruit but no Weetabix so we had no breakfast and then I discovered I had left my shortie, harness, buoyancy aid and shoes in our back garden!!! Luckily local foiling newcomer James came to my rescue and lent me his spare. I then put my rash vest and neoprene shorts on and headed out bare foot, the first time in 30 years and loved it especially as the deck of my lovely new Exocet foil board is covered in comfy padding:) It was defiantly breezy and the big sail was pretty full on as I flow two miles into Holbrook bay. I then had some of the best runs I have had on the Stour, maxed out trying to sail fast over smooth water and am loving the 8.5:) I did sail too close to the shore near Holbrook School and got my foil absolutely covered in weed but with the water so warm that was soon sorted and I did a mega two and a half mile flying run back to Bradfield as the wind decided to drop. The only ones flying now were racing foilers David and Nick on 10m rigs with super big boards! Time to call it a day and relax with friends watching loads of people enjoying a late afternoon in and on the river:) Another windsurfing friend Jason was down swimming with his daughter and very kindly agrees to bring us some breakfast serial back later! We were soon left all by ourselves as Jason returned with his wife and daughter with our breakfast and we had fun on the beach as the sun set. So a top three days in a beautiful spot with some great foiling too and a nice quiet walk planned for tomorrow!

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http://mkwindsurfing.co.uk/booms/

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