Friday 6th August - Windsurf ** - The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny periods and blustery showers.

Fin – 26.20 knot max, 24.63 knot ave., 10.19 knot hour, 19.78 knot mile, 25.94 km.,16.77 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5m and 36 fin.

After yesterday’s 5-star foil and with the wind set to blow for several days now but with showers forecast it usually means gusty shifty conditions which turned out to be true. Spoilt for choice today with mates going to Levington, Mersea Island and Point Clear I decided to stay here in Felixstowe, wait for the tide to drop and head down to The Manor in the afternoon which probably turned out to be a big mistake as the conditions were awful:( Rob had a so-so session on the Orwell at Levington in gusty winds but Peter E had a top session at Point Clear and Al P had a great session at Mersea, perhaps I will have to get in the swing of travelling again! The forecast SW seemed to have gone as I headed to my spot at the end of the prom at The manor end in Felixstowe with the wind now in the west, dead offshore but a lovely day with some amazing clouds with sunshine. I wanted to fin as the wind was strong but switching about so I walked up a few groynes to where Owen was rigging a 5m for his wave board so I returned to my van to set up as the wsw wind went off again. I then walked back to the other car park as Andy, Ian and Mark had turned up with everyone choosing to try the fin but it made you nervous with the wind swinging offshore when the dark clouds come over! I head back again and rig 6.5 for my 115 and head out soon hitting the wind line and was well powered, in fact too well powered but manageable I decided to beat up to the others and the sea state was so bad, you were sailing straight into a short, steep chop, if this is windsurfing, I would not do it! Coming in was so much better but going fast was very challenging, I had several runs to the shipping channel but it was not much fun, one run I had a job to waterstart it was so windy, anytime the wind reaches over 25 knots here at Felixstowe it is best for me to find another venue as I really dislike the lumpy sea state! The old F2 Ride 282 handles the conditions well so no complaints there, just love that £40 board:) So with more of the same tomorrow who knows what venue to pick???? Another black cloud came with rain so it was time to pack up and head for home to watch another great day at the Olympics’:)

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