Sunday 3rd October - Windsurf ***** The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny and mild.

Foil – 16.62 knot max, 15.56 knot ave ., 10.99 knot hour, 13.27 knot mile, 42.00 km., 10.93 knot alpha.

Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5m.

It was definitely a day of two half’s our morning bike ride was down in cool and cloudy conditions with a light offshore wind before the sun then appeared and the WSW breeze picked up making it perfect for The Manor end here in Felixstowe:) Arrived at the beach around 1.30 and managed to park for free at the end of the prom but there was a couple fishing in my launching groyne but I had asking where their lines were and that once I was away from the beach I would stay well clear so everything was fine. A few were out on fin and foil a few groynes down so it looked ideal for my first foil for several session. I quickly set up my foil board but with the wind a fraction cross off it is a job to judge the wind so I took a chance with my favourite camless Thunderbird 6.5, if it was too windy for the foil I could then switch to the fin. It is an easy launch here being sheltered by a rock groyne as I was very soon up and flying realizing that I could have rigged a metre smaller, I will get my sail size right one day but I was managing OK so decided to have a run down the coast in the lovely warm sunshine with just a few wispy white clouds just perfect:) The sea had quickly built quite big and I did not need any sail to fly downwind, as I had too big a sail I just sailed fairly slowly playing with the swell before turning at the Fludgers green bouy. The beat back was challenging but great fun, well powered up and sailing straight into so big waves really keeps you on our toes but I am improving flying over the waves, riding the foil well out of the water, it is surprising it stays in the water, rarely breaching now. I tired gybing which was interesting and I did tumble in a few times but no pain no gain! It got back to the launch beach easily enough and was tempted to swop to my fin but was having a great time flying over the messy sea, much easier on the old body, foiling is definitely the answer here in lumpy Felixstowe especially if there is not a big shore break with the WSW being ideal for foiling:) I sailed up and had a few runs with the others before heading down to The Fludgers one more time, just brilliant being out all by yourself in the sunshine:) Again the beat was good with winds if anything a fraction stronger, I could not believe that the wind only got to around 22 knots, it felt much stronger! With a big black cloud appearing and the wind threatening to go offshore I decided to call it a day so headed back, having a snack on the beach before packing up, great to be back on the foil,, love the Slingshot:)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=stephen.squirrell.1&set=a.10222499759215400

I was wondering if you would like to take a minute to vote for my pic in this year’s Felixstowe Photo Competition. My picture is FFF in the seashore section – all votes are greatly appreciated:)

https://www.visitfelixstowe.org.uk/features-and-stories/felixstowe-photo-competition-vote-now/