Wednesday 28th November – windsurf **** Levington – cloudy and mild.

F2 Xantos 295 with Tushingham Lightning 7.0 and 38 fin.

28.47 knot max., 25.58 knot ave ., 15.38 knot hour, 21.60  knot mile, 52.70 km., 17.62 knot alpha.

Thought long and hard about which venue to pick today with rain clearing and then strong southerly winds my initial thought was to go to Point Clear but with the high tide at 3.30 you couldn’t sail until past midday and south is not the best direction for the lagoon. With Neil the only local sailor going out at Alton I decided it was not worth the 80-mile round trip to Essex on a miserable day so drove the 6 miles to Levington Marina arriving at 11.30 with the tide sill fairly low and the wind not looking overly strong but on parking up at the marina entrance I was greeted by a seal. With the wind onshore getting off the beach was not going to be easy unless you walked in the mud. I had to talk myself into going and picking gear was my next problem, with wind gusting to 20 mph I went for 7m with the bigger Xantos 295 to give me a bit more volume in the gusty wind. Rigged and ready to go I put my winter wetsuit on with a back zip and I to go and find a marina worker to zip me up! The tide was now high enough for only a short mud walk and I was soon heading upriver. I quickly beat into deep water and with the wind onshore you could sail parallel with the bank meaning I think the wind had swung to a more S/westerly direction meaning Point Clear might have been good. Still I did not worry as I was out over two hours planing most of the time. To start with the most wind was in the bay where I was getting some nice gybes, I set off towards Pin Mill but the wind went light and gusty so stayed in front of the marina. I managed my months best hour and then with the wind increasing I could do nearly two-mile runs getting 5, 20 kt + miles. I was never over powered with the 7m and was perfect. So easily a 4 star session, despite the gloomy day it was nice and mild, not getting cold at all, the only shame is no one else came to join me:( It looks like I could do it all again tomorrow if it doesn’t rain too much!                                                                                                                                    

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