Wednesday 16th September - Windsurf **** - The Manor at Felixstowe – sunny and warm.

Fin – 26.32 knot max, 24.88 knot ave ., 16.80 knot hour, 20.57 knot mile, 48.90 km ., 15.84 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham Lightning 6.5m and 38 fin.

After getting up early to celebrate my wife Maggies 60th Birthday with a sunrise bike ride 16 miles around Felixstowe, ending up having a cuppa at Levington Marina where she looked at the 60 pics for 60 years, I had posted on Facebook:) Then after lunch foiling partner Andy Mexome messaged on WhasApp saying he was heading to The Manor for a foil. This is not the venue I would normally go in a NE but I didn’t think it was going to be too strong so thought it would be fine. I got to the beach and parked OK at 3.15 with Andy already there with foil board ready! So, I set upmy board while the wind was building, I was going with 7m but changed my mind at the last minute and went with my 6.5 while Andy rigged 6.2. I was first off the beach and it was pretty breezy and the sea was getting very big as I flow out towards Wadgate post, then run back was interesting, riding the big swell using next to no sail, I did that one more time before deciding it would be better off on my fin board so went ashore to change while Andy disappears to The Dip. It didn’t take long to get my favourite F2 282 on the beach, the plan being to go for an hour for the month which involved at least eight runs out to near the shipping channel, just over a mile. It was pretty big to go really fast but I had wind against tide for most of the session so had no trouble staying upwind, so could go for some broad runs if I found a smoother section! There was a good part over some shallow water with smooth water and waves but it got a bit lumpy out but the shipping channel but I got some nice gybes and some nice runs. I was the only fin sailor out, while Andy came back after his adventure and packed up I carried on with Paul Smith out foiling with 5.6 but that looked a bit of a handful and I am glad I switched boards, it made a nice change to be out on the fin especially with the sun out, mild too and had the shortie on:) Loads of good ENE winds coming but our Grandson is coming up for a few days so I am not sure about windsurfing at the moment although I am completely free tomorrow:)

PS - I probably choose the wrong venue in the end and might have been better off at The Dip on the fin ?
 

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