Monday 6th July- Windsurf ** - River Orwell at Levington Marina – blustery showers.

Fin – 27.39 knot max, 25.19 knot ave., 6.53 knot hour, 14.98 knot mile, 14.47 km.,13.13 knot alpha.

F2 282 Ride with Tushingham Storm 5.2 and 32 fin.

Supposed to get a large low passing over today with 40/50 mph winds, thought about a trip to Southend and this morning was tempted by Point Clear but with an early high water and possibly too much south I decided to head over to my local spot, the River Orwell at Levington, I just can’t face the drive to venues these days! It was not an inviting morning to go windsurfing but at the least the rain had stopped when I arrived at the marina at 8.30 with the SSW wind gusting over 30 knots and loads of water as it was high water at 10.08! I decided to give it a try and discovered I had left my 5.2 cammed speed/race sail at home I rigged the Storm 5.2 which is much quicker to set up. As the wind is always gusty, I went for the 115 lt. F2 Ride and put my full autumn wetsuit on today. I set off upriver in loads of wind but soon it soon went gusty so gybed and headed back, landing in the corner at the start of Levington beach by Loompit Lake. I then had a few nice runs diagonally across the corner in a nice spell getting some OK speeds but you quickly ran out of wind on the far side! Then the rain arrived, the first shower I stopped in the corner and it quickly passed so sailed again, the second shower was much heavier and actually killed the wind:( I waited for ages for the rain to clear and then noticed the yellow Harwich foot ferry was heading to the marina to shelter followed by the Harwich Haven Pilot boat so I set off to sail back in very little wind especially for a 5.2. I missed the ferry coming into the marina so did not a pic and then got tangled up in the row of wooden post with Robert now arrived to check the sailing watching! I managed to get back to the launch beach with the wind really patchy. Robert and I had a chat before deciding not to sail anymore, he went home while I packed up, had a top shower at the marina before heading home. Mag and I could then go and visit an old friend in the afternoon, then went home via the town to buy a couple of things and it lashed it down again, these showers play havoc with the wind! Tomorrow is looking promising before the wind disappears, looks a good foil day but still not sorted there so it could be another outing for the longboard, hopefully sourced a front wing but would am also looking for a Slingshot infinity 65 front wing for the windier days!

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