Friday 13th August - Windsurf ***** The Manor at Felixstowe – mainly cloudy.

Foil – 17.40 knot max, 16.60 knot ave ., 12.61 knot hour (spot PB), 15.16 knot mile, 60.91 km ., 11.85 knot alpha (spot PB).

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

With the wind forecast wind today WSW a fraction off here at Felixstowe I was not sure where to go? If it was west, I would probably have gone to Levington to sail the tide in but it was WSW and I didn’t think it was strong enough for the river so when a few sailors said they were heading to The Manor I decided to head down there. With low water around 9 it was good to have wind against tide so I headed down and managed to find a spot at the end of the prom, taking Mag so she could walk home! With the wind in this direction, it is a bit of a guess to sail size as there is no wind on the beach so I walked to see the others setting up at The Manor car park, Andy, Craig, Ian and Robert were there all foiling, and rigging sails between 5.3 and 6.5 so I returned to my van, quickly put the foil together and rigged my favourite Thunderbird 6.5, am just loving camless sails:) There was a large group of mums with their kids enjoying a day on the beach despite being mainly cloudy but with shortie on I was soon out of there way hitting the wind line quickly and soon discovered I definitely did not need a bigger sail! I quickly beat up a few groynes to see what the others were doing before turning broad heading up the coast towards The Dip. The sea just got bigger and bigger but it was magic running down the waves hardly using the sail at all! I managed to avoid all the lobster pot and survive the messy part around Jacobs Ladder where the tide runs fast and really messes the sea up! It smoothed off as I approached The Dip as there was a wind shadow there but I still managed to fly to the beach, I am trying a few more gybes now, still not flying but am not falling in so much now so improving slowly, the smaller rotational sail really helps! I know it was going to be a challenging beat back in winds gusting to 20 knots and the sea really big, I even managed to get in both straps for awhile but generally I am not keen o using the back one! The beat was great, am loving foiling in a big sea, just can’t remember how we used to get on before foiling came along as it has really taken over my windsurfing now and am loving it! I thought on the way bac k that it might be windy enough to fin but on reaching The Manor Martello Tower I had loads of long runs out to Wadgate post buzzing closely past the stern of the many yachts out sailing in difficult conditions. I was on the lookout for my neighbour out in his wooden yacht sailing from Felixstowe to Ipswich and am not sure if I saw him or not? The sea conditions were great in front of the Manor especially if you sailed broad, the Manor break was also working today with some waves which made me a little nervous as not sure how deep it was but did not hit the bottom anywhere! I had one more run down past the pier but it got windy so I beat back, getting knackered now I decided to call it a day, I had after all been out none stop for three hours covering nearly 40 miles, sailing at Felixstowe does not get any better and perhaps the same again tomorrow assuming my poor old back can cope!

Packed up and was home by 2.25 and had a snack with Mag in the garden, she had had a good day gardening and being entertained by Benny and Rue our cats. I also learned that 5 of my pics were featured in the latest Suffolk Magazine on a double page spread so well chuffed :)  

PS – got a couple of spot PB’s today too, always pleasing to see I am improving bit by bit – best hour and alpha:)

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