Tuesday 9th August - Windsurf **** - The Dip at Felixstowe – sunny periods and warm.

 Foil – 16.72 knot max, 15.64 knot ave., 11.83 knot hour, 14.25 knot mile, 56.80 km., 10.51 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and Evolution Freeride foil with a Sailworks Retro 7.5.

After missing a marginal session yesterday afternoon, I was out on my bike so watched a few foilers out I was keen to make the most of a similar forecast for today. So, exercises in the sunny back garden and with the wind building slightly I had arranged with Ian C to meet up at The Dip around midday. I arrived first at 12.30, quickly followed by Ian and Michael with Robert coming at one! There looked a nice breeze from the east and with the lightweights rigging 6.5 I went for my old Sailworks Retro 7.5 which proved OK for most of the three hour + session, I did have to do some vigorous pumping to get going but once flying it was really good, you cant believe you can have this much fun in 12 knots of breeze:) In these marginal conditions I did not fancy a sail down the coast just in case the wind eased back and I had trouble beating back so started with a few long runs straight out to sea. I realized that I was heading towards Rough towers, a war time fort 7 miles out so decided to sail there, you have to get across the shipping channel but the only ship in site was the Gardenia Seaways ferry which I got in front of easily. The only other problem was the large amount of weed which I managed to avoid. I came off the foil maybe just short of the tower so stopped to take a few pics before setting off on the return leg. It took awhile to get flying in the light winds but was not too worried as I had to give time for two container ships to pass right in front of me, one going out, with the other heading to Felixstowe. The Hercules was doing low circuits, in fact it flew very low overhead which usually means its dropping parachutists in the water in front of Bawsdey beach! Although I actually missed the drop, I did see the two pick up boats returning to Levington Marina! That was all very exciting and entertaining :) Once flying the long run back was really cool as the sea was fairly smooth and I got back to The Dip with no problems. I then did several more long runs just enjoying the afternoon although it had clouded over a little! My gybing in still not great not helped by the bigger sail, lighter winds and the long runs I always do! Having been out for hours and with the same forecast tomorrow it was time to call it a day, perhaps I will do shorter runs tomorrow in an attempt to improve my gybing!

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