Thursday 17th August - Windsurf **** River Stour at Wrabness – sunny periods.

Foil – 19.94 knot max, 18.47 knot ave, 13.98 knot hour, 17.14 knot mile, 78.07 km., (year PB) 14.85 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and a Evolution Freeride foil with a Tushingham Storm 6.5.

 With a good breeze from the ENE and high water on the Stour at 1.42 it was another trip to Wrabness today which still gave me time to do my exercises before setting off, arriving around 11. A nice man just about to set of bass fishing in his kayak moved his van forward so I could park at the end. No trailer today so my foil board and a few sails were in the van so I emptied it out and took my board to the small but beautiful little beach to set up with a family enjoying a perfect day as the tide slowly comes in:) It did not look overly windy out on the river but it is hard to judge as you are sheltered in the rigging area but I set up the biggest sail I had with me, my Tushingham Storm 6.5m which proved OK for most of the session, I had a slow start but the wind filled in and at times could have used  my 5.5m. I had a bit in fun in front of the launch beach with the water being nice and flat, then I slowly beat down river doing long runs across Holbrook Bay, lovely in the sunshine, quiet too with most of the other foilers and wingers were up at Bradfield. I made it well past Wrabness before turning back doing long broad reaches and soon got past Bradfield getting some OK gybes in, more challenging now as with high water the river lumps up! I did not go in once on the 66 gybes but went in once when I pushed too hard and the foil came out of the water! Nothing fast today just nice cruising as it became too lumpy to push things too hard and I was getting knackered as I started the beat back as the wind increased regularly gusting over 20 knots. I had been out for around 3,50 hours covering 48.50 miles, a year BP. Back at the van Mag made me a welcome cuppa and I made a yummy cheese roll enjoying the peace and quiet although things had got a little hectic in the dead-end lane, not helped by people parking in the turning area at the end!  Then time to pack up and drive the 26 miles home, there is a couple more days of breeze but not sure what I am doing yet?

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