The long awaited Thursday Nov 2nd SW blow started the evening before and was going to be best around 1pm. We headed out to the Launch Pad only to find that a pipe in the ceiling had frozen and ruptured in the sub zero cold at the end of October. I was grateful I’d thought to turn the pump switch off just in case a pipe did freeze - water running for 3 days straight would have been a real mess!
With the wind being over 20 knots, I figured it was time to windsurf “on the fin” again. I jumped off the dock onto my Skate 108 with the 5.2 Idol sail. A bit of a slog out, then very slowly made my way upwind. It took almost and hour to get up to the waves at Wedge Island, but it was worth it and they were fun. I did my first jump in a long time - so easy when the wave lines up perfectly for you!
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| Ready! GoPro selfie... |
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| Stormy! |
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| The sail locker! |
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| Departure conditions - 23knots SW and 6c |
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GoPro while sailing - those are the harness lines under
my wetsuit clad arm |
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| Only GoPro shot of the board... |
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| Having fun! |
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| Great swells out by Wedge Island |
A few videos:
Selfie video out in the swells
Coming into the harbour! Thanks Jen for the video!
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| This thermometer says 8c |
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| Tempest says 6.7c |
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| Water temperature at the dock |
I did a few jibes that were ok. Then one attempt at a Vulcan and one downwind 360 - both of which were fails. I actually spent quite a bit of time in the water but it didn’t feel as cold as the 7c reading got. Maybe since the Georgian Bay Buoy is still reading 10c it was a bit warmer out into the bay? The 5/4 wetsuit with my hood, 3mil gloves and 2 mil booties are a pretty good combination. 28 km in 80 minutes.
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| My GPS trail - had a hard time getting upwind at first |
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| Typical speeds and then some higher ones going back downwind |
After my session I really missed having plumbing working for a hot shower. Oh well, a bit of tidying up and then back to work on the new shed in the Harbour which is taking forever to complete.
Postscript, I wound up being sick the next two days which were both very windy. Frustrated to have missed those and the gear and windsurf shed are all packed up now. I have my wingfoiling gear and a wave board with a 5.4 in Collingwood. Let's see if there is a late November session in my future?
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| Most of the sails rolled up now in the old windsurf shed |
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| A week later - a winter wonderland |
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