That sinking feeling

Wind was predicted and I had booked the afternoon off after my big charity AGM on Tuesday. And windy it was! My first session was on my smallest sail used this year, then I had a super fail, and then the highlight was seeing new mom Vanessa get on a board again. Here are notes from the 3 sessions.

My first session was on the Fanatic Freewave 116 and the Duke 5.4 sail that I rigged for the first time this year. The wind meter was showing 18 knots and that we had seen 26 knots for the first time this season. I was overpowered and it took a long time to get comfortable. I worked my way upwind, not making many jibes and no tacks. But I was planing a lot - 75% of the time according to my GPS. When I started heading downwind my confidence and speeds picked up considerably.

After my 35 km session

There was a very noticeable difference in the air temperature at each end of the typical 1 km run. Where the air had gone over more water, it was much colder, and coming back into the harbour where it had gone over the land, it was humid and warm.

Upwind and downwind

Faster toward the end of the session

After a quick lunch and some emails, it looked even windier. I rigged the 4.7 Duke sail and took out my old Axxis 272. It is 95 litres and thus a "sinker" and so I don't use it very often, but had a good session 2 years ago. I took off from the point and had a good run. As I approached the wind shadow of Mann island I decided to turn around rather than heading out like I did for one run in the earlier session.

One good run and then a long swim back!

Pretty good speed for the first run,
and it is faster paddling than swimming

As I jibed I fell in. And then tried to waterstart. And failed. And failed. And failed. Board upside down lightwind waterstart. Fail. Uphaul. Fail. I guess I was lighter back in the late 90's when I used that board so often in the Gorge? 

So after around 500m of flying the sail to drift back, I started swimming another 500m. I walked across one island and then de-rigged the sail on another. The last 500m I paddled on the board like a surfer. I had my SPOT GPS signalling device but didn't use it as I was never in any danger of being unable to return.

Like with the air during my first session, I noticed huge differences in the temperature of the water - cold out in the deep water, warm when I paddled over shallow island. Might be a while till I try that sinker again?

Once back at the Launch Pad, Vanessa, Len and Timo arrived. Vanessa got into one of my old wetsuits, and we headed to the point with her repaired 5.7 and the Skate 108.

Insert Len's photo of Vanessa here!

Sadly the predicted thunderstorm was pending, and Vanessa never got planing. There is always tomorrow! 

Indeed the power was out for a few hours!
But the wind died during Vanessa's session.

The water levels were changing like crazy. Here is the current flowing back out of Pine Bay.

More wind predicted for tomorrow!