Lucky Friday the 13th

The wind was a very unusual southeast blow. That direction is super rare and checking my blog I've only had one other session planing in a SE wind.

But that wind was strong and so after a long drive we arrived and I quickly headed out to the Launch Pad at 6:30 pm. It was already a dark and stormy evening and the wind felt offshore and gusty. I figured I'd have 10-15 minutes until rain hit and the wind died.

The stormy view upwind to the southeast

What to rig when it is 15 gusting to 29 knots?

After slogging upwind and out of the harbour for the first 15 minutes, I finally got out to the wind and then sailed for a full hour! It turned out to be a lucky Friday the 13th.

26 km GPS trail

I windsurfed 26 km with conditions ranging from massive gusts to barely planing. Overall I was planing 56% of the time as it kept getting windier despite a few rain squalls. The 5.6 Idol was the right call and the Skate 108 was pretty comfortable. But the cross chop made things a bit tricky, keeping my tricks to a minimum. I only did a few duck jibes, and one upwind 360. I did do a bit of wave riding as the swells were jacking up a bit in a few areas.

26 km of distance after a slog at the start

The water was 15c and the air 17c and I was toasty warm in my 3/2 wetsuit. When the lights on the helipad and windfarm were all fully on I figured it was time to go in. Tomorrow looks to be good as well!

The boat ride back in the twilight

Best beginner of the year!

My wonderful work colleague John just turned 60 and has a place near Parry Sound. He and his wife managed to find time to come and visit us up at the Key for a weekend. Sunday morning was clear but a bit cold with the 15c north wind, but he was determined to get back on a windsurfer for the first time in 35 years!

He did great. After listening to my instruction on the simulator, he was ready to head out.

John showing some interest in trying windsurfing again after 35 years

Getting ready to head out

Last minute tips

Starting cautiously

Getting control

And he is off!

A bit of instruction from me on the Seadoo

Well out into Georgian Bay

Doing great.

Almost planing on his last run back to the ladies!
Wow that is impressive.

All good and back to where he started!

Then I stored the beginner gear - likely done with that for the rest of the season!

I think that there is more windsurfing in John's future? Not very many beginners keep enough upwind ground to get back to where they started on their first session. But John did. Very well done!

After that windsurfing adventure, we began our art tour of Tom Thomson and AJ Casson Group of Seven painting sites in our area.

Perfect view of Toronto

Another nice evening down at the Toronto Windsurfing Club. Got there to rig just in time and to the start line with one minute to go. My first race was going well until my bad jibe at the downwind mark. Then in the second race I went too far east and found there was no wind there.

The last race was OK but again I only did one of the two laps. Back to the beach in almost zero wind for one of the lowest speed windsurfing sessions ever.

It was fun catching up with many of the regulars at the post race BBQ.

Getting ready to head out for Wednesday night racing

Fun photo of me sailing back upwind
with Toronto (and my office) in the background
Thanks Jeff Martin for being on the race boat and for the photo

After windsurfing BBQ

GPS trail

Very low speed and heart rate chart

Just a few more races left for the season and my night on the race boat is coming up soon. That should be interesting.

Vanessa and Len windsurfing into parenthood together

Well the highlight of Labour Day weekend Sunday was definitely seeing Vanessa and Len out windsurfing together. They met in Bonaire 11 years ago, and are now expecting their first child in December.

Vanessa and Len (and baby on the way!)

This may well be the last time they windsurf together before the baby comes. Vanessa looks great and was very comfortable on the board! Len was a good partner as always. She was using her favourite 5.7 Firefly she used when she worked at Jibe City in Bonaire for 5 years.

They started out windsurfing way out into the Bay...

I came out to see them on the Seadoo

Seadoo paparazzi

Back at the Launch Pad, I had fun getting them to try some tandem windsurfing.

What a great pair of windsurfers!

I also got a quick 30 minute foil session in for myself. Amazing for Sept 1st, I was just in shorts with a Lycra, it was perfect in the 22c air, moderate sun and light wind.

Foiling out by Dokis Island

Hi Vanessa and Len

Coming back in from foiling while Vanessa and Phillip take beginner
boards and sails to the point

And then it was time for Bil and Sherif to have their on water lessons after the on land lessons on Saturday.

Sherif looking good on the simulator

Phillip taking Bil way upwind

My two beginners out and doing well

Nice form Bil

Sherif going well

Bil happy after getting back to the point

Sherif done for the day! 

A fun day for sure. Vanessa and Len windsurfing together, I get some foiling, and two more happy beginners to add to my list for the summer.

(Postscript, Vanessa did get one more pregant windsurfing session in Toronto and almost got planing!)

Foiling and more beginners!

I'm so grateful for foiling. Another nice sunny day but only 11 knot winds. So back on the 6.5 NP V6 which Randy (boat tops) had just fixed up the stitching on for me. I think a few years ago I would have been frustrated on the 9.0.

I foiled for an hour while Phillip took his friends for runs on the Seadoo. On some of the runs he followed me foiling. Windsurf foiling looks smooth and quiet and simple. I think that might have been why so many of the friends wanted to try windsurfing?

So we headed out to the simulator for a refresher for Maxx and beginner lessons for other friends.

Maxx getting ready to go windsurfing. Friends learning on the simulator(s).

Maxx heading out with Phillip windsurfing in the distance

Good form Maxx with lots of upwind ground being made

Boat traffic on the long weekend

Keen beginners

Gonna be good tomorrow 

Phillip did get planing twice on the Techno and 7.0 but I missed getting a photo

Maxx was doing great and stayed upwind the whole time

Go Maxx!

Here is speed and GPS map from my 13 km, 55 minute foil session. 31.1 km/h top speed. A few jibe attempts but no success there!

A few jibes attempts in the session

Speed and heart rate

And a nice photo from my wife's phone...

A shot of my foil session