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Monday 16th October – windsurfing *** The Manor - Felixstowe – mainly cloudy

25.42 kt. max, 23.75 kt. ave., 13.18 kt. hr., 23.55 kt mile, 42 km., 15.64 kt. alpha.

While Storm Ophelia battered Ireland with 100 mile an hour winds our forecast was SW winds building from midday to about 20 knots with sunshine:) So in no great hurry to get to The Manor we had a stroll up town to check the local paper for any of my photos and was pleased to see the nice shot I took of Peter Cutts jumping his windsurfer at Bradfield:) I took Mag down so she could walk back and Peter was already there as was Phillip who is new to sailing at Felixstowe. Peter said it was promising with his gauge showing the onshore winds gusting 15 to 20 kts so it was looking good! With 5 fishermen in the groyne by the steps we took our boards down to next groyne to reserve it! Pete and I then rigged our 7.8 with Phillip going for his biggest a 6.5 but by the time we were ready the wind had gone! We relaxed on the beach in the warm sunshine eating my delicious sandwich. Peter was going to take his camera to the bird reserve but decided to repair his radio. Tom Alexander arrived and he only has small sails so he had a couple of runs on my kit landing right in the middle of the fishermen! Andy Mexome, Chris Phillps, Simon Jam and Henry Catling arrived but Andy was the only one to rig! Then with the sunshine going the wind did fill in so I headed out making 24 kts on the first run followed by Peter making 25 kts and Andy with his 7m. Sadly the wind was marginal and you had to concentrate to keep upwind! The wind went light so we all headed ashore for another chat! Then it came back again so the three of us headed out again, Pete and Andy were going well but I struggled to get going in the bumpy sea:( I try a mile run back from the Wadgate Post but it was very bumpy so only made 21.90. Then Pete and Andy called it a day but with the wind increasing I went for a full-on mile from the beach going broad out and got my fastest run, a 23 kt mile with a 25 max so not too bad. I then had to beat back, had one more 25 kt max before calling it a day as it was getting dark! So not great in the bumpy sea but at least the wind did make it in the end!

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.squirrell.1/media_set?set=a.10211650611433486.1073741898.1012660562&type=3

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Got some wind eventualy at Manor end Felixtowe - good sail again trying to beat Steven Squirrell - but he trashed me this time