Tuesday 6^th March – walk **** windsurf *** Los Narejos, Mar Menor. Sunny periods, SW 10/25

27.17 knots max., 25.15 knots ave., 8.33 knot hr., 20.95 knot mile, 31.40 km., 12.02 alpha.

F2 Stoke 117 with Tushingham X-15 7m with weedfin.

At last a quiet night with no gale force winds disrupting the night at our spot in a dead-end road near the beach at Los Narejos by the Mar Menor. Up at 7.30 with the camera on the beach to capture another lovely sunrise and the huge inland sea was like a mirror:) With wind forecast but not here yet we had a relaxing start reading then Mag went for her early walk, she even managed some of her exercises on the beach. Then after breakfast at 10.45 with it clouding over a bit and still no wind we decided to go for a walk. We turned left and walked as we did late yesterday afternoon we went along the wooden walkway through the nature reserve. We made the small detour to the viewing platform offering views over the runway. This airport is used for commercial flights and we saw three passenger planes take off but it is also used as a training place for pilots and for the Spanish six plane formation flying team and, as last year, we were treated to their full routine including the impressive heart in the sky:) We couldn’t get much further than we managed last night as you reach the fenced off airfield perimeter. There is a long wooden jetty out into the water and a derelict looking campsite which, on speaking to the Dutch kiter I spoke to yesterday, he said it was open last October! Mag took her binoculars and saw Nightingale, Stonechats and the lovely Sardinian Warbler with its red eye and white throat:) After sitting on the prom to watch the air show we headed back to the van with the wind still light and west which is slightly off here. Then after lunch at 1.45 the wind swung SW and picked up so I got the gear off the roof, put the large weed fin in the 117 and took a chance on the 7m which I could rig up on the grass by the van. Loads of kiters mainly on foils were also setting up. I was one of the first on the water and did over mile runs out into the massive Mar Menor, I wanted to sail over to La Manga but the wind is too gusty and it’s a long way so chickened out! Must be getting sensible in my old age or just don’t trust my gear! SW isn’t a great direction for the Mar Menor and I much prefer the NE we got last year so you could sail the flat water at Lo Pagon. The sea really chops up and the wind is very up and down, sometimes I really struggled to water start:( To be honest I am not that keen on the F2 Stoke 117 and prefer the older narrow boards they seem much smoother to sail and turn but the big weed fin was not ideal either so changed to a conventional fin which was better but the wind had picked up too much making the sea state very uncomfortable so called it a day. The kite foilers had a great day again – this is definitely the future!  Mag had had another frustrating afternoon on the phone to the RAC trying to sort out our breakdown cover which runs out before we get back and to be honest they are an incompetent bunch and we will be looking elsewhere when we get home, sadly we might end up with several days while still away with no cover:( Mag had a much nicer chat with Mary our old friend from Felixstowe:) Cake and cuppa followed by a good wash then pack up. Weather too crap for an evening walk so play cards and do puzzles followed by tea a nice oriental noodle meal from Lidl. We will stay here tonight and move north tomorrow as one day in a SW on the Mar Menor is more than enough. As I am writing this its raining again!