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Saturday 30th June – windsurf ***** River Stour Bradfield.  sunny and hot :)

F2 Xantos 310 with Tushingham Lightning 8.5

25.30 knot max., 23.88 knot ave., 16.14 knot hour, 20.11 knot mile, 80.80 km., 17.24 knot alpha

After three days windsurfing at The Dip, Felixstowe it was time for a change especially with high water in the early afternoon making the sea messy. Our original plan was to go to the River Stour today and perhaps Mersea Island tomorrow staying the night in the van but we had such a good time today I will do it all again on Sunday - the wind is now blowing until Tuesday. I don’t know if I can keep this pace up as I have sailed 272 km. in four days and had my best month of the year with 9 sessions covering 458 km!  It doesn’t take us long to pack the van once we have decided, Mag is a star and after a brief trip to town we set off on the 25 mile trip into darkest Essex:) arriving at 12.15.  There were a few here and loads of water in the river with the wind building nicely, I have never sailed here with the wind ENE, side shore from the right which does cast a bit of a shadow when launching but like all river sailing you get used to the patchy at times wind but using big kit means you can usually sail through the lulls:) Formula boys - David Coles was rigging 7.8 to go foiling while Nick Icke had 12m with his conventional fin so I rigged 8.5 on my big Xantos. The formula sailors soon disappeared up wind, even David who is new to foiling was flying well and has really picked it up quickly and those boards can really point high, as for me I headed upwind but it was slow going especially against the tide but the water was fairly smooth, the sun was out and the water was bath temperature so can’t complain:) This is a beautiful river to sail in, very wide with big houses, Holbrook School and Wrabness beach bungalows up on their stilts. The area was a hive of activity with canoes, yachts, dinghies, kitesurfers and windsurfers everywhere. I made it to Holbrook Creek after sailing in amongst the moored yachts with loads of people enjoying their day in the beach side houses. The beat was good fun and there were some big gusts which the 8.5 handled very well but it wasn’t a particularly fast day. I thought I would be flying back but the wind had unfortunately eased a fraction, I still planed back. I had been out for two hours covering 25 miles and was just in time for one of Mags yummy salads. The carpark was pretty full now with sailors coming from miles around. After half an hour break I decided to do it all again but this time much quicker as the breeze had freshened and the tide had turned. I got my fastest speed and was out for over an hour without falling in, even the gybes were better as this long board is not the easiest to get around! With the tide dropping it was time to call it a day after sailing 80 km. A relaxing cuppa as everyone packs up and leaves then derig wash away the smell of the wetsuit before Mag and I do a lovely 6mile walk along the coast.  We ended up at Grayson Perry’s fantasy house built in honour to the fictional Julie which was pretty cool.  Especially so as we went to see his exhibition in Colchester in February where we heard the full story narrated by Grayson himself and saw the amazing tapestries depicting her life :)  Our best and probably only culture of the year!!  We got back absolutely shot to pieces for corned beef salad but unfortunately the carpark had several hatch backs with oafs driving on the beach and along the farmers dusty track:( Another young couple in a van have come to also park up for the night just up the field and luckily the hatchbacks have gone, fingers crossed they don’t come back!

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