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Sunday 12th August – windsurf *** The Dip – Felixstowe – mainly cloudy

F2 Ride 282 with Tushingham Lightning 7.0 and 38 cm fin.

22.29 knot max., 20.86 knot ave., 13.05 knot hour, 19.88 knot mile, 40.70 km., 15.47 knot alpha.

After yesterdays bonus session there was always going to be wind today but cloudy with rain coming and the wind dropping, so my plan was to get down The Dip early at low water and sail the tide in. I ended up there earlier than expected when or son/partners cat was scratching at our bedroom door at 5 which woke us so I decided to get up. During porridge I switched on the laptop to check the wind, it was showing 18 knots SSW and there were several kiters already out in the River Deben mouth. Mag also got up and came with me to the beach and she was unlocking the boat park gate at 6.20 and there were four kites up! I later learned on Facebook that they set their alarms for 4 and were on the water for 5 for a sunrise session:) Mag then had a quiet but breezy walk along the prom home while I decided what gear to use? I took my favourite Ride 282 to the water edge to check the wind. The cross-on SSW approaching 20 mph seemed strong enough for my 7m although the sea looked very bumpy, surprising for low water! I was on the water by 7 and was still getting glimpses of the sun but it wasn’t long before the kitesurfers called it a day so I was out all by myself. I know Felixstowe can be a mass of confused chop at the best of times but today was as bad as I have sailed in:( There were short waves on the beach, then with the channel out of the Deben now close to the beach it got particularly messy followed by another wild section caused by the water coming out of the river and things got no better out by the red and white bouy, looking for a wave to gybe on was difficult as it was big, chop on chop:( Still I was out non-stop for 1 hour 20 minutes when I decided to come ashore with Craig Hurrell arriving in time for the wind to turn SW, a fraction off and become very patchy:( That looked it for the day but with several sailors turning up ang on average rigging 7m I decided to give it another try but it was all over place and light near the beach, shame really as you could easily make upwind but you dare not go anywhere in dropping winds. I actually lost three groynes upwind before deciding to call it a day. So that three sessions in three days with two being average and only one good. Might be some wind next week but direction and strong all over the place so we will have to wait and see????

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.squirrell.1/media_set?set=a.10214026888838936.1073741915.1012660562&type=3&uploaded=37