Stephen Squirrell (34966km):
2068 days ago Monday 27th August – windsurf **** West Mersea – a few sunny periods.
F2 Ride 282 with Tushingham Lightning 7.0 and 36 cm fin.
26.30 knot max., 24.57 knot ave., 17.59 knot hour, 21.52 knot mile, 97 km., 18.14 knot alpha.
Felixstowe based windsurfers had a mass day out in Essex on the Island of West Mersea today. In total I think there were eight of us sailing, including three Hurrells, Neil, Lee & Craig, Andy Mexome, Mark Smalling, Strawberry, and Peter Edmunds. Maggie and I arrived first just after nine and the water was coming in. With a westerly gusting to 20 mph on the beach I rigged my favourite set-up the 115 with 7m, in fact most rigged similar with sail ranging from 6.9 to 7.8. It was cloudier than hoped although we did get a few sunny periods - but with my full autumn suit soaked from yesterday I only had my shorty which was fine:) Craig just pipped me on the water and we headed across the River Blackwater which is over a mile and half at this point! With several hours of wind against tide, going upwind was easy, to be honest I was under powered a lot of the first hour, shame really as this was the best state of the sea:( You could get some cracking gybes in the flattish water over the far side but the wind was a bit up and down. As usual the shipping channel does get rough so care needs to be taken. Going upwind is OK as you are going slower but going broad was much more challenging and I was very disappointed with the top speeds - it felt like I was going much faster! What was good, was West Mersea Yacht Club regatta – Mersea Week which meant there were several large bouys to gybe round and loads of yachts out racing. But best of all about ten medium wooden barges really going for it!!! I went for an hour which did involve a lot of upwind so not as fast as it could have but still got the months best:) After 80 minutes out I came ashore near Bradwell Power Station for selfie time and then set off further up the River in search of some flat water over by Tollesbury Fleet, gybing a few times in the entrance to Bradwell Marina but again the best things was flying through the large fleets of sailing boats getting very close to several! There was some flattish water over the Tollesbury side but the wind was patchy and heading up river was very bumpy as you were sailing straight into a steep chop! I then headed back and had some flying broad reaches in the best wind of the session. I had been out 2.5 hours blasting 40 miles all over the Blackwater and after a quick lunch I headed out again but with the tide now high the wind had gone very patchy especially either side and if you sailed out of the wind band it made gybing hard. So, I called it a day, sad really as I had missed 100km by a whisker and couldn’t find any good top speeds but I just couldn’t find the best wind in the flattest water, still good fun trying. I managed my best alpha for the month which is also the best month of the year so far with 10 sessions covering 612 km (380 miles) including todays 60 miles!!! Packed up as everyone left all waxing lyrical about a 5-star session, I am a bit more reserved as although there is some smooth water there is also a lot of lumpy sea with patchy wind but still a great place in a westerly when you are a bit limited for venues. Enjoyed a cuppa at our van with Neil and Linda Hurrell together with Mag’s delicious homemade swiss-roll. When everyone else had gone we went for a walk along the new row of beach huts, despite the overcast day there were loads enjoying the Bank Holiday, then we had a good run home with no traffic hold ups:)
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