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 Wednesday 7th November – windsurf **** Levington – cloudy.

F2 Ride 282 with Tushingham X-15 5.8 and 30 fin.

29.68 knot max., 27.07 knot ave ., 12.66 knot hour, 19.63  knot mile, 47.70 km., 16.44 knot alpha.

After yesterdays non event when the forecast wind again failed to arrive here in Felixstowe, I took my kit to The Dip to watch what little wind there was disappear but had a nice chat with Andy Mexome:) We are supposed to have several days of wind and mild too, so today I picked the venue on the strength of the forecast, southerly wind gusting to 35 knots and with a high approx. 11 I didn’t fancy a trip to Essex where several mates were going to Point Clear. With rain early that also but me off the 40 mile drive so I headed the 6 miles to sail the River Orwell at Levington, keen to see what it was like here with the wind in the south? I had light rain on the drive but it soon cleared but remained cloudy with only brief glimpses of sun:( I parked up at my usual spot by the marina entrance and had it all to myself, so had to choose what kit to use without any help. With winding gusting to nearly 30 mph, cross shore from the left and the water looking fairly smooth I went with 5.8 on the 115 lt. and that proved OK for the session although the 6.5 might have been faster. With no one about to zip me into my full winter suit I had to use my Autumn one but with the air temperature of 12/13 degrees I was fine, no gloves just the hat to keep my head warm:) There was loads of water in the river so I set off upriver then spent a couple of hours sailing across the Orwell diagonally in smooth water, in the end it turned out not to be as windy as expected so was a bit disappointed with the speeds even if just missed out on 30 knots but getting 10 second runs was harder. You had to keep in the wind band to gybe or you could take a minutes rest on the shore on the marina side:) The good thing about my new GW-60 gps watch is good as you can keep an eye on how the session is going:) The old yacht that has been moored in the river down by the entrance to the Trimley marshes lagoon had broken free from it’s moorings and was washed up on the beach near Loompit lake. With the wind going a bit patchy I headed back to the van to call it a day, checked my gps, discovered I was .02 of a knot short of a 27 knot average so I switched on the vans diesel heater and headed out for a couple more runs to achieve my goal. I then called it a day and returned to a toasty warm van to change and liston to Jeremy Vine on the Radio while watching the birds including loads of geese, a Little Grebe, Kestral, curlew etc. Having packed up I drove to the other end of the marina to walk a round to see the stranded yacht then home vis The Dip to see a few out there. So not a bad session, a bit lonely but good fun truing for 30 knots and more windsurfing to come this week:)

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.squirrell.1/media_set?set=a.10214452098068901&type=3

http://mkwindsurfing.co.uk/booms/

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nice sail Point Clear