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Wednesday 9th September - Windsurf *** - The Manor at Felixstowe to Walton Tower – sunny periods.

Foil – 16.36 knot max, 13.23 knot ave ., 5.90 knot hour, 15.10 knot mile, 17.60 km., 0.00 knot alpha.

Exocet RF 91 AST with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Lightning 7.8m.

Today looked the best bet for some foiling trouble was that the forecast was for the wind to drop as the tide came in enough to be able to sail at Levington or Bradfield the go to venues with the wind in the west! So when Andy M. messaged this morning saying he was heading to The Manor as he had foiled here in this direction before I hitched the trailer and headed down with Mag so she could walk back:) Andy was there with wife Kerry so we had a nice catch up before trying to work out what sail to rig with the wind dead off it is difficult to gauge? Andy checked Landguard weather station and we both decided to take a chance with 7.8. The sun was out and it was lovely and warm so shortie’s were in the order of the day again:) Andy was first away and wobbled out to the wind line, then dropped his rig to check if there was weed on his foil, no weed but we have found the strong tide here can defiantly effect the foil! It was probably half a mile before I hit the wind band but when I did I had a pretty much perfect 5 mile ride all the way across Dovercourt Bay stopping at Walton Tower to take a few pics with the waterproof camera, having passed another windsurfing mate, Mark Swain who was out teaching again in a 30 footer heading out to sea and he managed to get a quick snap:) While sitting over near Walton I realised that Andy was nowhere in sight, I had assumed he was just behind me, in fact I didn’t spot Andy’s sail during the whole session:( I also noticed how strong the tide was pushing me away from Felixstowe which made getting flying difficult especially as the wind had eased, defiantly not helped when I caught a lobster pot line! I did get flying a couple of times especially in the River Orwell mouth but I was not concerned about getting back as I was sailing a direct line back to the launch beach! I stopped to take a few pics of a small boats moving the navigation bouys before continuing back to the beach. The wind was pretty shifty along Landguard beach but I got back OK. Once on the beach I spotted Andy for the first time heading back. He had some good runs sailing closer to the shore a couple of miles from the Orwell past Dovercourt. Still I enjoyed my 5 Star 5 mile run across the bay but only a 2 star trip back. I look forward to sailing from The Manor again in an offshore wind as it is so smooth over the Dovercourt side, just have to take care crossing the shipping channel and watch out for the tides but you are on a big board when foiling so you should be fine! The wind is not looking very promising for several days now but you never know your luck! So good call today Andy and it saved me a 50 mile round journey to Bradfield:)

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.squirrell.1/media_set?set=a.10219909841869085&type=3

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

https://www.77sports.co.uk/