Not so nice Norfolk

Once again on Thursday conditions looked good in Norfolk so I decided to make the one and a half hour trip up from Suffolk. Checking out Waxham in North East Norfolk, we found the wind was not playing ball with 10mph winds dead off shore coming from the west with no swell. Not quite the predicted NNW 25 knots! After a little we headed up to East Runton only to find the wind had swung and was now NNW 25 knot, dead onshore!!! Should have seen it coming really, so back to Waxham where it was looking good. It was side on and windy, with the swell starting to fill in so I rigged my 4.7 and 82L only to find that the second I placed my board on the beach, the wind dropped to 10-15knots. After a brief float I decided to watch how Henry was getting on. I found him down wind with a fist size knot in his kite. Game over for him after just 10 minutes!! I was up for going home at this point but Henry persuaded me to rig my 5.7 and 90l. I floated out with the wind a little more side shore but was incredibly under powered. I was just heading in when the wind filled in, followed by sleet. It was not too bad and I got a couple of jumps and rides before the wind died again after about 15 minutes. Well you win some you lose some but some days it seems we were never were going to win - still a 15mnute session is better than no session, all be it a little cold on the face.

East runton

Thursday was a pretty good day at East Runton. I got down mid morning to find Steve Thorp and Dave white on the beach. After hearing the wind might be dropping, I rushed to rig up as I want another go on my new quad. I had a pretty good session with some jumping and wave riding befre the wind dropped off at mid day. Just had to try and avoid falling in, as you ended up with a white water ice cream headache!

Snowboarding

I may have been slightly annoyed at loosing my rig the other day. Waking up this morning to see my house looking like a postcard picture form the Alps soon put this out of my mind. If only I had a snowboard! Luckily windsurfers think alike. My mate Jimbo had no one to snowboard with. We quickly built a kicker and spent the later half of the day until dark having fun in the snow. If there's more snow tomorrow, I'm thinking of a turf dog prototype snowdog board!

Bye Bye rig

The east coast has been pretty cold and snowy for the last few days. Today there was a little break in the weatherand I managed to get out in the NE wind on my 4.2 at Felixstowe. It was pretty good fun for the first 20 minutes. I was pretty warm and there was a good period between sets, as the waves were being diffracted round the sandbank near the ferry river mouth entrance. I started getting pretty confidently into my jumping until, on the landing of a stalled forward, my board detached from the rig!!! There are quite a few rips on the east coast so after initially trying to save my rig I ditched it and paddled for the shore. I was back on shore in about 5 minutes and sweating, shows how good new wetsuit technology is getting. Sadly no sign of my rig!!!

I thought I would take a look a couple of miles down the coast towards Felixstowe pier. I spotted the rig in the distance a bit far to paddle out and retrieve in the cold weather. I thought I would wait to see if the waves would push it in shore, however the rip was not playing ball and I watched it drift out to sea again with the tide before it got dark!! I was really glad I did not attempt to swim, as I would most probably would have drifted off too!!

A pretty nice day in my garden before I left! Luckily it was a bit warmer on the coast!

Highcliff video

Re
MPORA Action Sports >>
cent video of SJ and my exploits on the south coast. Enjoy

Unexpected Highcliff with new boards

The UK has been proving pretty good this past couple of weeks. Having squeezed in a few first light sessions before work, me and Steve Jarvis decided to take Thursday off to sail K-Bay. The wind direction was south westerly moving round to west. Once the wind swung west, we thought it would be perfect for practicing starboard tack jumping and a bit of on shore riding.

On are way form Southampton we had a phone call for m Ollie woodcock, already at Kimmerage. To are disappointment it was still bolt on shore SW and hand not swung as predicted. We decide to make the best of the situation, swing off the A35 and head to Avon beach get a bit of side shore jumping riding.

Avon it was pretty windy. We quickly rigged up are 3.7s and headed out. This was not one of my favourite sessions as after about 5mimuntes the wind backed off, swing a little west offshore. This lefty me with a nice swim back to the beach, A little annoyed to say the least!

Not to hopeful of a decent session we decide head towards Highcilff. On leaving Avon we swung past spot on water. Mark being the importer of F2 was waiting for the new shipment of boards. Seeing lots of cardboard boxes outside I was pretty excited, having been waiting for my 2011 quad and freestyle board.

New F2 Barracuda 2011 quad

2011 Rave twin fin

and Rodeo freestyle board

A little more enthused about the sport, after some quick photos we headed to Highcliff. We weren’t expecting much, however to are surprise it was one of the best south coast sessions for a long time. With the wind shifting from side to side off and logo high. My new F2 Barracuda quad was as good as it looked. It surprised me how much the quad complimented my wave riding with its control and speed and drive though turns. I had some much fun I could no leave the water until it was dark. I then followed up with a half an hour constant chat about my new board was until S J told me to "SHUT THE **** UP."

Testing the quad

End of the year

Finally and good end to this years windsurfing events at Gwithian. Sadly no pics of myself but mast high cross off on the Friday of the comp. 11th overall was not to bad considering I had to miss the event in Tiree so overall am pretty happy with my years performance. The weathers been pretty good recently and I have managed to get on the water at least twice a week, with the weather still pretty warm. Hopefully not getting to cold soon!!

Hears a pic of Steve Thorpe on the Friday.