Sunday 7th September  – Windsurf **** River Orwell at Levington  –  sunny and warm.

Foil – 20.33  knot max, 18.48 knot ave., 10.36  knot hour, 14.56 knot mile, 48.68 km., 14.85 knot alpha. 

Starboard Freeride 150 and a Evolution Freeride foil with a Tushingham Bolt 5.0 and 6.5.

Walk *** - sunrise at Felixstowe prom.

A bit of a disturbed night for some reason, just too hot so when Mag said she was heading down to Felixstowe seafront for a sunrise walk I was well up for that! We left home just before 6 and soon saw the lovely yellow/orange sky. There was a good onshore SE breeze blowing 20 knots and the workman were busy setting up the fence panaels for Art on the Prom, could be an interesting event, could loss some pieces of artwork!!! We ambled along the prom towards The Fludyers where we waited for the sun to make an appearance at 6.19, with a tail wind we got home quicker where over breakfast I sent some pics to the TV weather before heading over to Levington for a windsurf foil!

Windsurf ****

SE is a good direction for some coastal cruising but the sea can be rough and with high water in the middle of the day there would be a big shore dump so I thought that the River Orwell would be the safer/easier bet! Several wingers were apparently going so I headed over early to get a parking space arriving first at Levington Marina at 8.30 with enough water to launch and 20 knots cross-on from the left so I quickly set-up and rigged my new 5m Bolt for the first time and jolly good it was too! Launching at 9 with no wingers here yet I had a cracking hour plus, first doing short runs across the river getting some cracking gybes before doing some nice longer runs down river towards Felixstowe docks in super smooth water. Sadly the wind eased so I had a slow wobble back to the van for a snack. There were now 7 wingers and a windsurf foiler out but the wind was poor at this point so I decided to rig  my 6.5 and give it another go! As soon as I launched I realised I had probably rigged too big with my 5.7 a better choiuce but I gritted my teeth and stuck with it! I ended up sailing down towards Pin Pin doing 20 gybes in lovely sunshine in some challenging conditions with the 6.5 being a tad on the big side! I then started the long beat back racing with 3 Wayfarers out sailing from Woolverstone, great fun! I was pleased to get back to the van knackered after foiling a little over 30 miles. Two sails to de-rig, shower and had for home, top day so far!

Tonight at around 7.15 there is a blood red full moon and a lunar eclipse but its not looking promising to see it at the moment as its clouded over, will update this later if I get to see it! 

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