Thursday 30th December - Windsurf ***** River Orwell at Levington – sunny periods and very mild.

Foil – 20.43 knot max, 19.57 knot ave (PB)., 12.15 knot hour, 17.75 knot mile, 45.11 km., 15.12 knot alpha (PB).

Exocet RF AST 91 with Slingshot Hover Glide 76 with Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5m.

We have our Grandson here for a Christmas visit, our son Roberts 34th Birthday too so was not sure if I was going to get to sail but with a few days of 14 degrees with a good breeze it was too good an opportunity to miss! With high water at 8 I decided to head over to Levington early for a sunrise windsurf, arriving at the Marina at 7.30 with loads of water and a good breeze, sadly it was too cloudy for a nice sunrise although I did get a hint of colour as I set off. Foils board was quickly set up and I took a chance with my 6.5 and was on the water at 8 in a balmy 14 degrees, so no gloves required today:) It was a little patchy for a couple of runs, I even checked to see if I had weed on my foil but then the wind really filled in and I could have easily used a smaller sailor! SW is a top direction here as you can sail lovely 2 mile runs down towards Pin Mill, fast too, in fact I broke 20 knots four times getting my best ever average plus a PB alpha, my gybing is coming along well now, you can certainly go for it when it is this mild! Then the sun came out and foiling does not get any better, just me, a few yachts and hundreds of waders flying past, just perfect:) Out nearly two hours I headed back, quickly packed up, showered and headed home to drop my trailer off before heading to the dip to join up with the family for a great walk to Felixstowe Ferry and were treated for a cuppa and chips by a friend, what a top day and might have to head over to Levington early again tomorrow, supposed to be even windier and still 14 degrees:)

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