Thursday 20th April - Windsurf **** The Stour at Wrabness – sunny but chilly rain late.

Foil – 20.10 knot max, 18.60 knot ave, 13.29 knot hour, 16.82 knot mile, 42.09 km., 14.25 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and an Evolution Freeride foil with a Naish Nalu 4.7.

With the wind continuing in the NE today, sunny until it rained on the way home, after yesterdays battering at The Dip at Felixstowe it was nice to get back to the River Stour at Wrabness for the first time since 10th October last year! With high water at 1.15 we decided to leave Felixstowe at 9 arriving just before ten with Mag coming too as she loves the walk around Wrabness Nature Reserve, it is also a peaceful spot to park as the lane is sheltered and full of blossom and birdsong. The tide was still fairly low so I was in no hurry, the foil board was soon set up and after taking several readings on the wind meter I had to make up my mind what sail to use??? I took a 5.6 first but it looked very windy in the middle of the river and I got a gust of 30 mph so took a 5.2 and 4.7, in the end went for the 4.7, in fact I could have easily used my 4.2 as it was seriously windy out on the water! I launched around 11.15 with Mag setting off on a lovely walk, mostly out of the wind inland as I set off across the river which was sadly very lumpy today, challenging conditions with some big gusts, not a day for really fast speeds although it did smooth off on the Suffolk side although the wind was patchy that side. You could do some nice long broad runs down the middle of the river. I stayed most of the session upriver toward Bradfield as the wind was particularly strong at the Wrabness end, gybing was OK in the lumpy/windy conditions helped by the small sail. I did have a run-down river bast the beach huts at Wrabness and had a mega long run back. Sadly, the chest infection, now well into its second week was beginning to take its toll and I decided to call it a day just after the tide turned but had been out none stop for well over two hours! Back to the van I made Mag a yummy sandwich for lunch and heard about her day before packing up and heading for home. I made a detour to Alton Water to see if the Highland cattle had had their calves, sadly not, we only saw four adults. It was now raining but we walked over a mile and a half, Alton Water did not look very inviting now with the raining falling and a solo winger and windsurfer out in gusty winds:( We continue to The Strand where I stop to take a quick pic of the Orwell Bridge in the rain and with cars queuing ahead, we take a lovely quiet lane back to the main Braintree Road and missed the hold up. So not my best day Stour but still great to be back on the river in what were some challenging conditions, after two pretty full-on windsurfing sessions I am looking forward to a day off tomorrow and are spending the day with the lovely Granddaughter, Maeva:)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=stephen.squirrell.1&set=a.10225473347473248