Friday 29th September – Windsurf **** River Orwell at Levington – sunny periods and mild.

Foil – 18.74 knot max, 17.64 knot ave, 10.43 knot hour, 15.01 knot mile, 45.53 km., 14.44 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and a Evolution Freeride foil with a Tushingham Storm 6.5.

A bit of a bonus session today really as I wasn’t expected to sail but when I checked Landguard weather station to see the wind building from the WNW so I decided to ride over to Levington to check the conditions, good high tide too around 12.20, Mag also agreed to either bus/walk or come on her bike with lunch:) Arrived at the marina at 9.50 as the sun started to show its face, with the wind cross off it is difficult to judge its strength but with some white water on the far side of the Orwell it was looking good. The foil board was soon set up and I took a chance with my 6.5 which proved perfect for most of the session, it is always gusty on river venues but I was flying for most of the time, it was only after three hours on the water with the tide dropping did the gusts stop coming! I had a few runs in front of the marina then had some fun down towards Felixstowe docks, just me, some yachts, an old barge, the dredger heading to Ipswich and some big flocks of godwits, just lovely:) The ony downside was a numpty in a puke green wake boat playing really load music:( It was nice to be on some flatter water as I have sailed a lot at Felixstowe lately and had some fun gybing, didn’t get near a 100 today, only 66:) After nearly 3 hours on the water I noticd Mag had arrived so started a slow beat back against the tide with winds easing but made it OK, out of the wetsuit to enjoy a top lunch in the van as the old barge sails back to Ipswich, pack up, shower and home via Homebase so Mag could buy some plants – top day:)

PS – I just had to mention the very sad news that some complete idiots have cut down the iconic Sycamore tree by Hadrians wall, there are many stunning pictures, it was truly a wonderful place and I just cant understand why someone thought it a good idea to cut it down, the world has gone completely to shite, it just amazes me the human race has survived this long!

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