Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Side-lined by Swine Flu
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wakeboarding- Fun with Face Plants
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Windsurfing- 3 Strikes and You're Out
The forecast was for winds up to 40 MPH, widespread, blowing all day & thru the night, dropping off on Sunday morning. Too much wind for me to kite! This was going to be a windsurfing day. Busted Drysuit- I sent it back for new knees. Barbara suggested I try her full baggy drysuit for a temporary replacement. It fit! Bottom Picture- unknown kiter playing in the waves at Revere. |
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Drysuit Blowout
I blew the knee out of my drysuit today at Hardings Beach. I just bent my leg and it split. Man that water was cold! My knee went numb almost instantly. It felt like someone hit it with something hard and cold but it was just the water. The bottom half of my suit is neoprene, tight fitting, so water didn't migrate in very far, allowing me to keep kiting, frozen knee and all.First time Self launching- I used a sign post at Hardings, put a rope and caribiner around it, hooked my chicken loop in and it worked great! Then I did it again at West Dennis pond after launching Scott. I used a metal pole and flew the kite out over the water, still worked great. First time landing a buddy while flying my kite-Scott's kite was leading edge down in the water at the shoreline. I just grabbed the LE and twisted it into the wind and held it until he ran down to it. After he had his kite secure, he landed me. Hardings Notes- in SW at low tide had lots of little breaking chop waves even though it was mostly waist deep or less where I was kiting- out near the inlet to Stage Harbor. Pretty challenging for my kiting level but I felt like I was learning a lot. There were more waves than in W. West Dennis Pond Side Notes- Mid tide in WSW winds worked great for Scott and me. It was mostly waist deep everywhere. Only room for a couple of kiters though. Hardings Beach, Kited, SW 14-21, 12M/ 152 ply board, Des, Jerry E, others. West Dennis, Kited, WSW, 11-18, 12M/ 152 ply board, Scott. |
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Patron Saints of Kiting
Windsurfing and kiting seem to bring out the best in some people. And some people's best puts the rest of us to shame. I'm not talking about being the best showman on the beach here. I'm talking about being friendly and helpful to others in need. I vote for them to be presidents of the world. The world would simply be a happier place. Imagine a world where everyone helps out everyone, (and no beach access problems). |
Picture- Frank coming in for a landing.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Why they call it The Cut
Because of the Great White sharks. fortunately, it seemed like they were eating their seal dinners somewhere else today. I didn't see too many fins anyway (none). I counted my toes before the session and after, and the number was the same. So I think I didn't lose any. The Cut, Windsurfed, 15-25, S, 5.2/RW 85 & Acid94, with Gerry, Scott, Leif, Simon from Quebec, Des beach visit, others. |
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Autumn in New England
Autumn in New England brings pastel painted leaves, halloween pumpkins, apple pie, and nor'easters. These are all beautiful things.
Naragansett Notes- NNE was only slightly side off at the S end of the beach but it was enough to keep the wind very light in the waves. The swell was about shoulder high but apparently the previous day's surf had washed out the sand bars making for closeout waves (this happens a lot here, so they say). Poor wind quality, poor wave quality, not what we had hoped for. It was still fun to sail with Gerry and Jeff and to try something new... After we packed up, it was too windy to go straight home. I made a detour to P Bay. Naragansett Beach, Windsurfed, NNE, 10-25, 5.7/Carve123, Jeff B, Gerry S. Pleasure Bay/ Boston Harbor- The wind wasn't big enough to have fun in the bay so I did a few runs then carried my rig across the causeway, near the pavillion and tidal outlet, and gave the harbor a try. I felt some satisfaction that I negotiated the rocky climb on the causeway without slipping and cracking my skull or board. The wind was a little better in the harbor but still not enough to plane consistantly. I was getting out close to Thompson Island, a little upwind of it. The towering cargo ships and cruise ships were going in and out, blocking my wind. Very rude! I scampered back across the causeway and made the last few runs in P Bay as the sun was setting. Pleasure Bay & Boston Harbor, Windsurfed, NNE, 10-25, 5.7/Carve123, Dave, Martin. |
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Plywood Kiteboard Experiment # 2
I got 1 run on my new board on Saturday. It felt like it was spinning out a little but I wasn't sure.
I had fun with the spray gun again but if the board doesn't work then it's just nicely painted junk.
This one was even cheaper than the first. The pads cost $5 for set, fins were $40 for set, screws, paint, epoxy didn't add up to much, straps were from a defunct windsurfing board, wood was 2 pieces of 1/4" birch scrap from making cabs in the shop. |
Saturday, October 10, 2009
First Encounter
First Encounter Beach- They say that this beach was named for the pilgrim's first encounter with kiteboarders. That's what they say! There were plenty of kites here today but not enough to feel crowded.Good Company- It was great to kite with Des and Luke. Thanks Des for showing me the spot and rescuing my board, twice! Lucky timing- I switched to windsurfing just before the wind cranked up. There was a wind jump from 20 to 35 in a couple of minutes. I'm glad that I wasn't out kiting with 12 meters then. High tide, strong wind, windsurfer = nice floaty jumps. Beach notes- Mid tide; the launch is flat water, kiting over sandbars, very user friendly. Low tide; the same but can have a 1 mile walk to water. High tide; (2 hours before and after), beach gets small, water gets choppy and deeper, if the wind is really strong it gets very jumpable chop, fun for windsurfing. First Encounter, Kitesurfed, 10-20, NW, Mid Tide, 12M Kite, 152 & 132 Ply Boards, Des, Luke, Lisa, Dave, others. First Encounter, Windsurfed, 20-35, NW, high Tide, 4.2/RW85, Solo. |
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Skunks at Scarborough
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Surfing Fool
I wanted to stay local because I didn't have much time to sail. Besides the local forecast for wind looked good for a change. Fooled again.
I crashed the surf scene at Nantasket. There were the usual stifled laughs and inquiries about my kooky looking board, footstraps and all. I said that it was a tow-in surboard that I bought from some guy named Laird Hamilton in Maui. Nobody seemed very impressed. |
Saturday, September 19, 2009
2 Winds
A windsurfing wind and a kiting wind. I sailed in waves, strong wind at Corp in the AM then kited in the mellow flats at Chapin during mid/low tide in the afternoon. It was a soul satisfying day!!! |
Sunday, September 13, 2009
AMC, Petra Kanz, and the Lighthouse Inn
The forecast for this weekend's AMC trip was bad. The trip was good. The clinic went well despite mostly rainy, mostly non-planing conditions, thanks to Petra's enthusiasm. This is the most important lesson from a windsurfing instructor- we're windsurfers. We make the most of what we get.
It was a fun group. There were some new faces, some old faces, and some very old faces, (even older than mine), but most faces looked pretty happy. I think everyone had a good time. West Dennis in E wind- On the rainy Friday evening, I got down early enough to have almost 2 hours of windsurfing, practicing my very weak port tack jumps, in strong E winds before dark. The wind seemed almost dead side shore but there was a very noticable wind shadow near the beach, and the meter read low by about 5 MPH.
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Sunday, September 6, 2009
Total Body Muscle Cramp
I windsurfed in the morning until my arms cramped up, then kited in the afternoon until my legs cramped up. It was perfection in muscle cramps. I didn't neglect any small part of my body.
Windsurfing- I made the long walk out to the water to start but I was just 1 person in the parade of windsurfers and kiters crossing the sand bar. The windsurfing felt so nice, with the side shore wind and Chapin's small wind waves. I practiced going down the line a little and even tried a couple loop attempts. |

















