Alex looking for the wind to fill in

Suprised again!

Tuesday we were still under the influence of a westerly flow but it was flowin a tad more than usual. When I got there it was blowing 16 - 24 and Art was on a 7.5 and Dino a 7.2. Dang it was hot, usually it is cooler when you get to the causeway but the west wind was bringing on the heat. I rigged a 7.0 on my 118L board and headed south on the east side of the channel and then the channel itself. The wind was clocking around more towards the north and Dino suggested sailing on the north side of the island where he just came from. So I sailed from causeway to causeway and for the most part was nicely powered. Occasionaly it would fade out and left you wondering if you'd make it back. Alex was out doing his freestyle thing and Chris was on the water as well. I had a great session and was happy to be on a 7.0.

Chris taking advantage of the afternoon breeze

pleasently suprised

Sunday I was on the water at 4:00 riding the formula board with an 8.5. When I was driving across the causeway Art was heading out on his 7.5 and he looked well powered. I considered rigging a 7.0 but by the time I was in the water the wind had backed down. It was a challenge getting out with the light wind, boats, jet skies and chop. I schloged for half and hour and then the wind filled in and I was well powered. I sailed with Art on the east side of the channel north of the spoil island and the wind was out of the SSE. The wind stayed up for an hour and then faded. By the time I got back to the causeway it picked up again. Chris was heading out and if I knew the wind was going to stay up I would have rigged my 7.0. I was making runs back and forth across the river just south of the causeway. The boat traffic had died and there was a lot less chop. Two kite boarders were out and the wind was the strongest it had been all day. I quit at 7:00 and Art came in soon after, he said this was the best it had been in several weeks.

Saturday I rigged an 8.5 on the formula board and was on the water at 3:00. Wind was out of the SW and I was nicely powered but a few holes here and there. Then the wind clocked around to the NW. I followed Art under the bridge and headed up to the Jensen causeway. Once we got to Joes point it really picked up and we saw some lightening. I decided to head back and not to long after reaching the Stuart causeway the wind started to fade out to nothing. Chris had been on the water and Ron was rigging. Art told me he had been getting good wind all week and some days it was blowing 5.5, it was all dependant on the local storm cells.
Sunday I was on the water at 2:00 with the same rig. Dorian and Art were out but the wind was up and down. The first hour and a half was OK but then it started to fill in and at 4:10 it came in like gang busters. I was out in the channel heading south and was tail walking the formula board twice trying to stay out of the way of boat traffic. I stopped at the sandbar south of the spoil island and flattened my sail and was able to get back. Ron was on an 11.0 and spotted the wind coming and made it back to the island and went back out on a 5.1! After 20 minutes or so the wind backed off and Ron was out on his 11.0 again. I checked the wind history when I got home and it showed a gusts up to 30!

Its been over three weeks since I have sailed at the causeway and Saturday afternoon turned out to be good. I arrived at 5 and rigged an 8.5 on the formula board and had plenty of power. David was there and Dino and Rick showed up later. Wind was out of the SSE and the tide was fairly high. I had two good hours on the water.