Sailing this summer has been kind of sparse for me. It was nice to get out Saturday afternoon. Ron, canadian Dave and Art were on the water when I arrived around 2:30. Wind was out of the NE and light. I rigged an 8.5 on the formula board and launched on the north side of the causeway. I sailed up the river and met up with Art. We were making runs from Joes point and heading up towards the west island of the Jensen causeway. After exiting a jibe you had to hunt for a gust to get back up on plane but for the most part I was fairly well powered.

Labor Day Sail

On labor Day I was over in Ft Myers and the wind was blowing! When I arrived at the Sanibel causeway there was several windsurfers and kite boarders on the water. The wind was out of the south and I rigged a 7.0 on my 118L Bic. On a south wind the locals sail at the entrance to the causeway. There is a sandbar that cuts down the chop and makes for some good flat water sailing. They all use weed fins and the water is fairly shallow. I sailed on the outside of the sandbar because of my 40cm freeride fin and found some flat water more towards the causeway. Then I headed out towards Sanibel and did some exploring. Above is my GPS track. When I returned to the causeay there must have been a dozen windsurfers and haf a dozen kiteboarders.

2011_08_27

Saturday the wind was blowing NNW and it was mostly sunny. I arrived at the causeway around noon time, Canadian Dave and Dorian were there. I rigged a 7.0 and put a big fin on my Bic and sailed it all day. The wind was up and down but the gusts would last for quite a while and you always wanted to go back for another run. A lot of sailors showed up including two guys from Miami on formula gear. There has been a lot of jelly fish in the river, although they are thinning out. Ron, the youngest Dave and I have gotten stung. It would be a good idea to keep a bottle of ammonia with your windsurfing gear. If you don't have ammonia keep well hydrated and talk to Ron about "the procedure".
Sunday I arrived at the causeway around 3:00. The wind was blowing around 12:00, then a small storm came through and it backed down. It started building again out of the west but when I got there it looked like 10.5 maybe 8.5. Dennis was packing up his 8.5 and Mike started derigging as well. Ron called me and said a storm was heading my way in 20 minutes. I stowed all my formula stuff and rigged a 6.0 and put it on the Bic. Just when I got the sail on the board the wind came in. Ron, "he da man". I made one run for 3/4's of a mile and then it faded out!

2011_08_25

Hurricane Irene

Irene brought some wind to the area. It started late Wednesday with the wind coming out of the east. Ron said he had the whole river to himself except for one kiteboarder. He sailed the north and south side of the causeway and I believe he rigged a 7.2.
Thursday at lunch time I went to the Jupiter inlet and just before I showed up the wind backed down to 16mph out of the NE. John C and another windsurfer, I believe his name was Steve, were on the water. They had rigged 4.2's when the wind was blowing around 35. There was about a dozen surfers in the water, two television vans and an emergency medical unit. The EMT guys must have heard Ron was going windsurfing because he showed up shortly after I arrived. Ron and I decided it would be better to sail at the causeway. Dino, Ron and some others sailed in the afternoon on sails ranging from 4.2 to 5.5. I arrived after work and Mitch was packing up. I rigged a 4.7 on a 88L axxis. I was well powered for an hour and then the wind started developing holes. Charlie, Ernesto and eventually Brandon showed up. I put the 4.7 on a 118L Bic and that worked OK until the wind filled in and then I was out of control.
Friday Ron and Dino rigged 7.2's but could have been on 6.0's. The wind was out of the NW but by the time I got there I had to rig an 8.5 on the formula board. Eduardo, Brandon (the thin one), his wife and friends showed up. It was nice and sunny and a nice way to end the work week.