Geez its been its been almost a week and a half since I have been on the water. On the 10th a tropical depression was forming 100 miles west of Key West and it was creating some wind. When I arrived at the causeway there was a fair amount of whitecaps and the railings were buzzing now and then. After rigging a 7.0 a heavy rain storm passed through and shut the wind down. I waited 2 1/2 hours and it finally came back up. I was out for a half hour and then it started to fade.
Here's something to look forward to. Rick has a post on the forum concerning a fall slalom event. Check out his post and respond accordingly.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Saturday I arrived at the causeway around 3:00. Art had been on the water for a couple of hours. I rigged an 8.5 and sailed out north of the House of refuge. I was fairly well powered and stayed out an hour. Wind was SE and the water was kind of choppy from the boat traffic. Dino and Austin saw art Art and I from the dock at the House of Refuge and said it looked like we were flying across the water.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Doesn't get any better than this!
Sunday turned out to be the best day on the water. I arrived mid afternoon and rigged a 7.0 as Art was coming in to rig smaller. Ron had his family were there, his son learning on a windsurfer and his wife and daughter on an SUP. Larry was rigging and Brandon had just pulled up as I was heading out. Wind was SE, the sky and water was clear and tide was low. I felt a bit overpowered heading out and the heavy chop wasn't helping. I sailed out to the House of Refuge and as close to Hutchison Is as the sandbars would allow. Larry joined me out there and we had a great time blasting around. Water was flat and we had plenty of speed and then some gusts would come through and turn it up a few notches! Wish I had brought the GPS. I stayed out an hour and a half, it was hard to leave, jibing was sweet. Dino was rigging as I came in and the wind stayed up for him as well.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thanks T. S. Bonnie
Thursday I talked with Art as he was packing up. He said Dino and Ron were on 8.4's and it appeared they had sailed down towards the inlet. I was not thrilled with rigging an 8.5 but Art said he was well powered on his 7.5 and indicated I might make out alright on a 7.0. Shortly after Art left Ron and Dino came blasting up the channel and under the bridge (see photos below). Dino came in and said I should do OK on the 7.0. So I rigged and went out on the north side and after some pumping got going and had 45 minutes of some decent sailing.
All day Friday I checked the weather links and saw the average wind speed hit 36mph and could only hope it would be that way when I arrived. When I got to the causeway Bill was out on a 94L board and a 5.8 sail. I rigged a 6.0 and went out on an axxis 258. The current was strong and I couldn't get up wind and was happy just to make it back to the east island. This rig didn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the box. I put the 6.0 on the 118L bic and I was able to cruise way down the channel. After a few tacks I was between the spoil islands and it was unbeliveable. Strong wind blowing through and the sandbar cutting down all the chop. When you sailed north along the edge of the bar you could really get powered up and make some nice jibes in fairly flat water. There was some big rafts of seaweed coming up the channel and from a distance it looked like a sandbar. Occasionaly I would go between the spoil islands and head towards Indian River Plantation but it was to choppy for that board (see track above). Dino made his way down and we sailed around for awhile. I was out over two hours and had a great time.
Saturday at 6:30 am the wind was still blowing SE 18-23, so I was at the causeway at 8:00. The wind seemed light but wind line indicated 17-21. I rigged a 7.0 and schlogged for an hour and a half. I couldn't get up to the House of Refuge because of the current. I was derigging and the wind came up some so I went out on an 8.5 on the formula board. I had a good half hour sail and the seaweed was almost completely gone. Then the wind came up even more, I was overpowered and fatigued so I called it quits.
All day Friday I checked the weather links and saw the average wind speed hit 36mph and could only hope it would be that way when I arrived. When I got to the causeway Bill was out on a 94L board and a 5.8 sail. I rigged a 6.0 and went out on an axxis 258. The current was strong and I couldn't get up wind and was happy just to make it back to the east island. This rig didn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the box. I put the 6.0 on the 118L bic and I was able to cruise way down the channel. After a few tacks I was between the spoil islands and it was unbeliveable. Strong wind blowing through and the sandbar cutting down all the chop. When you sailed north along the edge of the bar you could really get powered up and make some nice jibes in fairly flat water. There was some big rafts of seaweed coming up the channel and from a distance it looked like a sandbar. Occasionaly I would go between the spoil islands and head towards Indian River Plantation but it was to choppy for that board (see track above). Dino made his way down and we sailed around for awhile. I was out over two hours and had a great time.
Saturday at 6:30 am the wind was still blowing SE 18-23, so I was at the causeway at 8:00. The wind seemed light but wind line indicated 17-21. I rigged a 7.0 and schlogged for an hour and a half. I couldn't get up to the House of Refuge because of the current. I was derigging and the wind came up some so I went out on an 8.5 on the formula board. I had a good half hour sail and the seaweed was almost completely gone. Then the wind came up even more, I was overpowered and fatigued so I called it quits.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)