The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

What is enough social distance in the wind?

Artie sent me an article that advised surfers they need much more than six feet to be safe from and for infecting others with COVID-19.   The breeze is the problem.   Droplets with the virus float with the wind.

Oh shit.

I will confess that during last Thursday's beautiful session I was holding my breath whenever I passed downwind of the other guys.   It seemed both goofy and prudent.   And strenuous...I like to take regular breaths when I shred.   Doh!

We must keep being mindful and cautious.

(A little more detail can be found in this piece from the San Diego Union-Tribune.)

 

Picture Perfect 4.7

"It's good to see you!" I said to the Wolf and Scott.

"Yeah, it's good to look at real people" the Wolf agreed.    No Zoom conversation this.   We were social distancing at Meschutt on Thursday, and rigging 4.7's.    I was ambivalent about windsurfing...it seemed so decadent and out of touch with all the mess and suffering, but my chores were done for the morning, my wife blessed my grabbing a (short) session, so I went.

Conditions were beautiful.   In classic Meschutt fashion the inside was extra flat and smooth, followed by small but perfectly formed ramps, and on the outside the swell was well spaced.   Easy peasy jibing.   Threw my first duck jibe of the year, and it felt GREAT.   The air was comfortable in the mid 40's, the wind was exactly 4.7 and consistent...the sailing was a joy.

After an hour of sailing Fisherman showed up.   "How's the water temp?" he asked.

"Nobody knows" Scott replied.  Nobody was falling.

About twenty minutes later the wind began to build, my out-of-windsurfing-shape arms were beginning to fatigue, and I thought "you're so lucky.   Enjoy what you had, now go home and get back to pandemic life.

I am grateful for the session and the time with friends.

 

Sailworks is making face shields for Oregon's health Care community

That's Bruce Peterson of Sailworks.  From their FB page:  "

To help mitigate the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in our local healthcare community, Sailworks has re-tasked our staff and sail loft to make medical face shields. The shields are lightweight, just 1.1 ounces, made from 7-mil monofilm with a foam headband and adjustable 1" elastic strap. It took a week to get stocked up on materials and get the 10-step cutting and production line set up, but we can now make 400-500 face shields per day.

This face shield project is in conjunction with the Hood River County Health Dept. and HMB 50, an Oregon not for profit to procure and donate PPE to health and public safety workers in the Columbia Gorge and beyond. HMB 50 stands for "Hand Made Brigade, 50" -- 50 being the number of hours it took to initiate this effort from the first plea from our local medical community. Please contact the Hood River County Health Dept. with requests for face shields - please don't call Sailworks for face shields."   There's more, including how one can donate to the cause, on Sailworks' Facebook page.

Thanks to Jill for originally posting this on the LI Windsurfer FB page.

Very Nice Digs for a Windsurfer

Flipping through a seven year old copy of "Hampton Cottages and Gardens" living underneath our coffee table (saved for a picture of some friends in the issue) I stumbled across an ad for "Steven Dubner Landscaping." The boards in the backround caught my eye.  Two Mistrals, a Seatrend, two F2's, a Naish, and a Pro Tech (also a surf board).  A solid connection at what looks like a very nice house.  Does he/she/they sail out the back?  Looks good in any event!

Sebonac Tonic

"Almost warm enough to not need gloves" Scott said.

I needed gloves for sure, but otherwise was quite warm in 25 knots/full sun/low tide Sebonac perfection.   Scott, John Natalie, David, Fisherman, the Wolf and moi on 4.2's and the occasional 3.7.   The sand bar was working, and for a few hours the wind was consistent and smooth.   How smooth?  I can't remember the last time I attempted a duck jibe on a 4.2 (I fear exploding) but it all seemed so nice on port that I took a shot.  Planed through boyeeeee!

Very nice.  More days like this please.

P.S.  with the fresh dredging of the inlet proper, landing on the east beach requires sailing the nose of the board onto dry sand if you want to step off in water that isn't overhead deep.  The north launch was favored (though I did do the sand landing thrice...makes me feel like an eight year old.)