The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Sebonac on Northwest...What's Going On?

When it blows NW on eastern Long Island everybody knows the spot to sail is Meschutt. But for some reason everyone was at Sebonac Inlet yesterday as the winds blew 25 gusting to 35 in the morning. The reach was out into the bay towards Riverhead, with starboard jumping favored (but not the classic field of ramps you get at Sebonac on Westerlies.) In addition to much of the usual crowd (Scott, the Wolf, John H, Jeff) there were quite a few windsurfers I didn't know, and a few that I've never seen there before.

The triumphant arrival of Massimo (who lives just up the road but somehow hasn't been sailing Sebonac) was a highlight. He took the rookie ride, getting sucked through the inlet by the incoming tide, and now like me he will never forget to respect that harmless looking little patch of water adjoining the otherwise wonderful launch (I got dragged out into the bay three times trying to land on the inlet sand during my first session.) He was also seen with a huge grin as he sailed through the swell.

Rich Simmons was a welcome addition. Last seen at in last week's ABK clinic at Napeague Rich made the trip to check out Sebonac, eschewing CIB and other favored mid-Island spots in favor of some Peconic action (we hope to sail with him at CIB one day this Fall.)

Last but not least in the new arrival department was the appearance of my new ride, which will be the subject of an upcoming post. The virgin session was sweet!

(Photos: Massimo where he belongs...launching at Sebonac Inlet.
Rich in Peconica.
My new ride looks good on the beach.)

For detail on all of these spots, check out the Long Island Windsurfing Map

ABK Part Deux

Sunday morning was the icing on the cake.

We started on Friday: Al, Brewster, Chris, Doug, George Marr, George Pav, Jeff, Jim#1, Jim#2 , John, Kathleen, Larry, Pete, Matt, Rich and I had spent Friday and Saturday sailing in subplaning conditions while ABK layed the instruction on thick.

It would have been more exciting with ten additional knots. George Marr in his Darth Vader helmet managed to summon The Force to pump onto a plane for 1.5 seconds, during which he threw his first push tack, but otherwise planing we were not.) Still, so far the clinic was a winner.

The forecast for Sunday morning promised no better on the wind front.

But morning arrived sunny and breezy, with 5.8-6.2 being the general sail call. Some of the freestyle students were trying their luck at loops and trick jibes, Brewster was putting his new board through its paces (a JP 109), and just about everybody cut loose to try out their new windsurfing skills.


When the wind lightened, the freestylers in the clinic rallied around Andy Brandt and Ben, and the windsurfing appeared to devolve into lunacy. While The Mighty Larry Hoff showed off some Gecko Flakas, lesser mortals (led by Jeff) pursued the Gecko Loop. The Gecko Loop falls under the "moped" rule...it's fun to do but you don't want anyone to see you doing it. It's a low and slow faux loop that leaves you laughing at the end...and immediately trying another because you had so much fun! I will try and get video of the move sometime soon, but I'll have to find someone willing to be videotaped doing one.

(Photos: Headmaster Andy shows boom position in mid-Gyro/Flaka; Students ponder the proposition. Andy instructs, and Larry Hoff observes as Michael tries a Gecko Flaka (I didn't make it. The photo is from Jeff's ABK collection.) Strictly for the advanced soul: George Pav receives guidance in the mystic practice of boom boxing. Push away that which you want. Pull what you wish to move away.)

Swap Meet on Saturday

The next Long Island swap meet takes place this Saturday at Windsurfing Hamptons. From the store's website:

Buying -closeouts available, specials on closeout '07 equipment, and loads of used gear to choose from.

Selling -Please drop your used gear by the shop from the 23rd of sept thru the 29th (swap day)before 9am.

Rain or shine, windy or not, swap will run.

I'll be there, selling:

A Naish 8'5" wave board (2002, 84 liters) in very good condition, with bag and 3 fins. That's it in the photo.
A Fiberspar 430 mast in good condition.
WSH boom with harness lines.
A Fiberspar carbon mast base extension.
An old 4.0 wave sail (Sailwork Revo)

UPDATE: Also selling our F2 Air 265...115 liters of friendly forgiving board. We've kept it for visiting windsurfers, but after 2 years it hasn't been sailed once, so on the block it goes.

And other stuff.

I'll be buying whatever looks tasty (that I need...or like a lot.)

They're Back...Windsurfing Clinic At Napeague Starts Tomorrow

If you missed it last week, ABK Boardsports starts another three day clinic tomorrow morning at Napeague. Andy Brandt will be teaching a special freestyle group, while Ben, Tom, and the rest of the instructors work with everyone from "never been on a board before"-types to aspiring jibers.

Come meet a bunch of regulars from the Yahoo Long Island Windsurfers Group.

See what makes The Mighty Larry Hoff so mighty.

Get better yourself!

(My name is Michael, and I'm a windsurfing clinic junkie.)

(Photo: One of my favorite ABK clinic-mates is "Transition" Tom Hazel. A light-wind genius from Pennsylvania, I once heard it said that Tom could sail for three hours without his board traveling more than twenty feet, as he'd pull off trick after trick. Tom won't be at the Napeague clinic, but his spirit of willingness to try new things and the desire to improve will.)

When You Absolutely, Positively Need to Plane

(From The Mission 2007 event in Holland. Steve Bodner was there and has the story.)

ABK at Napeague, Week One

Day one was barely planeable, and day three strictly nonplaning, though day two saw gusts over thirty ("typical camp conditions" according to ABK-meister Andy Brandt. "We get nothing or it blows stink!") The sun kept shining, the instruction kept coming, and week one of ABK's Long Island tour seemed to be a winner.

Highlights included everything from the minting of a brand new windsurfer to Dana's first duck jibe ("I dreamed about that duck jibe" Dana told The Puffin.) Sally got her high-wind waterstarts down and was ripping into jibe entries ("I was hammer down!") and Lily expanded her definition of "scary fast." Dana, Sally, and Lily were just a part of the exceptional showing of shredders of the female species at this clinic, which also featured Long Island regular Jill (her husband George joins your humble editor in next week's clinic).

While Friday and Sunday were far less radical, there was still a lot of light wind work to do on the water, and lectures aplenty (with groups ranging from rigging 101 and waterstarting to duck jibes and nose-spin hoss tacks.) Andy, Ben, Ed, and Tom kept students' plates full.

Everyone had a victory or three...Robert can just TASTE getting into the footstraps and tearing off across the bay! You can get in on the action too next Friday and join ABK for their second September session on Long Island. Join your editor, Peconic Jeff, The Mighty Larry Hoff, Jill's husband George and a whole crew of windsurfing lunatics at next week's clinic. Hope to see you there!

(note: if you lost or found any equipment at the clinic, post a message in the Yahoo Long Island Windsurfers Group, and/or you can leave a message here and I'll post it if you don't want to join...though you should join!)

(iWindsurf chart: The winds arrived on Saturday with a bang.
Photo 1: Lily discusses the planing jibe with ABK instructor Ben
Photo 2: Rip fest in 25+ knots
Photo 3-5: ABK says "Get better here." You can. The Peconic Puffin wouldn't lie.)

Sebonac Goes Off on Saturday

For those of us not lucky enough to be at the ABK clinic, several WERE lucky enough to catch a solid bump and jump session at Sebonac Inlet. Check out the video on Jeff's blog.

(Photo: Frame capture from Chiaying's Sebonac video.)

The NOAA Song

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a song. "Forward with NOAA".

Forward with NOAA
With the Corps that's got it all

Science and Service
We are always there to meet the call

We survey the oceans
And we track storms in the air

Forward with NOAA
We're the NOAA Corps, we're always there

It has to be heard to be believed. According to NOAA the song was written to boost morale. Give it a listen and see if it boosts yours.

(Props to Ben Kaufman, who posted this on rec.windsurfing.)

September 11th

Sally and I live about a mile and a half from the World Trade Center. We were fortunate in that we did not lose anyone close to us, though a number of friends (including people who have appeared in this blog) were right there and barely escaped. We know people who lost people, though, and we think of them.

We're a mile and a half from the World Trade Center, but we live three feet from New York City Fire Department Ladder Company #3. They're our next door neighbors. They lost twelve men that day. Originally we were told that the entire company had been killed, but then we got the good news... only twelve men lost.

I don't know about other New Yorkers, but I'm reminded of that morning every day I'm in Manhattan.

(Photo: This plaque is on the back of Ladder 3's truck. Most any time you see a fire engine in New York City, you'll see the names of firefighters that were lost by that fire company. )

Gabrielle, She Storms in Hatteras

OBX Bill has been posting about Tropical Storm Gabrielle, which came into Hatteras yesterday and "didn't do much damage" according to the national media (By Outer Banks standards they probably didn't even tie down their dogs. They know storms in Hatteras.)

Bill reports winds up to 45, good clean fun etc, nothing extraordinary. Then I read this bit:

"Today (Sunday), we are expecting strong SE winds and a rare Cove Sesh! The only drawback to the Cove is that we have heard that the bull sharks are mating there at this time...May have to sail a little conservative in the waves to avoid any long gear swims?!"

The bull sharks are mating. I myself would be disinclined to disturb them in any way. The bull shark is not one of those sharks who, despite their fearsome appearance, actually pose little threat to humans. No, that's not the bull shark. The bull shark officially ranks third in the number of attacks on people, but according to the good folks who produce Shark Week bull shark attacks are underreported, because bull sharks are difficult to identify as a species. Many attacks attributed to big-ass sharks of indeterminate species are likely the work of bull sharks.

Bull sharks eat people who are minding their own business. How do you think they react when interrupted in the heat of passion?

ABK Is Coming

Andy Brandt and his apostles of windsurfing fun and technique will roll into Peconica later this week for two ABK clinics. Whether you've never been on a board, to getting into the footstraps, to your wildest jibingest loopy freestyling dreams, this is the place to get better fast. Three day clinics at Napeague start Friday the 14th, and again on the 21st. The Peconic Puffin will be there. You should be there too!

New Suffolk, Take Two: How Nice can Nice Get?

Granted, "nice" isn't as compelling as radical, epic, or nuking. But yesterday afternoon's session at New Suffolk was picturebook sweet. And for Jeff and I, it erased the memory of our first New Suffolk sesh, which was a flirtation with disaster.

Sunny, warm and consistent were the winds, with everyone on sails between 5.8 and 6.2. The crowd included John V (the Wolf), Jon Ford, John H, Bill, Scott, Peconic Jeff, Steve P "the man of pain" (says Jon Ford) and your humble reporter. While there was a 20 minute period when the wind dropped five knots (during which the consensus was "it was short but sweet") it soon came back up, this day without gusts or lulls. The signature tide against wind chop was moderate, and soon everyone ended up east of the sand bar, where a mad jibefest took place on the pool table smooth water. It was exceptionally...nice!

So much nicer than last time.

(Top: Jeff says "This is MUCH better than last time!" Photo by Chiaying.
Bottom: Look at the wind from 3:30-6:30. Consistent. Not gusty. Very nice!)

Surfwise: The Paskowitz Documentary

Perhaps you are well familiar with the Paskowitz family, who have been teaching surfing to all kinds of people all around the world for decades. Maybe you've never heard of them. They're worth knowing about. A documentary is now being made...check out this extended clip from a:

"rhythmic and sensual film portrait of 83-year-old surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, his wife Juliette, their 9 home-schooled kids, and his radical philosophy on medicine, food, sex, surfing and the wisdom of the waves."

It's a great clip.

Sally's Gonna Jibe

My wife is learning to carve a jibe. I have a number of thoughts and emotions about this, so I'll just make a list:

1. It took me forever to learn to jibe...she can't just waltz on in, fit jibing into her mega-busy schedule of things to do, and succeed.

2. I still can't jibe! Actually I can...on a good day I rip through jibes and duck jibes, but I still blow some. The racer who said "Jibing is a career" in a magazine interview a few years ago had me in mind.

3. You have to sail pretty darn fast to be able to pull off a planing jibe. Sally has never had a taste for speed, though lately I've had to work to pass her on the water as she's begun to put the hammer down. And I'm mindful of Dasher's prophetic words to my svelte bride in Aruba: "Speed will never be a problem for you."

This all started last year in Bonaire, during an ABK clinic. I was looking across Lac Bay, catching my breath while struggling to learn Grubbies or some other mutant aerial, when my eye was caught by Sally bearing off and initiating a carve. I thought I was mistaken...she'd been hovering on the waterstart/speed in the footstraps plateau, working on pre-jibe skills...but there she was, working on jibing 101 on the Carribean blue water. I never thought I'd see the day. (I so commented to ABK later, who now sometimes put that quote on their website for promotional purposes.)

But that was last year. Yesterday we had a perfect late-summer session at Mecox. Sally was fully powered on a 4.7 (me on the 6.2) and she was charging into her jibe attempts with real velocity. Again and again and again. I realized that she's going to get this. Then she nearly hit her first, right in front of me.

It's gonna happen.

(We're back in clinic land in a few weeks...join us when ABK arrives for two clinics at Napeague, September 14-16, and 21-23. I'll be the guy making a mess of freestyle. Sally will be the jibing blonde.)

(Top: Sally flashes a shaka after barely missing her first carved jibe.
Bottom: The ABK quote.)

The Windsurfing Movie: Short and Sweet Review

Without a doubt the best looking wave sailing footage I've ever seen is in The Windsurfing Movie. I'm not referring to the performance of the windsurfers (which is tremendous) but the actual look and feel of the guys on the waves. I've never watched footage that made me feel like I was on the wave before. The detail of all the chaos that comes to play when boards fly through pitching lips is wonderful. It's cliche, but my enthusiasm and stoke to get back out into the waves is at a "ten" today. Is there anything more clean and powerful than Robby Naish ripping into a bottom turn?

There are interviews, there is good music, there's a bit of Maui-centric windsurfing history (they don't mention Newman Darby), and they serve well to provide moments to catch your breath, but it is all about the cinematography. I bought a copy immediately, as I'll need to watch the movie again. And again.

As for the premiere itself, the Southampton Cultural Center was well filled with windsurfers and a fair helping of Jace's friends and family. As usual, I struggled to adjust to seeing certain people in anything but a wetsuit (presumably they were surprised to see me in anything but an ABK t-shirt.) Peter Bogucki from the New England Windsurfing Journal showed up, where he shadowed the Peconic Puffin reporters, trying to get a handle on how we'd report the story, but he didn't get nothing from us.