Rock 'n Roll Weekend Part II: Iron Pier

A few things about Iron Pier:

1.  The name is a turn-off to some people.   Who wants to windsurf near an iron pier?   Sounds dangerous/ugly/unpleasant.  (Note:  There is no iron pier at Iron Pier.  It's a beach park.)

2.  When it gets big, it can be intimidating...the wind can get fickle, six foot high waves will jack up out of nowhere (usually when you're waterstarting,) the inbound reach often involves bearing off while overpowered through lumps and windblown waves, and there's no place clean to jibe on the inside.   Jason has said he hates sailing the Pier, and I have been heard whining that we should sail Meschutt instead (my favorite playground for NW.)

3.  (The good thing:)  If you like jumping on port, you will get big air here.   Lots of steep sizeable ramps to fly off of.  So fun can be had, but at a price.   

Sunday closed our great windsurfing weekend with another 4.0 session, featuring Jeff, Scott, Bill and the Wolf sailing in the sunny but cold conditions (38 degrees air, 38 degrees water...that's a 76 for those of you playing "The Hundred Rule" at home.)  The kind of day for which God created drysuits. 

We got two to three good hours before the wind started dropping.   But that was fine with me, as my back foot got stuck in the footstrap when I crashed a jump (This is not the first time I've hurt myself at the Pier.) So now I'm limping around.  Better to be limping on a Monday morning than a Saturday morning!

Comments

[Mike Burns]

Hey Michael,

I couldn't find your e-mail anywhere. Shoot me an e-mail if when you get a chance. I'm organizing a windsurfing event here on long Island and was wondering if you could help us out.

Thanks,

Mike Burns

[Josh]

I wanted to go out on Sunday, the water down here in MD was even a toasty 44 degrees. Unfortunately no drysuit or sailing buddies = sitting on the couch.

Also thanks for letting me check out your van last fall (hatteras). I went with a truck, but I liked many of your storage ideas. When its finished I'll post the pics on the blog I just started.

[Frank M]

Hope your injured wing heals up soon. Injuries suck!