Industrial Strength Windsurfing at ABK Day Three

Yes it was raining, but it was a sweet warm summery rain from the Southeast, and whitecaps were abundant, so Andy Brandt decreed that we should start the day on the water, picking up where we’d left off Saturday evening.

And we did.    In the warm wet wind, ABK’s students hit the water.  And hit the water again.  And again and again and again.  Whether they were working on tacking or duck jibing or looping or vulcans, everyone was relentlessly plugging away in a nonstop aquatic parade of falls, crashes, and being thrown like a ragdoll (that was me.)  

And it was great fun.   It was so much fun that nobody ever stopped to take a break, catch their breath, or get off the water for a moment.   With instructors both near the beach and out on the sand bar in the middle of the bay, you could try your moves on both tacks, so the morning session was:

1.    Sail 90 seconds on port.
2.    Crash
3.    Sail 90 seconds on starboard.
4.    Crash.

And continue this cycle all morning. 

After two hours Brendon (the instructor working the sand bar) sailed in to Andy Brandt and said “These people are crazy!”

Crazy, sure.  Like I said, it was great fun, with Wilson, Jason and Voytek going all out for duck jibes, Peconic Jeff, Buddha Mike, Vulcan George, Air Rich, The Mighty Larry Hoff, Starfish Marr and Pete Roesch chasing Vulcans…

(“Don’t call me Starfish” I hear Mr. Marr saying!   Okay, Air George…)

…and me in the “try not to break your neck” school of looping.

“Truly excellent carnage,” Andy observed.

After the morning session on the water we stopped for lunch, followed by a quick lecture, followed by a return to the water to work on Geckos and such lighter wind fare (the wind had dropped a bit.)   I joined the fray even thought I was exhausted and stiffening up.   Then I heard The Windsurfer Formerly Known as Starfish proclaim himself done, finished, toast, and as I watched him walk his gear into the beach, I thought “I’ve learned enough in this clinic to keep me busy for months, and seeing as how I have barely enough energy to walk, wouldn’t it be great to call it a day?”

It was and I did.

(Later this week:  A followup to the Pete/George feud report, and a bit about the Kite Chump.)

(Top:  Air Rich takes a spin.  Middle:  The Mighty Larry Hoff wants you to live long and prosper.  Bottom:  The editor as loop carnage, while George Marr watches approvingly.  These and many more of Peconic Jeff's photos from the clinic can be found on Jeff's Flickr site.)

Comments

[Bunty]

Thanks Puffy - finally done it!

[Bunty]

Thanks.........keep those forward attempts going. They will prob remain in my dreams! But who knows..............may make history.

[TonyWind]

Nice action guys, you are indeed a bunch of nuts and that's why we like to read about you...

[mike burns]

I started righting a really long comment, but then decided to sum it up with AWESOME!!!!!

[PDK]

I wish I could have made it!