I’ve been trying to get Steve to sail the ocean with me for a couple
of years now. Back in the Original Puffin days (circa 1993) Steve
tried his hand at Long Island wave sailing, shortly after which he
coined the phrase “the twelve hundred dollar wheel” describing being tumbled end over end whilst the wave destroyed $1.2K worth of
windsurfing equipment. He had his butt kicked.
Then a few years ago I began to sail the ocean, and got my ass kicked too, again and again and again and again. And again! But thanks to Jon, Scott, the Wolf, Bill etc providing helpful guidance ("don't sail onto the beach...you're gonna break your neck" was an early favorite) I have managed to ascend above total incompetence. So when Scott declared Ditch Plains as the site of Saturday's session to be, I was excited to bring Steve. I've only ever windsurfed Ditch Plains once, but it was so clean, so well behaved, with such an accommodating wave, that I felt confident Steve's bay sailing chops would be more than sufficient for him to have a fantastic time. As we headed east together I kept calling Steve on his cell, cooing about smooth, friendly, inviting waters.
We arrived, and immediately walked out on the beach to take in conditions. "Yeah, this is great," Steve said.
I was horrified. This was not the Ditch I'd sailed. Side on SSW conditions (5.2-5.6 sails) had turned it into a gnarly obstacle course...sort of like Ponquogue throwing a hissy fit. It was going to be good fun for me and the other guys there for the sesh (Bruce, CD, Scott and the Wolf) but Steve...um...this was less than optimal for him.
"I'm so glad I'm doing this!" Steve said as he rigged up.
Between the waves and the current and the flukey inside winds and the sweeping side waves Steve had several adventures getting 3/4 of the way out. Yes he got worked, but so did the rest of us (I had my longest swim-after-gear of the year.) And he's mad stoked about his next wave adventure! I kept thinking he was going to punch me in the nose for sweet-talking him into this abuse.
(Top: Scott and Bruce make sense of the madness. Middle: Steve wonders what the heck I was talking about..."friendly and smoothe?" Bottom: The editor threads a path. Photos from the session by Peconic Jeff. P.S. I tried to come up with a Halloween-Wolf bit, but the results were worse than my usual drivel. So consider yourself spared!)
Hey! I am the aforementioned Steve and I did have a great time. Truly. But after reading this, I feel some righteous anger is in order. But I can't muster it. It was after all, a realy great time. (P.S. When does the sand stop coming out of my ears?)
Posted by: Neurstev an OG Peconic Puffing | November 02, 2009 at 12:49 AM
These conditions look a bit like our North Easterly conditions which I love not just for the waves but cos it means we can sail from one of the only sailable sandy beaches we have! Try surfing those kind of waves with the threat of being washed up onto sharp rocks riddled with sea urchins!! Consider yourselves lucky where you are cos you have such a vast choice of areas (with sandy beaches) to sail in sorts of wind directions, our choices are mainly down to two or three!
Posted by: Bunty | November 02, 2009 at 02:05 AM
it wasnt perfect but it sure was fun! and it was on a sat.!!!!also my wifes & mine 44 yr. anniversery. thank u dear!
Posted by: scott kielt | November 02, 2009 at 08:03 AM
Did you get married when you were ten? 44???
Posted by: the editor | November 02, 2009 at 08:07 AM
Congrats Steve! I'll look forward to sailing with you and the boys soon.
Posted by: Jon | November 02, 2009 at 11:33 AM
looks like ya'll had a really good time. was there any decoupling going on?
Posted by: george markopoulos | November 02, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Well personally I got decoupled from my gear for about two minutes. Also, coming down my personal steepest wave of the day I had serious concerns about being decoupled from my ass, but it all worked out fine.
Seriously though, the ocean is still relatively warm...in my limited experience we don't get decoupling on southerlies until late December the earliest.
Posted by: the editor | November 02, 2009 at 12:58 PM
all I can tell you is, yes it was a bit challenging, but the risk was worth the reward, and Scott your wife Kris is truly a saint!!!Congrats....CD
Posted by: cd | November 02, 2009 at 05:22 PM
What brave souls are ye.
Posted by: Van | November 02, 2009 at 08:33 PM
why thank u c.d. no mike we met on that date,married much later.
Posted by: scott kielt | November 02, 2009 at 09:43 PM
I was the good dad. Trick or treating with my little ones instead of wave sailing. Glad you guys got the rare Ditch session in!
Posted by: Frank B | November 03, 2009 at 09:32 AM
that is the scariest thing I've seen this halloween.
Posted by: bowsprite | November 04, 2009 at 10:02 PM
That "smooth" thing -- reminds me a bit of when Lenny and I caught it on a Labor Day weekend many years ago.
THere was still some working going on. Inside flukiness etc., but the scariest thing...
Were the rusted out holes in the floor of LennyDaSquid's old dark blue Suburban, through which you could see the road rushing by underneath — all the way back to Port Washington — and Lenny saying I don't know how much longer this truck will last before the floor falls through. Niiiice!
Posted by: McPhilly | November 09, 2009 at 08:13 PM
Hey McPhilly!
I had a car like that in the 80's...I tried floormats to hide the holes...then one night taking a nice girl out on a date, I hit a large puddle. The force of the water knocked the floormat aside and gave the girl a face full of street puddle.
I did not do well that night, needless to say.
Posted by: the editor | November 10, 2009 at 07:20 AM