The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Nuclear Weekend

I'm sidelined with an injury, but representatives of the Eastern Long Island Wind Chimp Association (and Brotherhood of Puffinry) caught big winds this weekend.   Here is Peconic Jeff's report on Saturday at Napeague:

"Blown off the water! 3.2-3.7 range. It was too windy to sail the outside, so we hunted for lulls in the harbor, but still got slammed by some sail rattling gusts. With air temps around 40, I wore gloves (something my forearms aren't happy about).

I rigged at 2:30, just as it shifted into over-drive. Bruce & Jan blown off the water 3.2, I joined the Wolf and Scott for a couple runs on my 3.5. Hairy and scary runs (perfect for Halloween)!"

Sunday the guys went to Meschutt.  Jeff reports "a classic Meschutt session. Missed exact low tide as early AM temps were still in the 30's, but by 11am we were on the water on 4.7. Lots of bumps to jump and slash. Unfortunately we ran into more problems with one windsurfer badly dinging a knee, and another getting locked out of their eurovan by a major wind gust."

I like how Jeff does not name the injured windsurfer or the locked out one.   It's CD and Christian, respectively (CD I'm right there with you...hope it's not bad and heal fast!)

(The Wolf at Napeague, the wind meter tells Saturday's tale, and CD is assisted back to his truck. Photos by Jeff Schultz)

Rocktober Racing On For Sunday

Here's the word from Pete Roesch:

It looks like we will have some NW winds Sunday.

Race is ON!!!!!

Where: West Neck Beach in Huntington on West Neck Rd

When: Sunday 10/30/11 sign in at 9:30am skippers meeting at 10:30 and racing right there after. 

Hope to see all you race heads there.

West Neck is #69 on the Long Island Windsurfing Map in case you need that information.  Have a great day (I'm missing it due to a dinged arm.)

Every Day Sailing Is A Great Day Sailing...

...may I have one please?   I'm officially half way through the forecasted healing period for my stupid bicep tear, and of course it's windy and wavy and my mind is filled with imagined sessions missed.   I would gratefully take any time on the water right now...good sesh, bad sesh, nonplaning sesh.  A little wind and wet please.

(Do I look silly in the photo?  Looks like fun to me.  Image courtesy Mr. Doutney.)

Jibing and the Well-Set Rail

Knees bent, hips in, head outside the turn, carving rail engaged...Dasher would be proud (Andy B too).  My last session (before the current hiatus to heal a torn tendon) featured some lit-to-overpowered jibing on the flat waters of Noyack Bay, and a camera to play to.  I like that the top of the fin is visible.  At the session before this (in the even flatter waters of the New Suffolk jibatorium) I was not getting my knees sufficiently into the turn, and had the water not been so flat I would have been bouncing out and off the plane.

If only I could do this all the time!

Photo by Karin Dauch.

I am the wind sacrifice #1

I cannot windsurf on account of my dinged wing.  So of course now there is the wind!  Somebody has to be the wind sacrifice, and these days it is me.

Jeff writes:

"We scored a nuke 4.2/77L session today at New Suffolk. Some big airs and a couple big crashes all around. Roster: Jon Ford, Scott Wolf Jan Bruce & Jeremy. The crew also scored a 4.2 wave sailing sesh yesterday at Ponquogue."

Scott commenti:

"thanks for the sacrifice mike..new suffolk was awesome!get well soon. by the way i delammed my jp 84 on a flat landing..waaaaaahhhhh!"

I know how you feel Scott...I have a delammed tendon!

Shred on, guys and gals...I'm out for at least two weeks.  Enjoy!

(Formation sailing outbound with Massimo On Noyack Bay, at what is my last session for awhile.  Photo by Karin Dauch.)

“You have a partial tear of the biceps tendon”

“You have a partial tear of the biceps tendon,” said my orthopedist.

I paused, waiting for what that meant.  Surgery?  Amputation?   Should I get my affairs in order?

“Two weeks in a sling, ice, and Advil” he finished.

Outstanding, relative to the other possibilities.   I’ve had a nagging problem in my right arm all summer, one that’s evaded diagnosist for months (the consensus was the problem was in my shoulder or neck, but MRI’s couldn’t find it and treatment couldn’t improve it.)   So the good doc called for an elbow MRI and found a nice clear picture of the tear.

Sounds like bad news, but after three months of “we’re not sure but we think” I’m happy he's found the problem.

Hope to see you on the water in November.   I am the wind and wave sacrifice for y’all, so go get some now!

Shark Week at The Horses Mouth

There are a lot of big white teeth on The Horse's Mouth this week, and they aren't saying "Hello Wilbur".    No they're not  De be shark teeth. Joe's got a SUP paddler hanging with a Great White (includes video), a shark surfing whilst young children play nearby on the beach (includes a link to a graphic photo of someone who got too close to a shark,) and a bull shark at a golf course (a hazard, really.)

If I was a hack my next graph would begin "what is it about sharks"...

What is it about sharks that captures our attention (wow that sucks even to type.)  I'll tell you the windsurfers' answer:  waterstarting.  

Go check out Joe for your Morning Shark.

Tearing It Up At The New Suffolk Jibatorium

“Will you shut up?” the Wolf asked Scott.  Scott was pestering him to get on the water.   We were at New Suffolk, where it was blowing 4.7 and build to 4.2 (“3.7!” the Wolf declared.)    It was setting up classically, with the western side of the sandbar leading to the crazed mogul field of tightly spaced swell, while east of the sandbar was the pool-table flat jibatorium.   And on this warm windy Saturday (thank you wind gods but hey you owe us) there were twice as many windsurfers as I’ve ever seen there, including (besides Scott and Lord vanderWolf):  CD, Bill, Peconic Jeff, Christian, Jason, Jimi, Jan, Bruce, Marty, Stefan, Bruce #2, another John, and a couple of other guys.   At least 16 windsurfers, which is like 50 showing up at Sebonac Inlet.

I’ve had a nagging bicep injury all summer that makes a lot of things painful, and sheeting in to jump especially so, therefore I spent most of my time east o’ the sandbar in the jibatorium.    Lit to overpowered with a  4.5 on 77 liters of love, the chop was peaking at about 3 inches, so you could really wind it up without bouncing all over the place. 

Unless you caught a rail.    It's great fun leaning into a jibe (or any move) at 30 mph, but if it goes wrong you makee one bigee splash.

If you look closely in the exploding spray you will see what I believe is the arm of one Jimi Jam, who word has it was attempting a body drag.  I was windsurfing about 100 yards behind him at the time...I thought he'd hit a grenade.  I was going like a bat out of hell myself (time to rig the 4.0) and had been exploding on port tack all day...now I had to avoid Jimi AND not run aground...and I pulled major G's (for me) in a jibe that had my head wanting to go flying off my neck.  What a rush!   Tried to recreate the experience but failed.   Still, a most excellent Saturday by any standard (except Bill's...the wind holes seemed to follow him around) and we are grateful.  And Sunday was still to come!

(Top: The editor leans into one at the jibatorium.   Middle:  Scott makes chimpanzee sounds as he exits the mogul field.   Bottom:  Jimi Sobeck does everything with flare.   All photos by Jeff Schultz.)

Scott Guarantees Wind for Saturday

"This is a sure bet its gonna blow sat.& possibly sun! ooooooohh tiana!"

Oh man is he trying to jinx it?   Geez.  Scott's enthusiasm is infectious, though, and I haven't been on the water in a month.

If it blows WSW then the call is Oh Tiana!

Photo of Lord Scotworth (the Earl of Kielt) courtesy Peconic Jeff.

Racing Cancelled For Saturday...Go Out And Rip (we mean practice)

Pete says we lost the safety boat, so competition Saturday is off, despite the outstanding forecast for Saturday  (W 20-25 gusting to 30.)

If it blows true West or WNW, try Sebonac Inlet out east.

If it blows WSW Tiana (ocean) may be the call.

(To find Sebonac Inlet, Tiana, or any of the other great windsurfing launches on Long Island, check out our Long Island Windsurfing Map.)

Rt. 12 on Hatteras is Open!

I haven't been there in a year and a half, but a part of me is always in Cape Hatteras.   I love the place, perhaps even more so because it's such primo hurricane bait.  I'm also mindful of Clay Feeter's line about appreciating Hatteras "because you never know if it's gonna be there next time."

They took it hard in Hurricane Irene.   Rt. 12 washed out in spots where the ocean and the Pamlico Sound shook hands.   Hatteras Island only accessible for the last month via ferry first from the mainland to Okracoke, then Okracoke to Hatteras.    So it's great news this morning to read Andy McKinney's post that the washouts have been bridged, and the OBX is accessible for business and play.   If you go, drive slowly, don't expect everything to be in peak form, and have extra consideration for the locals, some of whom are digging their lives out from quite a beating.

Three cheers for the road crews!

Here Comes Rocktober Racing on Long Island

(click on the link and start playing Led Zep’s Whole Lotta Love.   Once it starts, begin reading below.)

 

(turn up the volume, too.   Okay, ready?  Start reading!)

It's time for Rocktober Racing!  Pete is ready to pull the trigger, which means three things:

1.    He has a plan to defeat George,

2.    He’s found a safety boat,

3.    It’s time to race already!

So here’s the drill:   Pete (as we all should) will keep an eye on the forecast for the next two coming weekends.  If/when conditions look auspicious, he shall Declare the Race Day and Location (most likely Nassau County north shore.)  Pete says:

“We will have a 7.5 Class, an Open Class, and a Novice Class  (must be able to water start and jibe…not necessary planning.)   The wind minimum will probably be 12-15.  If you want to race you should sign up by emailing me at [email protected].”

Race location and time will be announced by Pete via email…it will also be posted in the Yahoo LI Windsurfing Group, on iWindsurf’s forums, and on The Peconic Puffin.

So be there, and bring your air guitar.

Joe Rocco Memorial: The Latest

A fine bronze sign now adorns the viewing stand at Joe's Beach in Heckscher State Park, part of the Long Island windsurfing community's continuing efforts to memorialize Joe Rocco, "the mayor of Heckscher".

Last month at a memorial ceremony in Joe's honor, his girlfriend Marianne detailed some of the plans for Joe Rocco memorials.  They include a permanently installed pair of binoculars at the beach (like the viewing binoculars often seen at boardwalks, except these wouldn't require a coin to work), a bench with a plaque remembering Joe, and a scholarship to send a deserving windsurfer to an ABK clinic.  Marianne reports that negotiations with the state (Heckscher is a state park) are progressing, and fundraising is doing well but they can use more money.    If you're interested in contributing to memorializing the unique and generous spirit that was Joe Rocco, you can send a check made out to Marianne Rantala or Tomas Infernuso at Marianne's office:

Marianne Rantala, Esq

357 Veterans Memorial Highway

Commack, NY 11725

(Joe Rocco died while windsurfing Hurricane Irene back in August.   If you're not familiar with Joe or the story, check out What happened to Joe Rocco and Remembering Joe Rocco.

The photo of the plaque is by Marianne.)