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Windsurfing "100 degree rule" as practiced on Long Island:
Air temperature + Water temperature + Wind Speed = 100 or higher.
Some Long lslanders like to get a bit more technical, and windsurf when:
Air temperature + Water temperature + Wind Speed + Weeks since last session + 5 (if it's sunny) = 100 or higher.
Skippers meeting at Ponquogue. Photo by Jeff Schultz.
A recent thread about an old board (and what to do with it) in the iWindsurf forums turned into a discussion of old boards as displayable art. "Noshuzbluz" Ron displays some beauties on his patio. In the second photo I admire the parrot, who I suspect is trying to blend in with the boards to evade predators.
The Wolf continued to dominate the media spotlight over weekend, following his dramatic rescue at New Suffolk last week. “I hope the Giants win so this nonstop Wolf coverage calms down,” Jeff Slecta said to me yesterday (the Giants won but the Peconic Puffin isn’t done just yet!).
In his latest interview with The Southampton Press the Wolf dazzled reporters, telling them he seeks out extreme conditions all over the world “because that’s what it’s all about”, and “no doubt” he’d go out again in the conditions that found him bobbing sans gear in the South Race (45mph gusts, swell 4-7 feet.)
I would ask the Wolf if he needs an agent, but I can already hear his response: “No. I’ve got it under control.”
Movie rights are complicated, though. And will he want approval on casting? Tom Selleck plays Scott, of course, but who plays the Wolf? Eastwood is the natural choice but he could be hard to get.
(scan of the article thanks to Peconic Jeff).Ted Bretter has been telling me for months about an old Windsport article that did a thorough job of explaining how to derig at sea. He told me that it once got him out of quite a jam. “You’ve got to find a copy,” Ted’s been saying.
Now after the Wolf’s misadventures on the Peconic (getting separated from his gear during at attempted derig) Ted reminded me again. So I reached out to Windsport windsurfing magazine and said “Hey, a guy here says 8 years ago you had quite the article about emergency derigging...any chance you can find it and republish it?” In less than an hour it was on Windsport’s website.
Spend some time checking out (I will be). It is thorough. It is Ted tested. And it could save your gear (or your ass.)
Thank you Windsport! Good idea, Ted!
It was 25 gusting to 45 with 5-7 foot swell in the North Race mogul field, water temp 40 degrees with swirling currents on Friday the 13th. What could go wrong?
Scott, Frank and John vanderWolf had been tearing it north of Robins Island at New Suffolk, sailing 3.7-4.2 with big gusts and lulls. But after Scott hadn’t seen the Wolf in an hour he called 911 (“I’d have called earlier but he hates being rescued”) and now Scott was listening to the radio conversation between the search helicopter and police. “We see a sail floating in the South Race,” the helicopter reported, “but no body.”
This was bad. The Wolf’s rig was drifting halfway around Robins Island, and the Wolf nowhere to be seen? Scott tells me he was imagining calling John’s wife and telling her they didn’t know where he was, when suddenly he spotted what looked like someone standing on the North Race sand spit. The police called the helicopter, the ‘copter came up north and took a look, and Lo it was The Wolf, knee deep in strong current, trying to make his way onto the island. The Bay Constable boat headed over, “a strong guy reached over, grabbed me by my harness and pulled me on board,” says the Wolf, and the population of Eastern Long Island Wind Chimps and Puffins was officially noted to have not decreased by one.
What happened? “The waves were beautiful…the biggest I’ve ever seen it there,” the Wolf tells The Peconic Puffin. Not long into the session his headcap came off the top of his mast, and unable to get it back together bobbing in the mogul field he attempted to derig the sail and tie it all up on his board (readers not familiar with New Suffolk and North Race bump sailing note: the waves/chop is very tightly spaced and steep, and multidirectional.) Almost succeeded, until a wave yanked his gear away from him and out of reach. So there he was, bobbing and spinning in 5-7’ waves, trying to swim somewhere in 40 degree water.
Did I mention that the Wolf is 67?
It took him much of an hour, but he made it to the Robins Island sand bar while the current was dragging his gear half a mile south. At high tide the sand bar was submerged under 2 feet of current. “I figured I’d make my way to the island and find someone to give me a ride. My feet were getting numb, and then all of a sudden there was a helicopter overhead."
When the Constable dropped John off on shore EMS workers insisted on checking him out. His body temperature was recorded at 93. Peconic Jeff tells us that “according to hypothermia charts, 93F is borderline between "You start to move slowly and feel week and confused" and "You fall over when you try to walk around, and have trouble using your hands".
The Wolf says he felt fine.
The Wolf has people over at his place every Friday night, and there being nothing special about this Friday he kept to his custom. I'll bet the fire felt particularly warm, though.
(Thank you Scott for risking the Wolf's wrath and calling it in. Thanks to the following for being involved in the response. The Wolf is worth it:
Southampton Police
Southold Police
Suffolk County Police Helicopter unit
Cutchogue Fire Department Ambulance team
Peconic Bay Constable
U.S. Coast Guard.
Photos by Scott Kielt)
"20 knots - 80degrees - small surf - 9.5kite & surfboard & 3 guys out-small craft ad. today & tomorrow-c'mon down boys-no rubber necessary-peace-bb"
This is not a real invite to join Bill in Puerto Rico. Bill's purpose is to create bitterness and envy. CD says I should be positive, but I'm going with b & e. Also some seething. I hate Bill Barber. Hulse too, if he's down there.
:)
Actually I'd be down there in a second if my arm worked. I'm hoping to try the ragged thing soon. In the meantime, Bill send some new photos!
(Photo of Bill windsurfing in PR by John Hulse, borrowed from last year's rant.)
What is the wave etiquette in this situation? Women and children first?
As seen on The Horse's Mouth.
The Wolf returned to the water a few days ago, sufficiently recovered from a dinged knee. Peconic Jeff noted that this event took place on the auspicious day of a Wolf Moon. I asked Jeff (who knows about moons) when the Puffin Moon was, as I am desperate to get back on the water. Jeff did some research and said "I don't know...all I found for "Puffin Moon" was this:
(Wolf photo by Jeff Schultz. Puffin photo by Sally Van Natta, an impressive nature photographer. Check out her work on Flickr.)
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