I am the principal windsurfer in our family. This is the conventional wisdom: Michael always wants to sail, Sally wants to sail sometimes, when it fits in her schedule, when it's sunny and warm.
Last week Sally went mad for windsurfing.
It started Thursday afternoon at Mecox. She and I and Eileen and Jaime were on the water (me 6.2, Sally 5.3, Eileen had only brought a 6.6 so she was lit, I don't know Jaime's gear) in sunny warm SWesterly. Sally working on her jibes (good entry speed but reverts to pivot jibe posture). Fun while the wind lasted. As we derigged, the first symptom appeared.
"Is it going to be windy tomorrow? Is it?"
Me: Maybe. It's thermal season.
"Let's come earlier tomorrow!"
Me: Let's see if it's going to blow first.
Friday morning I don't tell Sally the forecast fast enough, so she downloads the iWindsurf app (useless...bookmark the forecast page instead). The forecast looks iffy for the afternoon, but Sally wants to go. We go. 6.2 again (me on the 99 Skate) Sally on the 5.3. More good times. Sally chats up a kiter who tells her it was windier earlier. I don't believe this but it doesn't matter. We have to come earlier tomorrow!
At home, Sally instagrams a picture of her board on the beach. We look at the callouses on her hand, which are simultaneously bad (and my fault) and are getting her stoked for more windsurfing.
Saturday morning: "Show me the forecast (she likes the iWindsurf color bars)!" I tell her it's not going to happen. And it doesn't, but every time a tree moves she says we should go to Mecox. On Sunday she calls me from her exercise class "is it windy?"
Driving back to the city Sunday afternoon we pass a flag that's fluttering. Sally is in anguish. I tell her I've heard from the guys...it's not planable...but she remains stressed. She's missing wind.
My wife is a windsurfing addict.
Hahaha - sounds pretty familiar :) Good on 'ya, Sally!!
Posted by: Claudia | July 08, 2013 at 06:56 AM
Woohoo Sally!! Add a little time on butter-smooth flatwater and she'll have those jibes nailed down in no time. Come by the sandbar next time the thermal is working: http://youtu.be/0jCx9L3r9EA
Posted by: Jeff Schultz | July 08, 2013 at 12:40 PM
hats off to
sally!we need more women getting stoked for windsurfing...come to think about it we need more guys to get stoked also,even ones who still sail once in awhile.
Posted by: scott k. | July 08, 2013 at 01:25 PM
All praise to your stoke, Lord Scotworth! And Sally's. Me I'm ready for an ocean sesh, and do not understand why we don't sail the Atlantic on Southerlies. I need it bad!
Posted by: Michael | July 08, 2013 at 01:28 PM
Michael: Count your blessings, she could be a resentful Muggle (non-windsurfer). My lovely wife is exactly the same as yours, and I love it! She's the one who convinced me to start windsurfing, I didn't want to: "Aw, I've been surfing for 20 years, I'll just get bored with it in two weeks" That was 23 years ago, and we're both still as stoked as ever!
Posted by: Spencer Thompson (Spennie) | July 08, 2013 at 03:22 PM
good stuff. how does the windspeed compare to heck when it's SW Michael?
Posted by: Kevin O | July 09, 2013 at 12:40 PM
still wish my man had listened to me and gotten out there earlier.
the wife
Posted by: Sally | July 09, 2013 at 05:30 PM
Sally: You are right!
K-Dog: Depends on how the southerly is setting up. Heckscher is probably windier more often than not. And when Mecox is windier, Napeague is REALLY windier!
Posted by: Michael | July 09, 2013 at 05:49 PM
Lucky you! Time to bring her to Maui! :-)
Posted by: Ely | July 09, 2013 at 11:32 PM
In deed we were lucky;anchored theboat and took a reading;18-21 and building.Iquickly rigged a 9 meter and surfboard hit the flats-18 inches of water and butter smooth,asthe wind built I decided to chance the 8 knot current and sail out the inlet and get some waves-knee to chest and lumpy but fun and powered;a great afternoon in the 90 degree heat,then off to the VanderDome for a nitecap! peace BB
Posted by: bill barber | July 20, 2013 at 09:26 AM
Oohh what a lucky man, he was.
Posted by: F Messina | July 21, 2013 at 11:16 PM
Here I sit, reading and wouldn't you know it, I'm smiling like a cheshire cat...so great to hear.
Posted by: Phil g | July 22, 2013 at 01:24 PM
Phil she's still at it. Sunday morning she asked about the forecast...I told her we wouldn't be sailing. "North 5-10" I said. "Let me see" she responded. Now I'm not to be trusted when I say there's no chance of sailing. Perhaps she can find good news where I can't. I'm not COMMITTED enough! She's bitten.
Posted by: Michael | July 22, 2013 at 02:53 PM