The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Shred

Bill has the greatest windsurfing board bag.  It makes me smile every time I see it.  New gear is a beautiful thing, but sometimes thrashed gear is sublime.  Windsurfing art, y'all.

Kiss My Ass, Kick My Ass

Had a lovely solo session at Towd Point on Sunday (woulda been a buddy sesh with Bill if he arrived earlier...he launched as I packed it in.)  6.2 on the 109 in sunny onshore NW...modest ramps on port, and a sweet jibatorium on the inside on starboard.   I missed the East Coast Windsurfing Festival, so I decided to have my own little event.   How'd I do?

The High Point:   Had a duck jibe so sweet, so glorious carve lost not a drop of speed switched feet late perfect posture...at Starbucks they now serve a duckjibe-ccino with four extra sugars that has a photo of me printed on the cup.  OMG did I throw a duck jibe.  "Kiss my ass," I thought as I ripped away from the duck.

The multiple Low Points:  My planing upwind 360's attempts.   On vacation in Bonaire earlier this year, I learned the carving upwind 360.  Or at least I was taught the steps of the UW360, and hit six of them dry.  Would I be able to recreate my successes?

Not on Sunday.  Oh man.   

"Sheet out while carving upwind."  Check

"Luff the sail as you bring it forward."  Check

"Head over nose of board."  Check

"Backwind pivot jibe."  Check

"Drop back into counterbalance position."   I (slam) am (slam) trying (slam) to find that (big slam) position (you get the idea.)

Kicked my ass.   The Starbucks guy saw it all, so the duckjibe-ccino was cancelled before they even printed up the cups.

Another Day, Another K

Tomas, Jeff, Christian, the Wolf and I caught it nice and wide Saturday.  Most of the waves didn't last long despite the offshore breeze, and there was no left vs right consistency (not to mention the closeouts) so you pays your money and you takes your chances.

The Wolf took his chances with me (not that he asked for it).  I took a fall at what first seemed like a safe distance, but by the time I was finished being tossed around my board came uncomfortably close to Jan.   I must remember to wear my helmet when the waves get to 6', and encourage friends to do the same!

(Top:  This felt so good!  Middle and bottom:  The Wolf takes the shape and consistency of his skull into his own hands. Sorry!  Photos by Jeff Schultz.  No I did not make it to the East Coast Windsurfing Festival this weekend.  Sally had been out of town for too long, I hadn't practiced freestyle all Spring, and the family/fun equation worked out to staying closer to home.  Plus these waves.)

Surprisingly good wavesailing sesh at K Road

"A surprisingly good sesh," Scott proclaimed.   When it all started it didnt...Scott, Jeff and I met at Ponquogue, where the wind was insufficient and the waves uninteresting enough that Jeff said he was going back to work, and I decided to drive to the Peconic to sulk in a bay session.   Just as I pulled up to the Little Peconic I got a text:  "15-20 sideshore at K Rd, going on on 5.3/Go, small waves breaking" from Jeff.  Scott texted that he was going to Rick's (later we would determine that his spellchecker didn't like "rig".)  Anyhow I drove all the way back, rigged the 6.2 (to Scott's 5.8 and Jeff's 5.3) and went.    

The waves grew to 3 feet and the wind came up enough for Jeff to switch to his Skate.  Soon the Wolf arrived, followed by Bill.  Bill in his triumphant return to windsurfing (he just picked up a tasty light wind board...we need a photo of it) forgot a few things...mast pieces and soforth...and so had to borrow from Scott.  

There was some beach break...the move was to drop board in knee-high water and shoot through the white stuff, then hit the inside ramps which were packed with bluefish.  "I landed on two," Scott said.  Scott jumps a lot, so there were surely many fish who thought him a pain in the neck (worst Peconic Puffin joke ever, folks.  There it is.  All uphill from here.  Ooof.)   2014 is All About K Road...we SUP, we sail, we don't have crowds of surfers to contend with (it must be working somewhere else for them, which is just fine.)  More days like this please!

(From the top:  Scott spots his fish while the editor watches, Jeff works a wave, Bill takes his new board for a spin, Wolf wave.  Photos by Jeff Schultz Photography.)

East Coast Windsurfing Festival Is This Weekend!

Here is the word from King Mike and MC Thom:

The 2014 East Coast Windsurfing Festival (at Joe's Beach in Heckscher Park) is guaranteed to be a great weekend party for the East Coast Windsurf community!

We got trophies.

We got T-shirts

We got demo boards.

We got a ton of raffle prizes and chatchkas.

We got new sand on our beach brought in from the ocean beaches (compliments of Sandy relief).

We even got some hot dogs (on and off the water).

And at last count we had no fewer than 40 competitors signed up, and many different categories of friendly and higher level competitions in racing, Freestyle and SUP's.

 

Everyone should bring their SUP's ... there will likely be SUP activities and competitions, especially if we're waiting for the breeze to arrive.

 

Any more questions, just go to the ECWF websites:  www.ecwindfest.com and   http://www.ecwindfest.org/

K Road Days

It’s been all about K Road lately (except for Sir William of the Barrels at Cupsogue).   Friday’s head-high plus into strong offshore winds made for particular excitement…it was hard to catch the wave, but if you did: big speed and turns!  I saw Jeff on what looked to me like a nine foot wall of water, and Jonathan tearing up multiple eight foot waves.   I myself failed for most of that sesh, finally catching a pair of six footers so as to not hang my head in shame.  Saturday with the Wolf, Tomas, Christian and Jeff the waves were three to five, but the lighter winds allowed for plenty of rides (though there were more closeouts than one might order on a menu.)  C’est la wave

(photo of Tomas by Jeff Schultz)

Two Waves

No wind, but SUPsurfed three days in a row.  K Road is working big time!

On Friday I caught my longest ride of the year.  Five feet of long left on a day full of rights.

On Sunday I caught my best ride of the year.   Six feet of left (six feet of diesel locomotive...Sunday's waves were packing) and I managed to work the shoulder well...by my standards anyway.  Even Scott approved!  (Scott later went out in his kayak and caught HIS wave of the year.)

It was good we were catching waves of the year, because Sunday was mostly denial.  I only caught one other wave in the sesh.  Same for Scott.  Jeff caught a few but ended up swimming in when his leash broke.   Bill "I'll show all you ******* how it's done" never got out.  The Wolf took a look, but he was short on sleep and the shore break suggested a day of watching.  Tomas was seen getting multiple pink slips.  Tomas is tenacious, though...he may have caught something after the rest of us left.