The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Be Yutiful Waves

Me, Jonathan Ford and a few dozen surfers (K finally got crowded) enjoyed 4-6 (and sometimes 5-7) foot lefts and rights.  Oftentimes one had to bail out when what looked like a promising shoulder became le big closeout crunch-to-be, but those waves that held were fast and fun.   Sah wheat.   

(This shark was the only person or fish not having fun at K Road yesterday.  Photo by Jonathan.)

Windsurfing Harness...Don't Forget!

How often do you find yourself beginning to hook in at the beginning of a session when you realize you have no hook?  I've done this my last two sessions in a row.  They've both been at Mecox, and happily Sally has been on the shore both times (using me as a wind dummy) so she's also been available to throw me my harness (after laughing at me.)  C'est la life.

Another Sunday, another southerly.  Not quite as strong as iWindsurf cracked it up to be (6.2 with a lot of holes) but still warm and planey and a good day to work on tricks (upwind 360's, backwinded jibes, hoss tacks...hit most all of them.)  Also on the water:  Sally, Eileen, Eileen's dog's vet (must learn his name). Visiting:  Regular Peconic Puffin reader Sam, who needs more time on the water (enough vicariousity sir Sam...we're looking for you to be rigging next weekend!  Sam's been tres busy, we know...)

Eileen and I confirmed what I have long suspected:  In southerly winds there is an extra MPH or two of wind in the northeast-most corner of the bay.    There's a bit of a wind tunnel as the wind blows into Hayground Cove, so if conditions are marginal (or you simply want some predictable extra speed before jibing or throwing a move) this is the place.  FYI

Not on the water:  Various pansies watching TV, going to lectures (don't ask) entertaining guests.   I don't understand.   When I began windsurfing in 1992 at the original Puffin House I was given a short list of rules and guidelines.  The very first one was:  When it's windy, you sail.

Meanwhile for the true men and women of wind and water:  keep these summer shortboarding days coming!

I can not be friends with people who watch television when it's blowing

I don't care that it's the World Cup.  DVR it.   You'd rather watch sports than play sports?  We can be acquaintances.  When you speak of windsurfing, be sure to note that for you it's a hobby.   We addicts need to know who our fellow shredheads are.

I am making a list.  You know who you are.  It's not too late to choose to participate rather than spectate.

(Forecast for Sunday:  Sweet southerlies!)

Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

Drowning does not look like drowning.  I didn't know that.   We who play in the water need to know what it does look like, so we can take effective action.   Read this article on drowning and check out its accompanying video (or watch it below.)   And check out my2fish's story about how easily one can find themselves in trouble.

This isn't the first time The Peconic Puffin has lifted water safety information from Bonnie Queen of the Kayak Bloggers, and her blog Frogma.  Thanks again Bonnie!

Three Days

“Where is Christian,” Tomas asked.

“In Hersey Pennsylvania, with a pistol in his mouth” I replied.

We are all grateful to Christian, who promised to be a wind sacrifice for the holiday weekend, and delivered mightily.

Friday:  Olympic conditions at East Landing.   George, Joe Natalie, Scott, Bill, Hulse, Tomas, Jonathan, the Wolf, a friend of Dr. Pain’s, me in 4.2-4.7 conditions with sweet ramps and rolling swell on the outside.    I arrived, rigged my new 4.7, but then Bill came over and said the wind had dropped…I needed to rig bigger.  Derigged the 4.7 just in time for Bill to come back over and tell me that the wind had come up…I should rig 4.7.  Ha!   Got out there and was sweetly overpowered for a few hours…then I was just overpowered.   Air was cool (too cool for shorties) and blowing more from the North than we usually sail East Landing in (the reach was to the right instead of the left) but the Peconic was a warm welcome bathtub.  Good jumping, good jibing off the swell…an excellent sesh!  (editor's addition:  I forget to mention the rain.  Yeah the rain was sometimes blinding, sometimes hitting the water so hard that there was an "echo fog" from the rain splash a few feet off the water.  Big deal...I'd take this day again in a second!)

Saturday:   Sebonac Inlet, y’all.  Tomas, Jan & Bruce, Felix,  George, Joe, and your editor on five meter sails under sunny blue skies.   For Felix it was his introduction to Sebonac, which while friendly was not serving up the trademark ramps.   Took the 5.5 out.  After 90 minutes (for me...George and Joe were on it early) the wind began to lighten, and some of us switched from chop hop mode to freestyle.  I blew various attempts at donkey jibes and upwind 360's (hadn't hit a UW360 since Bonaire) before lightening winds forced us to pack it in.  "We milked it to the end" George said.

Sunday: Return to Mecox.  The forecast for Mecox was perfect: Warm building southerlies.   Sally, Eileen and I launched from the Yacht Club...Sally on a 4.5, Eileen 5.0, and me on the 6.2/99 liter Skate (could have been on the 5.5).  This was Sally's triumphant return to windsurfing after our February Bonaire trip. She felt overpowered but managed some deep water waterstarts, whilst Eileen claimed a perfect jibe.   For myself it was mostly jibatorium step and ducks, as the UW360 continued to humiliate me.  Until my very last attempt!  Yes...   Also on the water:  Eileen's dog's vet (I sailed with two veterinarians in one weekend...a first) and one lucky guy with a house on the bay.

Three days of windsurfing on the Fourth of July weekend...that my puffins is a summer holiday!

(Top:  Eileen and the editor inbound at the Yacht Club.  Middle:  Dr. Tomas is not in fact working with medical marijuana.  Bottom:  Sally shreds.)

Weather Channel 1, iWindsurf 0

No time for more than that now...the guys are rigging 4.7 at Sebonac!

Forecast Rumble!

In one corner we have The Weather Channel.  Scott says TWC is calling for "30 gusting to 40" this afternoon!

In the other corner we have iWindsurf.  iWindsurf is calling for 4-8.

Somebody is gonna be wrong (or as is said on Lawn Guyland: "rawn-ga")

Lord Scotworth says I'm a pessimist.  Nay, I say...I am simply a windsufferer.

Big-Ass Waves Friday and Saturday

Swell Info is calling it large for late Friday through Saturday.  Nine feet @ 15 seconds, with side off winds of 18.   If only I was twenty years younger and thirty times more talented...

Come Arthur? I'll Alert The Media

Text received from Chimply Lord Scotworth, the Earl of Kielt:

"Just saw forecast for Friday.  Arthur expected to be @75 miles offshore of us!!!  Let's hope it holds, could be epic."

The Editor in Chief of The Peconic Puffin responded "I'll alert the media."

This puzzled Lord Scotworth.  Understandably.  We were trying to be funny, and as regular readers know, we aren't very good at it.  Here is the reference, from the movie Arthur:

 

Let's hope for some wind and waves!