The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

The Unexpected 4.7 Day, with video

 

4.7 windsurfing, sunny and warm, on a Saturday?  Hashtag Jackpot I say!   

And it wasn't even in the forecast.  I'd been by the windsurfing shop to chat with Jonathan, sent the obligatory lamentations about the crumbling forecast for the day (first the gusts were to be 20, then 15, then no gusts.)   And then Scott noticed the trees.  "It's gonna happen!" he cackled, and he was right.

Up to South Jamesport it was Scott, myself, Peconic Jeff (who sailed over from Red Cedar Point) and a late/short/sweet appearance by the Wolf (Jon showed up with a kite.)   There were quite a few dead fish on the beach, and I saw one every hundred yards on the water due to the toxic bloom in the bay (too much nitrogen from fertilizer and septic systems...see this report for details).  Still the windsurfing was excellent!  She Who Must Be Obeyed was out of town so I had all the time in the world, and sailed until my knees hurt from lack of jumping practice.  A fine day.  4.7 Saturday, sunny and warm:  Any questions?

Shark Mary Lee Heads South

Mary Lee has left the building.  Or the coast of Long Island, which is good enough for me.   When we last reported on the lovely 3,500 pound great white shark, she was idling away the hours off of Gilgo, whilst anything with a brain larger than a peppercorn kept its distance.   But now Mary has headed down to Chincoteague, perhaps in search of horse meat.   If you check out Ocearch's excellent shark tracker, you'll see that Mary Lee spent some special time just north of Seaside Heights.  Good eats in Jersey?

Great Big Shark

The only people I want to hear telling me that sharks are beautiful creatures that pose no danger to humans are windsurfers and SUPpers who have had a shark display interest in them while out on the water.   Happened to me once, and it sucked.   No fun at all.  
Yet sharks have as much a right to live as deer ticks and mosquitos and cockroaches, and thanks to the good people at OCEARCH (who research and track apex predators de la mar) we know that a 3,500 pound great white shark, 16 feet long going by the nom de fish Mary Lee is currently cruising off of Democrat Point, eating whatever the hell she pleases and taking no shit from anybody.   Mary Lee is tagged and wearing a microphone, so both her position and dialog can be tracked.   Her position is the more interesting, as the dialog varies little:

Mary Lee:  "Get the f*** out of my way."

Everyone else:  "Okay."

(Maps:  Mary Lee's track from awhile back.  
Note the visit to the middle of Long Island in the past.   Right now Pete Roesch says she's off of Robert Moses Park, with a Superlight stuck between her teeth.)

Why teach kids windsurfing?

This applies to windsurfing as well!  First seen as posted by Chimply Lord Scotworth (the Earl of Kielt) on Facebook.    To save some money, go to the swap meet this Saturday at Hampton Watersports!

Swap Meet Next Saturday

I''m repeating it for good measure.  And because I love swap meets!

Windsurfing.  Stand up paddling.  Kiteboarding.   Stuff to buy, to sell, to swap.

I love swap meets.  All that gear that's seen all that wind and water.  Waves even!

The details:

Hampton Watersports, Saturday May 9th, 9A-4P.  Swapping is free, if you sell you get 100% store credit or 70% cash (last time I checked.)  What watersportsman (or woman) isn't going to spend every dime they get from selling gear on MORE GEAR?  Not me.  I need more gear.  You need more gear.  Also you have too much gear that you're done with but that someone else could really use.  Go swap.

See you there!  For more info call the shop  (631-283-9463).   Hampton Watersports, 1688 County Road 39 Southampton, NY 11968

Directions:

From points west:

• Take the Long Island Expressway (495) east to exit 70 south (County Road 111 Manorville).
• Follow CR 111 south to end. 
• At end it forces you onto Sunrise Hwy (RT27) east.
• Follow RT27 past exit 66 (North Road Shinnecock). 
• RT27 will merge into North Highway CR39
• When 27 changes from highway to road (with 2 lanes in each direction), Hampton Watersports will be 1 mile further on your right.

From east of the shop:

• You know where the shop is, dog.

(I deleted the cough that was before the word "kiteboarding" in the original post, so as not to irritate Messrs. Barber and Hulse.  They'll still be irritated, but I'm just saying.)