The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Two Four Two

“All I sail is 4.2” Scott proclaimed. We were in the parking lot at Tiana Beach, rigging for what was going to be the second second day of back to back 4.2 sessions (the previous weekend ‘s Sebonac fest having provided the first two.

It was true.   Friday we caught it again at Sebonac. Starting just after high tide, conditions were a mess…worst I’ve ever seen there…which we attributed to wind being a bit more North than usual.   But hell it was 4.2 so off we went!   For some reason (to be revealed shortly) I got cold on the water, and after trying in vain to warm up in the van finally left. “What’s wrong with me? I’m in a 4/3 and I’m cold when the air is 50 degrees?”   But cold is cold and I was not having fun. That night checking out my drying wetsuit in the shower, I saw the “3/2” on the sleeve, and realized that I’d been wearing the wrong neoprene. Kook. (Frank later said “3/2? I was cold in my 5/3!”)

Then came Saturday at Tiana. Frank, Jeff, Scott, the Wolf, Dr. Pain, Joe Natalie there for the good times. What started out as 1-2 foot waves started building, until Scott proclaimed the outside as 5-7.   I was sailing closer to shore, where for the first half hour I blew every jibe. What the heck? At least I was warm.   After taking a break I headed back out and Lo! Started hitting my jibes! Excellent…let’s sail a bit further out and have some fun.   Fun was being had when I spotted a nice little inbound ramp to jump off…jumped…back foot came out of strap…landed and did a split on the board, while pulling the boom head straight into my forehead. All of that helmet but I found a way to make direct contact.

I was more concerned with my legs, which did not feel good after the split.   But there was some blood coming from my head when I made it on shore.   Surely it was nothing, but before I found a mirror I found Dr. Pain. For fun I asked him how my head looked. “They put stitches in all sorts of things,” he began. Stitches? C’mon I just bumped my head. I thought.   Then “If you were young and beautiful you’d be lining up for about $4K of plastic surgery, but at our age we don’t worry about the scars.”   “So neosporin and a band aid” I asked?   Yep.

(Top:  Sweet Tiana.  Bottom:  It's still a great day!  Photos by Jeff Schultz)

Donald Trump Wants To Build A Wall (On A Surfing Beach)

 Save the Waves is trying to stop Donald Trump from building a wall on an Irish beach to protect his private golf course from the effects of climate change.  Which he doesn't believe in. 

Go to Save the Waves web site and sign the petition to stop him.

Epic Weekend Pays Off The Big Buildup (except for CD)

“This week has been crazy” Christian said. “There has been nonstop texting about where to sail since Tuesday!  It had indeed been nuts. But after what seemed like 4.5 days of nonstop text traffic we were at Sebonac Inlet (instead of West Meadow or various Montauk spots, or the ocean) and 4.2 was the call.   Saturday under dark and sometimes rainy skies were Scott, the Wolf, Dr. Pain, Christian, Frank and I hoppin' and boppin on WNW winds ("watch out for the big rock" Scott advised.  "Rock...how about the giant black oyster farm" countered Christian.)  Sunday the crowd thickened, with Fisherman, Jan and Bruce, Kurt, and the Natalies added to the party on the water.

But CD was not to be seen.  What befell Lord Chimpleton, we wondered?  

More wind for us, though!  Of Sunday's sunny high wind fest, Scott proclaimed "one of the ten best Sebonac days, all time!"  Hard to argue. Good ramps, warm water, warm sun, a fine shimmer on the water.  The only thing missing was CD.

This Weekend We Sail

Windsurfing, yes.   Sebonac Inlet looks good as of press time!

Sunday looks like a real NUKER (to Scott.)

Attention all windly hopeful:  Scott thinks Sunday is going to be a big day.   Windy.   Wavy.  Me I think getting excited about a forecast five days out is an exercise in windsuffering.   But in the meantime, lets hear it for Sunday!

Sunday Shred at Meschutt

Taking a break from the 4.7 conditions, the conversation turned to our feet.

"Why are you wearing winter booties" I asked Scott.  The water was warmish...I was more than comfortable in my summer booties.

"They don't let sand in," Scott replied.   I couldn't remember the last time sand in my booties was an issue.

"Look at your feet," Scott said to Hulse.  "You have red tyrannosaurus rex feet!"

I checked out Hulse's feet.   They were red, but lacked the ripping and tearing claws that are the hallmark of T-rex feet.

Then we went back out sailing.  Wind straight from the north (good but not great for Meschutt) it was Dr. Pain, Joe Natalie, Christian, the Wolf, Hulse, Scott, yours truly, Bill Barber (still on his Long Island visa) and more playing on the Great Peconic with the occasional decent ramp, though not the perfect halfpipes that are Meschutt's calling card on NW blows.   Just the thing for a Sunday afternoon, and who cares about a bit of rain?  I had to leave midway through the sesh, but the wind was picking up when I did, and I 'spect a number of the guys rigged down to 4.2.

Bumpology

Whining heard about the terrain today at East Landing:

“My teeth are getting rattled.”

“My kidneys doth complaineth.”

“The chop sucks.”

"etc."

I windsurf with a pack of old women, who spend their water time contemplating their vaginas.   Probably I shouldn't say that because they're all better sailors than me, and most of them are bigger.  Too late.

It was bumpy, and rainy to boot.  But it was also 4.2, so Peconic Jeff, Dr. Pain, Natalies John and Joe, Scott, Bill, Jonathan and myself had some fun on the Great Peconic, in the NE that was gusty but strong (at Napeague/Gardiners it was strictly 3 meter sailing...I'm still getting back into shape for that, and happily most of the wind chimps passed as well.)  But those bumps.  They were fine with me...I said "you guys, I didn't even know from good conditions until I started sailing with you ten years ago.  I ALWAY sailed in stupid chaotic chop!"  It was true.

In any event, four meter sailing is always good times!