The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Oyster Farming Blocking The Way to Gardiners?

Trouble in the Land of the Giants?  According to a report in the East Hampton Star, 5 to 10 acre floating oyster farms are being set up just outside of Napeague Harbor.   If this map (courtesy East Hampton Star) is correct, getting to the favored sailing area could be tricky.  Our tacking is going to need to improve...

Tuesday's gonna be a Red Letter Day (says NWS)

Copied from the National Weather Service interweb page:

 

 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN

EFFECT LATE TONIGHT

 GALE WATCH IN EFFECT

FROM TUESDAY MORNING

THROUGH

LATE TUESDAY  NIGHT

40 Minutes of Joy

All day Sunday every windsurfer had their eyes on the meters.   On the treetops.  On the water.  When would the "mid afternoon" forecasted wind arrive?  Before sunset?  It was torture as the hours ticked by.  I finally decided to drive out to Napeague to meet Wilson and David, hoping there'd be something to shred.  

The wind meter said 13-17, but Wilson wasn't sure.  "There aren't any whitecaps!"   The sun was getting low, people had places to be, and the local wisdom was "not enough wind".  A quick huddle determined that it would be highly impractical for us to rig and go out, so that's what we did.

And we were rewarded!  I was lit on a 6.2, David the same on his 5.9, and Wilson was all adventure on the high seas sailing his Kona with a ginormous sail of indeterminate meterage.   For 40 minutes we blasted nonstop, getting off of the water just as the light left.  Then a lightning round of derigging, a quick celebratory drink, and then homeward bound.   A lot of fun and camaraderie and windsurfing packed into a brief window.

"You had to be there" David said, discussing the session later to someone who missed it.  Exactly right.

 

The Pond, Beyond, and Jan

Jon Ford thought Ditch would be the place.  Bruce agonized.   Chimply Lord Scotworth and I stood staring at Napeague bay (the Pond) and finally rigged our trusty 5.3's (me a 5.4).  It was off to the races!   Thursday's blow had us lit on the flat bay.  Took a look at Gardiners but the water seemed flat, so we stayed pondbound.   Until Jon and Bruce returned from Ditch, dry and unsatisified.  Bruce was having none of this No Gardiners nonsense, and soon the four of us were sailing the outside (Bruce going halfway to Gardiners Isle).  Modest swell but still entertaining!

When Scott Jon and I called it a day, Bruce stayed on the outside solo.   Jan arrived, and while she is still recovering from a fractured back (told by the doctor to rest it for ten weeks) she felt that eight weeks was enough and she should be ripping up the pond at least.   As she went to rig, Jon Scott and I declared that Jan was more macho than the three of us combined.  She surely is.

Just Say Yes to Gardiners!

 

Bad Accident Waiting to Happen? Reprise?

Ten years ago the Peconic Puffin ran this post about the potential to get trapped under the sail due to freak snagging of a harness line component in the  harness hook.

A windsurfer named Mark just posted a similar story on Facebook, so I thought I'd repost my original piece, along with the photo he put up...a reproduction of his original entanglement.  For myself I'm going to put a piece of duct tape across the wide opening in my harness hook, as discussed in the original Puffin post.  Be safe!

(Photo snagged from Mark on FB)

 

 

Down and Out in South Jamesport

A warm and windy Sunday in October: hitting the jackpot!   The Wolf, Scott, Massimo, and Filipp from Maryland, along with Jimi Jam and a group of kiters were riding the southern blow.   I rigged a 5.4 (aping Scott’s 5.3) and spent the day lit.   Had to come in several times to tune the rig for less power.   Carrying my gear back up onto the beach as the Wolf watched, I said I needed to either tighten all my lines or rig a 4.7.   “Down and out” the Wolf proclaimed.

Where has that windsurfing phrase been hiding all my life?

Added some downhaul, added some outhaul, and took off like a shot.   A great day down and out in SJ!

(Scott and I inbound on 5 meter sails.  We could have been on 4.7's.)