"I like to work on my light wind skills" said John.
There had to be an explanation. This was John Natalie talking, John "he only goes out when it's perfect" Natalie. Conditions were marginal 5.4, waves 2-3 feet. I stood on the beach, modeling Indecision and Lack of Commitment.
"I can't wait until it's blowing 30 and the waves are eight feet before I go out in the ocean" he continued. He hadn't wave sailed in many months. For me it had been a year!
So after hemming and hawing and driving to Tiana to see if it was better (it wasn't) I joined him. And had a very good time! Put a 5.4 on my 109, planed some of the time, caught a few waves. Best was tacking onto a wave (never done that before)...thought I didn't have enough time but tacked anyway, put my front foot in front of the mast and pushed down (Fisherman's tip* thank you) and away I went!
With the water so warm and friendly now, I don't want to pass up such conditions again. Good times!
*Fisherman is no longer a commercial fisherman. I don't know what I'm supposed to call him now. I know his name but I never hear anyone call him by it. And he always calls me Puffin so there's that.
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