The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

South Jamesport Goes Off On East

Now in the fourth month of the warmest winter ever (aka a chilly Spring) we headed north to South Jamesport to sail the easterly.  Normally we'd be at the Bowl, but the forecasted wind strength was prohibitive.   The word was that South Jamesport would be 4.7.

Arrived at SJ to find Pav on a 4.7 and big board, modestly planing.   Scott and the Wolf hadn't brought anything larger than 4.7, so they were sitting and waiting.   Artie and I decided to go for the gusto and rig 5.4ish.

That didn't work.

Well it worked for ten seconds, then the wind came up bigly.   Came back to shore to rig 4.7, but Scott was howling louder than the wind.  "It's 4.2!"   Surely he was wrong...I wasn't THAT overpowered on the 5.4.    Walked down to the beach to remonstrate when a gust blew me backwards.  Okay it's 4.2.

Once we all sorted it out and launched 4.2 there were two things we all noticed.  First:  We could have been on 3.7's.   Second:  Nice ramps out there!   George was throwing shuv-its, Scott was doing his thing, the Wolf was getting some, and I was doing okay (jumping is not my strong suit) when I watched Artie get some air.  I'd never sailed behind him in big chop before.  He makes it look easy...not a lot of work, just a POP and up he goes.   Let me try that...

And I got a foot more air than normal.   Let me try that again...

Two feet more than normal.  I'm going to have to see if this works in lighter wind or smaller chop, but yesterday the smaller effort in front of the ramp trick was a winner.   

The sand was blasting on the beach.   At one point the Wolf was downwind on the beach about 30 feet away tending his rig when SOMEONE (not me) picked up a dead fish and threw it in the air.   Happily it dropped before hitting his wolfliness.

A day later and I'm still sore.  Great sesh!

Three Days

We had a warm winter.   Which one third of the way through Spring is still with us.   Would love to hang up the drysuit, but so far it's still too cold for a wetsuit.

Sunday was at Mecox, with Massimo.   Me on the 5.4, him on the 6.2, nice clean flat water session.  

Tuesday at Webby's with Scott and the Wolf.   4.2 and small boards.  One crazed reach to Cupsogue by the Wolf...Scott and I stopped 3/4 across.  There was concern that the outgoing tide would drag the Wolf to Portugal.  Finally he started sailing our way, so we all sailed back only to have the wind die.  Scott planed all the way home, I shlogged (with a little walking) the last few hundred yards.  The Wolf was nowhere to be seen.  After waiting for 20 minutes for him to appear on the horizon, he finally came planing back triumphant.  Scott said "watch...he'll say there was no problem!"   And so it was.

Wednesday at Sebonac.  4.2 again!   A nice group including Frank, Fisherman, Christian, the Natalies, John Nat, Scott, the Wolf, and someone I'm missing.  Beautiful day, the sand bar was working, plenty of faux waves to ride.  Good times!

Social Distancing at Sebonac Inlet

It was strangely heartening Good Friday, pulling up to park and seeing sailors wearing face masks.   Excellent…we’re serious!   And the sail call was 3.7-4.2…rock and roll.   A great windsurfing day…but how to manage protecting oneself against the coronavirus in 25 mph wind?   Standing 6 feet apart doesn’t mean sh** if someone is downwind of you.

And yet we managed. The sailing was excellent. Following Scott outbound I watched him catch some excellent air, and inspired got my own biggest jump of the year (it wasn’t that big, but there was that blessed extra beat of silence while airborne.)  

The crowd grew and grew (West Meadow and other venues were closed), and after a couple hours I found myself uncomfortable with the number of people there. This sucked, as I liked everyone I knew, and those that I didn’t were of course likely fine (they’re windsurfers!) but I watch and read the news, and think dying on a ventilator is to be avoided.

Can’t wait for the next session though!

On hand for the wind: Artie, Dr. Dan, Dr. Pain, Fisherman, Scott, Sky King Frank, the Wolf, some kiters I didn’t know, and I’m sure I’m missing some.   A good time was had by all.

(Photos by Artie’s wife Chris.   That's Artie airborne inbound.)

What is enough social distance in the wind?

Artie sent me an article that advised surfers they need much more than six feet to be safe from and for infecting others with COVID-19.   The breeze is the problem.   Droplets with the virus float with the wind.

Oh shit.

I will confess that during last Thursday's beautiful session I was holding my breath whenever I passed downwind of the other guys.   It seemed both goofy and prudent.   And strenuous...I like to take regular breaths when I shred.   Doh!

We must keep being mindful and cautious.

(A little more detail can be found in this piece from the San Diego Union-Tribune.)

 

Picture Perfect 4.7

"It's good to see you!" I said to the Wolf and Scott.

"Yeah, it's good to look at real people" the Wolf agreed.    No Zoom conversation this.   We were social distancing at Meschutt on Thursday, and rigging 4.7's.    I was ambivalent about windsurfing...it seemed so decadent and out of touch with all the mess and suffering, but my chores were done for the morning, my wife blessed my grabbing a (short) session, so I went.

Conditions were beautiful.   In classic Meschutt fashion the inside was extra flat and smooth, followed by small but perfectly formed ramps, and on the outside the swell was well spaced.   Easy peasy jibing.   Threw my first duck jibe of the year, and it felt GREAT.   The air was comfortable in the mid 40's, the wind was exactly 4.7 and consistent...the sailing was a joy.

After an hour of sailing Fisherman showed up.   "How's the water temp?" he asked.

"Nobody knows" Scott replied.  Nobody was falling.

About twenty minutes later the wind began to build, my out-of-windsurfing-shape arms were beginning to fatigue, and I thought "you're so lucky.   Enjoy what you had, now go home and get back to pandemic life.

I am grateful for the session and the time with friends.