The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Meschuttage

There is something known as Classic Meschutt Conditions.  CDC.  With NW winds and outgoing tide, lines of perfect two-foot ramps set up on the inside to jump, and on the outside well-spaced rollers to jibe off of.   Friday we had CDC.   And the wind?

"Perfect 4.2" Scott pronounced.

Indeed.  Scott and Frank were on it first, with me about fifteen minutes behind.   I have not had much good jumping conditions of late, so between my wanting style and getting a few feet more altitude than I'm used to, it was exciting!  Scott and Frank threw some big ones, and I had one big one..a big explosion on landing LOL that had me swimming after the gear for a moment.   Good times.   I had to leave about the time the Wolf hit the water, but he got some too.

(Photo:  That's Scott outbound.  Look at the lines of rampage!)

 

Brendon Quinn R.I.P.

Brendon Quinn, long-time instructor with ABK has passed away.  I have no details on what happened, but what's important is that he's gone.  A warm, sunny, generous soul and a fine instructor.   My own fond memories include him pronouncing an entire group of ABKers "crazy" as we hurled ourselves relentlessly at new moves at a windy Napeague clinic, and pestering him for sail size advice in Bonaire ("don't ask me!" he'd say every day.  So of course I'd ask him again the next day.  Too much fun.)  That I can no longer look forward to seeing Brendon in the future I'll miss much more. 

Photo taken from Andy Brandt's FB page.

Easter Sesh: Short, Sweet, and Cold

It was just Scotto and me at Sebonac Inlet Sunday.   4.7, midsized boards, sunny rampy and windfull.  Where was everybody?   

The Art of Windsurfing was sailing solo at West Meadow.  George caught some at Iron Pier.  And I suspect a lot of people were exhausted from a fine Saturday session that I missed (I foresook SJ...my loss.)  So it was Scott (with burnt out arms) and me (working to remember how to jibe) in full sun.  And what is sweeter than 4.7 I ask you? (Some say 4.2...I like the extra fraction of a second for reaction time.)   Sure am looking forward to the end of glove season.  And no hood?  June I'm thinking.

(Selfie of doofus editor in heavy neoprene.)

"They cancelled the gale warning, and we got a gale."

"I've been saying for some time:  South Jamesport in the Spring is the windiest."  -  George Pav

Yesterday is evidence to support that!   With Frank gagging at Napeague, and 4.2-5.0 reported at Heckscher, we had to get off the water when 3.7's weren't small enough at SJ.   I arrived midafternoon to meet Scott, who had just rigged 4.2.   I thought he was optimistic until he started blasting!   We both were good...lit but good ("there's a lot of 3.7 out there" sayeth Scott) for about 45 minutes, then I decided to rig down.

"When they cancelled the gale warning I decided not to bring the 3.7" Scott said.   Me with the van I was fine. As George arrived I launched 3.7, which was good for about two minutes before I was lit...then overlit...again.   Waterstarts had to wait for lulls, same for jibing.   Scott kept trying to make his 4.2 work, but when he went in to meet George I went on what turned out to be a final run.   "This isn't 3.4...it's 2.9" I thought.   No fun.  I went in.  Scott tried one last time, but came back looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"They cancelled the gale warning, and we got a gale" Scott laughed as we derigged.