The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

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.

Gardiners Bay Y'all

 

It had been two years since my last sesh at Gardiners Bay ("Goff Point!" Scott says).   I was intimidated...Gardiners gets big (we don't call it Land of the Giants for nothing) and I'm out of windsurfing shape from a summer of waterly indolence.  But who can pass up the drama, the excitement?   Gardiners wasn't huge but it was solid medium, and so I joined Scott, Jonathan, the Wolf, Fisherman, John Natalie, Jan and Bruce, and (in a special return engagement, straight from Cape Hatteras) Bill Barber.  Regular sized guys were on 3.7's and 4.'2's, with larger specimens on 4.7's, and whatever Jan was on it was working (3.3?)

I could only manage about 90 minutes of water time before arms were fried, but I'm looking forward to getting back out somewhere today (if I can sheet in.)  Saturday looks windable too...get out there!

Save The Waves Film Festival Comes Out East

The Save The Waves Film Festival is making it's way along the East Coast, and will be stopping in Easthampton on Friday September 2nd at Guild Hall.   Noted Puffin/Wind Chimp/maker of films Christian has a hand in it, and he says "it'll be a spectacular evening of beer, surf movies and attention to this fragile playground we get to take advantage of so much."

How do you say no to that?

Other stops on the tour include Virginia Beach and Long Beach Island, but if you want to say Hi to Christian you'll really need to get out to East Hampton.  For more information, check out the Save The Waves Film Festival web site.

The Bowl Takes My Fin (and lots of Bruce's gear...)

Six months to the day since my last wave sesh (when I got bit by a sea snake) I returned, 4.2 conditions at The Bowl.   Only my second windsurfing session of the year so I was way out windsurfing shape AND wavesailing confidence, but what the hell...I sailed to exhaustion (embarrasingly early exhaustion, but when I knew I wouldn't be up for a swim back I called it a day.)   Bruce, Frank, Scott, the Wolf, Fisherman, Peconic Jeff, Jon, John and I got to play.

After the first 30 minutes Scott came up to me on the beach.  "Did you see my big air?"  I had not.  "Damn...nobody saw it.  I was looking down at 15 feet!"   Scott is an excellent jumper, so I believe him.  Then there was my epic jump!  Not.   I had two decent midsized, which was fine for nervous out of shape me.  After I left Bruce got munched on the outside by a large wave (the largest were logo high) breaking his mast and extension.  Swam it all back in, he did.  Maybe he'll be at the swap meet next Saturday looking to replace.

I had a much less dramatic gear loss...coming back to the beach on what I'd already decided was my last run, I hit a sand bar just off the beach...my fin popped out (so much better than breaking the fin box).   Anybody finds a 9" fin at the Bowl:  I will sing you a song for its return!

(Top:  view from my helmet cam.  Middle:  Fisherman works it left.  Bottom:  The Wolf goes back side.   Fisherman and Wolf photos by Jeff Schultz.)

 

 

Where are the snow sessions?

I love the winter for windsurfing.  Yeah it's cold but we usually get a half dozen ripping sessions in...3 or 4 meters on the bays, maybe a 4 or small 5 on the relatively warm ocean.  And we rig in snow!  Where are the snow sessions this winter?

 Windsurfing "100 degree rule" as practiced on Long Island:

Air temperature + Water temperature + Wind Speed = 100 or higher.

Some Long lslanders like to get a bit more technical, and windsurf when:

Air temperature + Water temperature + Wind Speed + Weeks since last session + 5 (if it's sunny) = 100 or higher.

 

Either way I'm missing it.

(Photos from winters past.  Top: Skippers meeting.  Side:  When the snow sticks to a black mast you know its cold!   Photos by Jeff Schultz)

Save The Waves

Save The Waves is an environmental protection org whose mission is "To protect and preserve the coastal environment with a focus on the surf zone."   They have a vision of a world where waves and coastlines are cherished and protected, and surfing provides a proactive vehicle for long-term coastal conservation.

Sounds pretty important to us water folk, doesn't it?

As part of their latest fundraising efforts they're sharing a new film, directed by Puffin and Wind Chimp Christian Charles.  Check it out, then think about donating.  Here it is:

Bitten by the Sea Snake

"Can I give you some constructive criticism?" Hulse asked.

"No" I replied.   I had just returned to the beach after a few minutes of humiliation in the impact zone.   Couldn't get out, couldn't get in gracefully.

"Well you're going to get some anyway."   This I knew when I said no.  Saying "no" just seemed like more fun.

"You've got to bear off."    This was true.

"No shit.  I tried bearing off but the board was getting turned by the current"

"Always with an excuse," Hulse said.

"Yeah, but this excuse is real!"  Also I had been bitten by a sea snake.   Look at my hand.

The following story is not true:   On my first ocean run in a year, and at Cupsogue (where I hadn't sailed since 2008) on the 93 with a 5.5 I had just caught the sail from my only sweet jibe of the day banking off some swell, when what looked like a wooden branch popped out of water (a fallen tree out here, I wondered) and then the top of it stretched forward and bit my left hand.    I was more surprised than anything...WTF?   Sailed back to the beach, took the board out of the water, and showed Scott.

"That blood is going to attract Mary Lee."  

That's all I need, to get eaten by a shark after being bit by a sea snake.

"Mary Lee is down at Hatteras," John Natalie said.   This was true and good, though she was near Democrat Point two weeks ago.

My hand was starting to swell up a bit from the sea snake venom.  I tried sucking it out and spitting, but it didn't seem to help.   "Salt water will be good for it" Jeff suggested.   So I launched again.  And couldn't get the nose of the board to bear off...I seemed to be in perpetual swirl mode.   So I came in to be abused by Hulse.

All of that is actually true except for the sea snake parts.

What really happened was, like all good wavesailing dings and damage, I was just at the shoreline.    I'd sailed in from my first run, right up to the beach, and stepped off.  Out went the water, and holding the boom with my right hand I reached for the front footstrap with my left hand...overhand...when a wave came in and popped the back of the board up, mashing my hand into the boom.   It hurt like hell.  I got the gear up onto the beach and then sat in the sand to let the pain pass, and then a sea snake slithered up and bit my hand right where it was mashed.   What a one-two combination!  But I'll take boom/snake over snake/shark any day.

Okay I'm still making up the snake part.  It bit me when I was derigging.

(Top:  John Natalie taking a wave upwind.  Photo by Jeff.  Bottom:  My hand, happily not in Mary Lee's belly.  Also on the water:  George Pav and Lord vanderWolf.)

A Great Day at the Bowl

I missed it, but 25 lucky waterpeople didn't!  4.7 in the AM, 4.2 in the PM according to Scott.  Wow!   

(Top:  Air Scott by Bill Doutney.  Bottom:  Crowd shot by Jeff Schultz.)

Saturday Wavesailing?

Thus Speaketh NOAA:

• E winds around 10 kt...increasing to 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt in the afternoon. Seas 1 ft or less...then 2 to 3 ft in the afternoon. A chance of rain in the afternoon.

And rain!  What's a good Bowl session without rain?

What say ye, men and women of wind and waves?

Great Big Shark

The only people I want to hear telling me that sharks are beautiful creatures that pose no danger to humans are windsurfers and SUPpers who have had a shark display interest in them while out on the water.   Happened to me once, and it sucked.   No fun at all.  
Yet sharks have as much a right to live as deer ticks and mosquitos and cockroaches, and thanks to the good people at OCEARCH (who research and track apex predators de la mar) we know that a 3,500 pound great white shark, 16 feet long going by the nom de fish Mary Lee is currently cruising off of Democrat Point, eating whatever the hell she pleases and taking no shit from anybody.   Mary Lee is tagged and wearing a microphone, so both her position and dialog can be tracked.   Her position is the more interesting, as the dialog varies little:

Mary Lee:  "Get the f*** out of my way."

Everyone else:  "Okay."

(Maps:  Mary Lee's track from awhile back.  
Note the visit to the middle of Long Island in the past.   Right now Pete Roesch says she's off of Robert Moses Park, with a Superlight stuck between her teeth.)

4.2 and a Thief at The Bowl

4.2!  Giant airs!  Four turn front-side down the line waveriding!

I missed it, but Jeff didn't.   Nor did Scott, the Wolf, Jon, Pav, Bruce and Eric.  It sounded so sweet...I haven't sailed in the ocean in six months, and haven't caught scary air in over a year.  I want it!!!

Meanwhile in the strange incidents category: Jon had his Starboard quad board stolen right off the beach! Apparently, some caterer thought the board would make a cool buffet table. Fortunately, some off-duty plumbers spotted the crime, and took down the guy’s license plate. Cops quickly tracked the car down at Dockers, where Jon drove over and retrieved his board. He was able to get back and still have a session!

Let's hear it for those plumbers...way to go guys!

(Scott heads outbound in search of rampage.   Reporting, most of the prose and the photo by Jeff Schultz.)

Some Waves Are Way Too Big For Me To Sail, Too.

Another day, another wave that I would need to pass on.  Robby Naish posted this picture on Facebook a few days ago (photographer credit is Tracy Leboe).  In his post Robby said "It was not a huge day, but the wind was steady and I had a great time out there."

 

Wave Sailing Aruba?

Wave sailing Aruba.  Yeah I said it.  Check out this photo of the mighty Jeroen Weststrate tearing up Westpunt, Aruba.   Also check out the photo credit in the lower right corner:  Dasher Films.   Methinks something special is afoot down Aruba way.   Watch this space...

New Year's Resolutions, 2015

For nary a decade I've been posting New Year's Resolutions for the coming water year.   The lists have varied from long and detailed to "the unaimed arrow never misses" (no resolutions...just sail.)  This year I want some goals.   Here they are, in alphabetical order:

Air, on port.   I can't remember the last time I looked down from a big jump and thought "oh sh**).   Or even had an elegant bayside jump with that extra second of hang time.  Lack of conditions, lack of sessions, whatever.  I want.

Air, on starboard.   I am such a bad starboard jumper that people ask me why I don't jump on starboard (this is when I am trying to!)  At this point it's in my head that I suck on starboard jumps.   Must improve.

Duck Tack.  The planing kind.  I can actually do the tricky part (the sail work).  Keeping the board planing while getting into switchstance is my bugaboo.   A trip to Bonaire is coming, though, and I must take advantage of those conditions.

Work the waves.  Windsurfing, SUPsailing, SUPsurfing...I need as much time as possible, and a better understanding.   Every once in awhile I'll have a sweet long ride, and Jon or Scott will tell me how I was perfectly doing something...and I don't know what they are talking about.  But hey...I'm the guy who can't find the channel! (actually I did get better at that.)

Enough words.   I want to be more like the ocean.  No talking, all action.

(I'm always happy to rig in January.  Old Ponquogue photo by Jeff Schultz.  Closing words by Perry Farrell.

Robbie Gets A Round of Applause...

"Robbie gets a round of applause from nature."  That's what Christian wrote when he shared this photo of 1111, taken by Mr. Carter.  Just beautiful!  Courtesy PWA World Tour.