The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Six Years Ago By Comparison...

...there I am at South Jamesport, chasing the ever speedy Scott in the distance.  In a shorty.  Not a DRYSUIT!!!   I am ready for summer shortboarding.

South Jamesport Delivers...in August!

If we get a five meter day in August we are grateful.   But 4.7!    Artie reports:   "I met Scott-O and the Wolf and when I got there at about 3:30, Scott was coming off the water to rig down to a 4.7; I figured that's my cue to rig at least a sail size larger cause you know me! Well that was a HUGE mistake cause I was waaaaay overpowered! But, like you know, when we get into certain situations, we accommodate; so that's what I did....I accommodated...with MORE DOWNHAUL! Probably 4.2 by the time we left at 6pm. "

It's true Artie likes to sail with a lot of gas, but he must have been flying.   Hot and windy...resort windsurfing!   Now:  When am I going to catch one of these sessions?   I'm hopeful for soon!

(Scott ripping inbound.  Photo by the Art of Windsurfing.)

Mecoxing with Massimo

It was well past time!

In the early aughts Massimo was He With Whom I Windsurfed the Most.   I remember a November phone call "If I buy a drysuit will you sail with me?"  (Hell yes!)   Mass was fast to rig, faster on the water, and a good jiber.

Then he went golf crazy and stopped sailing for a dozen years.

His comeback was slow, our sessions focused and getting him back up to speed.    Monday we went to Mecox, where a tropical warm southerly had me on the 5.4 and him on six meters.   For the first time in ages Mass was ripping!

We need more windy days to lock him in.

Missing it at SJ

Every year there is a blessed 4.7 session in July at South Jamesport.   As good as Caribbean resort sailing!   And I always catch it.

But I think I missed this year's.   Artie reports:

SJ did NOT disappoint; sail range from 4.2 - 5.0 and I was LIT UP on my 4.7; among the very fortunate were: Joe Nat, Scott-O, George, Christian, Wolf, and a couple of other dudes I didn't know; hoping for some wind this weekend!

Ain't nothing in the forecast, but I'm hoping for weekend wind too!

Just when you think you've got it all figured out: Northwest Delights at Sebonac!

The traditional wisdom has been

Sebonac isn't good for NW (Meschutt is)

The Peconic at high tide isn't good (low to mid incoming is).

But it was blowing NW Saturday, and Artie reported that swimming ropes at Meschutt have nixed that launch until the fall.  Christian and I discussed Tiana "but that will be flat water sailing" Christian texted.   "Let's try Sebonac."

There was the issue of the incoming tide well past half way, but what the heck...let's get some terrain.   We arrived to a beautiful field of whitecaps...it looked 4.7 but can it be?   I announced I was rigging 5.4 but another eyeing of the bay caused me to switch to a 4.7/medium board strategy.  Also, did our eyes deceive us?  We were looking at rolling swell coming through!   Christian put a 5.0 on his midsize, I popped the 4.7 on my 93 and we were off to the races.   Good jumping on both tacks, jibing off of swell was workable, and while the wind wasn't steady (the gusts lead me to board down to 77, and the lulls back to she of 93) the fun was excellent.   Massimo joined us for his maiden 2022 session, struggling a teense with the shore break but still he broke the seal.

After two hours I had to leave.  Christian and Mass called it a day about the same time and so we left.   But check it out:  Sebonac on NW at high tide!    

h/t to Frank for the post title.

 

First Attempt at Wing Foiling (with some 5.5 windsurfing on the side)

I had my first taste of wing foiling.   Caught some quality time with Andy Brandt and Jon Ford at Napeague last Thursday...winging is all kinds of new!   Did I get up on the foil?  Three or four times.  Did I STAY up on the foil?   No (not yet).   While catching my breath watched Jon wing jibe, and Andy do all sorts of stuff as usual.

Must try again.   You should too.   Go check out Andy at an ABK clinic.

To remind myself that I can learn these things, I also got some 5.5 windsurfing in.   Sails, fins, longish boards.  Old tech but still fun.

Swap Meet Long Island!

The week-long formula at Hampton Watersports has been working, and they'll be at it again starting Sunday May 14th.  From the shop:

"May 14 - May 20. Week long swap is back. People loved the fact that they could stop by whenever it was convenient for them. Buy or sell used and closeout Foil, Wingfoil, Kite, surf and Windsurf gear.

Sellers - please drop your used gear now thru 10 am 9/18

Buyers - Come by and check it out . Note: Anyone looking for anything specific, please let us know before hand. We can shop for you if needed."

I know I'll be checking it out!

 

East Beach

Far far away in the distant town of Port Jefferson (far for me anyway) is a Sound launch known as East Beach.   Private.  Invitation only.  Very hush hush…only the finest people launch there.   Then Artie let some of us in!   Rolling swell and starboard ramps greeted us in the 4.7-4.2 winds (I think Chris rigged a 4.8 for a little extra.).  The guests included Chris, Jonathan, Scott, George, Joe, Cyrus, Dilay and your editor.

It's been a couple years since I’ve had an ocean sesh, and while this wasn’t exactly one coming in just behind the big swell was the ticket to getting out of the water.   On the water there were ramps to jump (Scott got some exceptional air before coming down in an exceptionally flat landing.  He complained…I admired the altitude!).  George was seen throwing a classic wave jibe, complete with a carved/surfed accelerating exit.   Me, I had my worst jibing day of the year, but I still had fun!

East Beach…catch it if you can.

(George liked East Beach.  You would too!  Photo by the Art of Windsurfing)

Andy McKinney..."Lost In Hatteras" R.I.P.

This is so wrong, again.   Andy McKinney, who I knew as an Outer Banks windsurfer and fellow waterblogger, has passed away.   He leaves behind a wife, young son and young daughter.  Here is a link to his obituary.

We met on the web, commenting on each other's windsurfing blogs (his was Lost In Hatteras.)  In 2008 I met him in person on the Outer Banks, and did again in 2009.  Warm, friendly, great source of information (and with gusto!  "Ignore the meters...you can get some at S turns right now!"

My condolences to his family and friends.

(photo of Andy and his wife Anne lifted from his 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.

A New ABK Van? We think not.

Driving south on 95 through blowing snow (state of Delaware, en route to South Carolina, 25 mph gusts) the wife and I spotted this ABK van.  Or van tagged ABK at any rate.  We were in Delaware, state that hosted many clinics by Andy Brandt and company, but we thought "Andy usually likes a nice big sticker."   

I know I know this is silly.  But any time it's blowin', snowin' and a windsurfing reference is available, the Peconic Puffin is interested.

Far better use of your time would be to sign up for one of Andy's clinics...he's teaching windsurfing as well as all manner of foiling these days.  Check out the offerings at ABKBoardsports.com.

(Photo by the editor's wife.)

Is Webby's the new Hatteras?

The rave reviews would not stop.

"Excellent 4.2!"

"I can't believe it's February!"

"Looks like the Gorge!

"It's like Hatteras!"

"A perfect day!"

The last session of the shortest month was a great one according to all who partook!

Those duly shredding included Joe Nat, Frank, Artie, Pav, Bruce, Robert.  Send more names and add them I shall!

(Photo of Joe inbound by Artie.)

A Crowd in the Snow at Webbies

I missed it, but few others did.  4.2-4.7 at Webbies, with two snow squalls to heighten the interest.   No repeats from Friday's Sebonac event...Frank was at Nappy, I took a day off from the cold, and Christian was in Hatteras with his Opti-sailing daughter. 
The Webbies crew included the Wolf, Chimply Lord Scotworth the Earl of Kielt, the Art of Windsurfing, Joe Nat, Rob, Frank Strobel, "new guy Cyrus", Bruce Feldman and possibly others.

(Top:  Scott says it's picking up!  Bottom:  If the Wolf is sailing, why aren't you?  Why wasn't I?  Photos by Artie.)