Avon Beach, X off, windy and super fun!

  I was so nervous with excitement for today's windsurf that I couldn't even make simple decisions, like how much coffee to have, which way to get there, or even when to leave the house. Avon was buzzing with excited windsurfers, I had to just sit in the van for a little while to take stock of the situation, and decide where the best riding was. It wasn't as big or as clean as I imagined in my head, but it was pretty good, it was sunny and nukin, many out on 3.5's and 4.0's!

The view on arrival

Some of the sets were a good size, and at certain states of the tide there were decent sections. Luckily the council had put some buoys out too sea right on the sand bar to let you know where to line up to start your wave ride. I think the most I got was six turns, the average on a decent wave maybe three and a small bonus little section on the inside.

Everyone out was picking waves off all the time. Quite often I wasn't when Wigwam, Colin and Tim Cox ( In James Cox's absence) were picking up choice ones, so I changed my tactic to follow them around and erm, maybe share a few! Because there was so much wind (I was on my smallest 4.2 - second use since September) it was also good for jumping, with some decent backloop ramps appearing every now and then.

Liz came down with Casey for a little while, he was soo excited by it all and wanted to hold on to all the kit (which can only be a good thing). I think what Liz said sums the day up really, she said it was amazing, there was such a good atmosphere with loads of vans turning up with really excited people and loads of people on the beach just watching it all.

Maybe it wasn't quite the classic I expected, but to get that you need a 12 second period. Today was only 8.5second. However it was so much fun, the whole week has been amazing. Wigham and Colin both taken time off there work - how lucky are they. And I am just on half term - I wouldn't wanted to have been anywhere else but here this week.

small fun cross off inside section

Towards the end of the day, when it had eased off there were plenty out just going for it. ( I managed to persuade Matt Wigham to take pix of me for 15 minutes - so vein, but got to keep the O'shea empire happy!). I bumped it to John Mobbs and old mate from the racing days and Caroline (used to be Radway) who have both moved just off the beach at Mudeford. It's a pretty special place, with a great scene. Ok it's not the most powerful, or the biggest wave, but how many other places in the UK can you get 200 metre wave rides that are cross off in a South Westerly? I can think of two! (one better, one worse - answers on a postcard please!)

Rest of the pictures from the day below:

radders

One of the other Cox's who was ripping up some decent sets on the outside sandbar

plenty of floaty jumps going around 

Maybe the worst (but perhaps the funniest) was the absence of James Cox and Gregg Dunnett both away on family get together's, but at least in windy flat water places. Do I feel bad, not really it's happened the other way round plenty of times before....

Kit wise today, I was on a 4.2 Simmer Icon and 82 Mistral twinzer. I must be getting fat because I can't see when I would ever need smaller. I did change the fins down to some of Steve's K4 16 inch stubbies.