We like Henry. Stormy, mild beyond belief and very little rain plus a good amount of swell. What is not too like? Incredibly it's been four days in a row on the water, all in really good fun waves.
Today's cheeky little after school session was definitely a lot of fun, but weirdly what would have been an epic session another year was a bit average for this season. Gusty, small unpredictable waves and a loose boom (ok that was my fault). But really, on a Monday, sailing till gone 5 it was pretty good. Gregg couldn't make it out this time, but he came along to take some pictures. On a busy day at Avon there are plenty of photographers, but it's hard to have an eye for it if you don't know the conditions well. Gregg has a good eye for it and some how catches the rare moments where it all came together.
The long weekend started on Friday with another cheeky after work session, one I almost didn't bother with. Then Saturday another almost miss. Emile Kott, Gregg and myself were kind of busy keeping an eye on the wind. Emile and family had come over to visit. His phone was constantly pinging with how good it was at the Witts. Yet there was nothing in Bournemouth Bay. It had a feel to it though that Kimmeridge was having a good day. (further reports definitely confirmed this). Well we weren't going to give up for the day so decided to look at Highcliffe for a surf. It was bloody cold, didn't look all that, a bit ok perhaps. For some reason we didn't look at Avon figuring the swell would be smaller. As luck would have it, we bumped into Tim Cox. "boys if you got your paddle boards, get to Avon its glassy, smooth and the SUPpers are having a great time". Tim is not one to talk things up so I knew it was going to be ok. Getting there though, it was pretty bloody good for a paddle board. Emile only had a short board, but still managed to get a few good ones.
Similar thing on Sunday. Wind was way lighter than forecast. Again at 3pm we thought we might as well get in the water. Avon looked impossibly light, and the waves infrequent. Wierdly though, they were bigger than Southbourne. It was very offshore, but with the wind whipping off some spray off the crests of some fairly hollow looking waves for this stretch of the coast. Emile launched in a bit of a lull (of a lull) and it looked hopeless. I managed to wobble out ok and hit the windline and was fairly well powered up for a 5.3 here and there. So we ended up have a super fun, really clean down the line session with some waves peeling for a long time.
The sand bars seemed to have shifted again to produce a couple of sections. On more than one occasion you could get a couple of aerials from the same waves.
We are just having the best winter for windsurfing, totally incredible..And no hot hands yet, not even in February. Bizarre. Is this Global warming, or El Nino? I don't know what it is but, from a very selfish view point in this case. I am happy about it.
On to today (which the pictures are from). A lot smaller than expected, but actually a couple of waves were really good fun.
Today's cheeky little after school session was definitely a lot of fun, but weirdly what would have been an epic session another year was a bit average for this season. Gusty, small unpredictable waves and a loose boom (ok that was my fault). But really, on a Monday, sailing till gone 5 it was pretty good. Gregg couldn't make it out this time, but he came along to take some pictures. On a busy day at Avon there are plenty of photographers, but it's hard to have an eye for it if you don't know the conditions well. Gregg has a good eye for it and some how catches the rare moments where it all came together.
The long weekend started on Friday with another cheeky after work session, one I almost didn't bother with. Then Saturday another almost miss. Emile Kott, Gregg and myself were kind of busy keeping an eye on the wind. Emile and family had come over to visit. His phone was constantly pinging with how good it was at the Witts. Yet there was nothing in Bournemouth Bay. It had a feel to it though that Kimmeridge was having a good day. (further reports definitely confirmed this). Well we weren't going to give up for the day so decided to look at Highcliffe for a surf. It was bloody cold, didn't look all that, a bit ok perhaps. For some reason we didn't look at Avon figuring the swell would be smaller. As luck would have it, we bumped into Tim Cox. "boys if you got your paddle boards, get to Avon its glassy, smooth and the SUPpers are having a great time". Tim is not one to talk things up so I knew it was going to be ok. Getting there though, it was pretty bloody good for a paddle board. Emile only had a short board, but still managed to get a few good ones.
Similar thing on Sunday. Wind was way lighter than forecast. Again at 3pm we thought we might as well get in the water. Avon looked impossibly light, and the waves infrequent. Wierdly though, they were bigger than Southbourne. It was very offshore, but with the wind whipping off some spray off the crests of some fairly hollow looking waves for this stretch of the coast. Emile launched in a bit of a lull (of a lull) and it looked hopeless. I managed to wobble out ok and hit the windline and was fairly well powered up for a 5.3 here and there. So we ended up have a super fun, really clean down the line session with some waves peeling for a long time.
The sand bars seemed to have shifted again to produce a couple of sections. On more than one occasion you could get a couple of aerials from the same waves.
We are just having the best winter for windsurfing, totally incredible..And no hot hands yet, not even in February. Bizarre. Is this Global warming, or El Nino? I don't know what it is but, from a very selfish view point in this case. I am happy about it.
On to today (which the pictures are from). A lot smaller than expected, but actually a couple of waves were really good fun.
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