Labor Day

I sailed the new cut in Chatham MA today. (The island breached in May 08). Sailed the first hour at slack tide dead low. It was a straight shot out from Skateree in North Chatham. That was OK. Once the tide changed to incoming, against the Northwesterly the place just went off! The swell wasn't that big up here yet, but it was just perfectly clean waist high Side Off on a 6.0. My god that place has potential. I sailed so hard I ripped my hands to shreds. That's what happens when youv'e sailed as little as I have this summer.

odds and ends

Reminder: we have the Pasta Jam an Beach Clean Up on Sunday, Sept. 7th at Cedar Beach.
http://surfridercli.blogspot.com/

The Puffin has the video of the Florida Kitesurfer accident
http://www.peconicpuffin.com

Me? I've mostly been out on Segue with Lauralee. I did get one Sunday afternoon in August on the 125ltr and a 7.0 at Heckscher. At least I was fully powered.

Looks like some swell this weekend... Be careful out there: Mustang had to share the line up with a big Mako yesterday.

Summer squall sailing

I was so lucky this winter and spring. We had great conditions for windsurfing, I was healthy, and I had a flexible work schedule for the first time in my life. I've been commuting into NYC since 1984.

The city is like a big battery; at first I got a charge out of working in Manhattan. But that changed for me... after 911, the City started to drain me. LL and I swore we would try to find work no more than ten minutes drive from each other. This goal was proving difficult. 2007/08 was when it all finally fell into place. We had great conditions; and I had the time and ability to take advantage of it. It was truly magic.

But it's August now. And that seems so long ago. The beaches are crowded. Most of our wind is coming from unstable air masses, and thunder storms. So while windsurfing in zero to thirty knot winds is not exactly epic...sailing in the same conditions, can be great. You get a lot of practice reefing; and reading the weather, and wind as it circulates around the thunderheads. Just pay attention!

I need to thank Gary Cohen once again for capturing those magic moments in his viewfinder.