Long day

 Photo's by Steve Domjan

Long day yesterday. I was up at six to get ready for LIBAG’s grass planting with www.savethebeaches.net . they are just another one of the fine organizations that help to stabilize the dunes, and take care of our south shore beaches.
http://libeach.blogspot.com/2011/04/2011-beach-grass-planting.html

While I was there I couldn’t help but notice we were getting sandblasted from the wind at Gilgo. There were a couple of kiters out, but the waves were just relentless, with no space in between them. It did not look fun. And I did not want to sail alone.

I grabbed a quick breakfast, since all I had eaten was a yogurt and a protein shake.

My phone was buzzing incessantly, ”the Bowl, you have to get to the Bowl, it’s going off”. I usually don’t travel out to the east end to windsurf. You can get stuck in killer traffic. But as I was already halfway there…and I knew that a bunch of my western LI guys were out there…I took the plunge.

Wow, it was so worth it. Take a look at Domjan’s Flicker page. Pay special attention to Jeffs Back Loop at the end!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/domer2/sets/72157626388431783/

Does Steve do anything poorly? Great Family Man [ his kids actually like to hang out with him], great Bass player in a band, great photographer, great sailor & Waterman. Sounds like a man crush? Nope he’s just a great friend.

I arrived about 2:30 so a lot of the guys were packing up from sailing all morning.  Scott Y, and I arrived about the same time, so I knew I would have someone to sail with.

Pecconic Jeff Schults was still going strong throwing back loops as he had since that morning. I saw a lot of folks I had not sailed with since the 80’s at Napeague. They had definitely acquired  the necessary skill set for these conditions.

I was out of my league. But I was able to sail none the less. Of course My two hour sail consisted of one or two runs out and back, followed by 5 minutes of standing on the beach trying to catch my breath. For my first real ocean session of the season, I had a great time and didn’t get into trouble. But the talent pool out there makes me realize how far I still have to go. I didn’t feel 100%. But then it occurred to me…,maybe this is my 100% .

Thanks to Mike & Jeff for sounding the alarm, and inviting us all out. And thanks to Steve for taking great photographs, and documenting the day.