Tom Price( my college roommate and avid surfer) refers to my collection of windsurfers as "blow boards".
The wind forecast today was for light winds this morning, building to the upper teens by afternoon, and then mid to upper 20's by evening. Damn.....They actually got it right.
Sarah was out of town for Mother's Day, but Mark Saunders and I took advantage of the light winds in the morning and went out for a 2 hour Stand Up paddle board. The last 20 minutes was up-wind in the building breeze and we had to hump it pretty hard to make progress back home. Mark left for work, and I gathered up my windsurfing gear. I tossed my 125 liter Naish slalom board, and a 6.5 and 7.0 sail in the car and headed down the street to Chesapeake Ave, and Horn Point. I rigged big and headed out.
The wind was just starting to fill in and the waves and psycho chop from all of the boat traffic was ridiculous. I slogged out doing my best not to get run over by huge sportfish boats blasting up and down the harbor. Somehow I don't think those guys are really bothered by marine fuel costing $4.39 a gallon.
Anyway, the wind finally filled in and I got the board up and planing. It is has been so long since I sailed, man......I felt like a total beginner. I had to keep telling myself "I really know how to do this." Maybe the T-shirt is right, " the older I get, the better I was". I went for a little jump and totally ate it. The board ended up downwind, and I had to swim hard to get it. Every time I got close, the next wave would push it just out of reach. My arms were protesting from the morning SUP session, but I finally managed to grab the rig.
I took a couple more runs across the harbor before heading in. I thought about rigging a smaller sail and going back out, but my arms said NO WAY. I feel like a wimp and I wish I could have sailed longer, but I guess some is better than none. Got to go, time for more Advil.
Happy Mother's Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment