Hatteras report

[gwind]

Wow!! What a first session after 6 months. After weeks of high pressure loads of work I headed south Saturday afternoon and made it to the house after 2am. I woke up at 7 to a South wind coming up and went to Canadian Hole and rigged a 3.7 on 76 liters. Then it really came up and I rode a 3.3 on 63 liters for about an hour and a half until it came back down to 3.7.

Got to that 3.3 and I had to whoop! Man, when the little size is just right it's like doing a slow dance in the middle of a riot. So sweet and smooth and wild. I can do a high wind jibe!! At least once.

More to come. Bill said I'm to report. Now I'm totally tired. Bet my dreams are active tonight.

[Windydoug]

gwind,

All of our dreams are active now. Wow, 3.3! I rigged up my 5.2 and tossed it around on the front lawn the other day just to make sure I can still do it. My sail flips were perfect! Keep the reports coming and bring some wind and warmth back with you.
WD

[gwind]

The Wind Gods were again very generous. The day started overcast and I was on a 3.7 and my 85 liter JP. As the wind built I graduated to the 76 liter Quatro by 11 am and then the 3.3 Simmer. The Gods burned off the clouds and brought full Sun by 1. I think I dozed in the Sun after lunch and woke to some Real Wind!! The 3.3 and 63 liter Quatro didn't last long. My French Canadian parking neighbors went to buy a smaller sail and came back with a Goya 3.2 (man they make a beauty sail) but that was too much for the lady I was busy on my 3.0! That's it. I mean 3.0 and maxxed out!! Good thing I learned to sail in gusts I'll tell ya.

Whew, It all backed off a bit and I ended the day on 76 liters and 3.7. So strange when that gets to feel like a normal size.

Fresh mahi mahi from the grill to my belly and off to bed to rest for tomorrows NW swing. My 68 year old neighbor tells me 4 months a year in Baja is the way to live. Much better than this today. Hmmm.... got me thinking....dreaming..

[waterauthorityrick]

Gwind,
Are you in Hatteras for two weeks?
Cause Dr. Miller and I are headed down there next week May 1st

For all those who do not know H20 Rick owns 2 kites now hope to get some rides in when in Hatteras.

H20 (Riding?) Rick

PS what do you think about that David?

[gwind]

Hey Rick. Yep I'm here for two weeks. I've got a house in Frisco on the edge of Buxton. Great launch in North winds. I go to canadian hole for south winds and am plotting with a couple of locals with 4 wheel drive to get me to some ocean sites.

Today's report goes....whew I'm tired now.
Started on 5.6 and 101 liters for 3 hours in front of the house. An hour at 6.9 and 130 liters as the wind died down before shifting south for the afternoon. I got another 3 hours at the hole on a 5.3 and 85 liters. 3 days in a row after 6 months off is a whole psychic change!! Mellowed out the rough edges for sure.

Looks like Thursday and Friday may be windless so I'm shopping for the sup of my dreams. Coming here so long has given me friends in most of the shops hooking me up with an assortment of boards to try. I'm ten minutes from the bay at home and hoping for plenty of paddling when the wind is gone. Course I broke 3 ribs last October ride one of those beauties on a wave that went faster than I did. Running off the board I fell hitting the edge on my ribs. Youch!!

Time to rest up for the morning sesh.

[David]

THUD.....OMG! I think that is great that you are willing to try again since you had a bad experience previously. I hope you at least have some modern kites (post 2006) and you are ready to put a little time into it, 3 days and you will be rockin it. My advice would be to launch north of Real an downwind to Slavo day use once you get up on the board. I'm sure Miller will get you up and going. d**n, I had 8 days in South Padre but I definitely need to get to Hatteras this spring, anyone have a few days to blast down? I'm hoping it turns a little more North today but its still MF ing cold in Ontario. Good luck!!

[gwind]

Well yeah! I think I'll take David's advice and head up to real to do the downwind to Salvo if tomorrow's afternoons forecast holds. Yesterday turned out surprisingly sweet with light wind big gear sailing in the am. Totally powered on the formula board with the 7.5, a flying speed machine!
As it died out I went to lunch and on the hunt for the SUP of my dreams and I found it! It wasn't the beauty new Starboard 11 footer with sunken deck that Andy had in his new shop (formerly Sailworld) nor any of the other new stuff for lots-o-money but the very same 11 foot Amundson that I had demoed last Fall and cracked my ribs hitting the rail getting pushed around by a wave much bigger than me. Sweet deal, sweet board. It's already got my blood and we're gonna be friends.
As I'm putting down my money yesterday the wind was coming up and I ended the day with a 3 hour sail into the setting Sun on 101 liters and a 5.3. Working that Gybe. Gotta get smooth. This is a Deefp Spiritual Quest with meaning beyond the understand of this lowly mortal.
Now I can be on the water everyday. Today is the first no wind looking day in the last five. I've got my new to me SUP and I'm gearing up to paddle the coast of the Sound this am and out to the waves in Frisco this aft. Kite lesson tomorrow.
Serious meditation......

[Windydoug]

Windsurfing may actaully be on its way to being cancelled.................

[waterauthorityrick]

No don't worry Doug Windsurfing has NOT been canceled just put on layaway.

I sailed yesterday at Webster very late well after work right until sunset 5.2m fully powered had a great time (all alone) King was at East Bay in another world of his own after getting Skunked during his week long stay at Hatteras. (He almost died you know)

Rider I would love to see your suit I would likely be an XL did you send it back yet?

H20 (next stop Hatteras) Rick

[gwind]

And hardly put on hold. The forecast called for no wind so I spent the morning paddling South to ride a downwinder back to the house. Man what a sweet ride!! Flying fish and Sea skates escorting my way. Got to the small waves at the old lighthouse beach after lunch but had to leave as the breeze was filling in and ended at Canadian Hole with 5.6 on 85 liters 'til Sunset.

Now check out the Bermuda High coming through. Four days of solid wind forecast. Wow! What a full Life!

Yum. Gotta sleep. Gotta rest. More fun coming.... No time to learn that kite thing.

[flashpipe]

I'm heading to Hatteras for a week in mid May (15-22) with the family. We're quite a bit north (Corolla) so I'm not sure what the kiting will be like up there, but I've got a lesson scheduled at Real on the 16th, so they may be able to give me some ideas on where to go and at least I'll get one long day on the water down at the hotspots.

Any tips while I'm down there?? Hopefully the lesson will give me what I need to be able to stay up on the board for more than 10-20 feet at a time. Plus, it will be good to get an actual lesson to make sure that what I'm currently doing is safe/best practices.

[rider1200]

Rick I got the L today and haven't sent XL back yet. I'll send you a pm. I'm going swimming tonight and if all is well I'm hoping to head to Seneca on Sunday!

[Windydoug]

Brent,
If Big Rick is too big for the XL let me know.....
Sunday?
Hmmm.....To be continued...hopefully.....

[mikeyz]

Wow, I'm loving all this action you guys are getting. I don't have much time to write but I'm totally wishing I was in Hatteras right now. That place is magic. Not that SF Bay isn't ... and you know I'm getting plenty of time on the water; but Hatteras, there is something about it. So laid back. So much water. So much wind.

Rick your 5.2 sesh sounds awesome. I've gotten some 4.4 out here on the bay and I've got to say that it doesn't come close to 6.0 on Ontario ... it just comes on an almost daily basis. However you all should know that I haven't sailed Crissy Field yet so we'll see what I say after that. Last weekend I heard stories of mast high swell and big long falls from high high jumps.

As for you guys starting kiting, be careful where you launch. We just had a rather serious accident at Berkeley. I actually can't believe people launch there and I'm sure the other kiters on this forum would agree. www.sunsetsailboards.com/blog/41-windsurf-sessions/119-berkeley-kitemare

- mike

[gwind]

Yep, Magic in Hatteras again! Totally Fun!! Easy morning visiting with Olaf and Margaret at their Avon Sail House ruminating on the constant ebb and flow of Life while waiting for the wind to build. Fresh caught yellow fin tuna for lunch and off to Canadian Hole where the wind was falling in right on schedule. Don from Florida had tired himself out on an 8.0 all morning as I rigged a 5.3 and rode the JP 85 liters. 20 minutes later the wind was starting to rip my arms off. I spent the next 5 hours on my 76 liter Quatro flying the 4.7 Simmer. Man I'm just the luckiest guy and that rig is currently my favorite combo. There was a bit there around 5 o'clock when things were building again and I play with the 4.1 for about a half hour. Back to the 4.7 for the last hour and I'll call that all a totally sweet satisfying session.

I hope I posted this in time for Rick to read before he sets off at 3 am to get here tomorrow. The next 3 days forecast are looking as good and better.

The wind is playing symphonies on the windows and singing choruses across The Sound. How's a boy to sleep with all this going on. Gotta rest up to start again in the am....

That's 6 days sailing in a row. Wow! Man the universe is good to me.

Magic on.

[waterauthorityrick]

Gary,

Packing the car late and final e-mail check before we head out, good news on the forecast. Remember to phone me while I'm driving down we will chat.

Doug,
Keep your hands off Riders XL dry suit till I get back in town. I have a used one that might fit you since you are in the 180 pounds range. My sculptured (stocky) 220lb frame no longer fits in it.

Rider,
Please also phone me so we can discuss my options of the dry suit I replied to the PM with my cell number

H20 (12 hour drive) Rick

[gwind]

Whew!! Jus' totally tired after another super powered Windsurfing day. Man, and all that warm Sun and the dozens of muscles used grinning all day just got me wiped.

The facts: The morning was sailable but I wanted to wait until at least 5.6 conditions came 'round. About noon I went out with 101 liters and 5.6 for an hour and a half......got to 4.7 then 4.1 and 76 liters for an hour or so each. I ended the day with my tongue hanging out after a final hour on 3.7 and 76 liters then 63 liters. It seems 'bout every hour the wind would get strong enough for a sail change and my break between sessions was a 15 minute rig and rest.

I'm looking for lots more tomorrow. Rick Griffin and Dick Miller pulled in to Canadian Hole as I was whipped and packing up. I see by the meters the wind get building. I wonder what that was like after a 15 hour drive.

Gonna go dream smooth gybes...
smooth........

[mikeyz]

Gary your posts rock. So awesome the wind is doing what it is doing. I wanna sail so bad right now but it looks like I will have to wait a few hours. No launching in the back yard for me .... what a life we live. Keep on killing it man and do some yoga! Say hi to rick for me too!

[gwind]

Either today was the heaviest wind so far or I'm just tuckered out... or I really think it's both. I started with a 4.1 and 76 liters and ended with 3.3 and 63 liters and pretty much cross eyed by the disorganized chop. The wind coming funneling down the shore line met the true ssw wind and jumbled up these meeting patterns of chop with 1/2 second intervals between. "Canandaigua at its worse is saner than this." I think I'm paraphrasing Rick's quote of the day.

I did manage a select few high wind gybes. Great gear, stubborn determination, tips from Rick and total surrender to the universe all help.

I'm hoping for something calmer tomorrow.

[Windydoug]

Gary, Rick, Dick.....

Keep the reports coming. Stay away from Rochester....the forecast here is looking awesome for the coming days. Don't jinx us. Thanks!
The locals