2012-09-09 - Doug's

Windsurfing Momentum.

Ross was unloading his stuff when I got up.  He had been at the coast for a week with Karen doing some stand-up paddle boarding.  I guess she didn't want to spend any time  with the rest of the group, so she flew back from Portland, rather than come out to visit and sail with us.  All twelve of us are now here.

We headed to Bett's for Breakfast - the plan was to get to the Hatchery by 9:00......

Handre challenged himself to eat an entire Bett's Cinnamon roll all by himself.  He almost succeeded.  Only a few crusts left on his plate when he was done.  He must be in training for another Marathon....

Handre - the Cinnamon roll Challenge!
Beat that Lazelle!

Kent took this photo of me at breakfast working
on our blog.

At 8:15 we got Temira's forecast and the plan went to hell!!!

Group Momentum is a funny thing.  There are 12 of us, at probably and average of 190 lbs (some of us more, - like me, and some less - like Harold).   That's 2280 pounds - more than a ton.  It is very hard to get a mass that large moving, and once moving, it is very hard to get it stopped.

Temara's forecast was vague.  It was clear it would be very windy everywhere, so the decision as to where to sail was difficult.  We sat around after breakfast at Bett's trying to decide.  12 people - 15 different opinions - instead going sailing, we spent an extra 45 minutes deciding that Mary Hill would be the place to sail.

We arrived at Mary Hill Beach Park to find the wind was NOT blowing.  We had driven past Rowena and Dougs, where it was blowing very hard.  Rather than just turn around and go to where the wind was, the momentum effect took it's course.  There was discussion about waiting for the wind to come up.  There was discussion that maybe the wind was higher than it looked....  Not...
After a conference and lots of discussion, we headed back to Dougs.... Duh... Kent's comment...  It was Ted that finally just left or I think we would still be at Mary Hill deciding which way to drive to Dougs.   Double duh...  Finally (with Ted's help) momentum had swung.  We were at a sailing site where there was wind.

What a day!  The call was small boards and small sails.  I went out on my Kode and 4.2 sail, and then switched to my 77 litre acid.  There is only one or two days a year that I can get on my Acid board.

Blaine

Big Air Jim was on a 4.0 and he called the day Amazing.  Handre was on a 3.4m Sail and a 75 litre board.  Ross was on a 3.8 (his smallest sail), and Harold A was on a 3.3m.  We sailed all day until the wind dropped - around 5:00pm.  Big waves and lots of fun by all!  Blaine and Gerry were the only ones in the group that weren't on their smallest gear.  Blaine says he stayed on a 4.2m sail, but he has a 3.7 in the van that he has never used.

Harold A, Hanging on....

Big Air Jim - Cutting a Jibe in High Wind....

Blaine - keeping the fin in the water!

Handre - going upstairs!

Handre won the award for the most jumps.  We're not sure if they were on purpose, but he was getting some nice air on almost every reach.....

Handre blasting past Big Air Jim.

Handre on his 3.4 and 74 litre board.

Allan - getting ready for another couple of reaches.

Harold W

Harold A, carving a high wind jibe!!

Once we were all off the water, the wind started to pick up again - although probably not quite as windy.  We were all just too tired to go out again.

Pizza, Beer, and "Sailor Jerry" back at the condo.