Shark, shark…I don’t think so!

July 23rd, 2010

It has been super windy here.  We need smaller sails and Gold needs new underwear!!!  We’ve been on our 3.7s overpowered since we last blogged and we have some serious new move news!  Tom has learned Spocks and Clew-first Spocks and Ricky and Tom are starting to man up and try forwards.

Wednesday was OTT windy. Only clew-first moves and forwards were possible as far as I was concerned but Tom and Ricky kept trying Spocks and have some berr grim bruises to show for it. We have got some pretty good overpowered footage for our video now.

Yesterday was still 3.7 full power but not quite so mental. I windsurfed rather badly but it will forever be remembered for Tom’s over reaction to a couple of small dolphins. I was on the bank and saw the dolphins about 15yards from tom and shouted shark! Tom, when he saw the fins, entered serious crisis mode, quickly and efficiently up hauled and sailed as fast as he could to the bank. Apparently he was scared of his board being mistaken for a seal.  Ricky and I tried to go and windsurf with them but Ricky was incapacitated by laughter at Gold’s gullabillity.

Ricky is happy because our generator is back online with a new spark plug so our evenings of lounging can start again.

There is a kite-surfing competition being run from our beach this weekend. They are trying to make us move our tent but we are standing our ground against the spread of teabaggers.

Thats all for now. Keeping it Real!

Contributed by: Tom

Posted in Trips Abroad | No Comments »

The Dakhla adventure continues

July 16th, 2010

Hi all, sorry for the lack of news but the laptop broke last week which makes blogging a little tricky.  We have resorted to writing the blog in the internet cafe which is at present about 45 degrees, smells of sewage and we are surrounded by people watching suspect video footage. It has been an eventful few days, the generator broke then was fixed by Jack and a team of locals, only to cause a power surge which, since the Morrocans pulled apart our surge protector to try to get it working again, we had no protection against surges. Subsequently we managed to fry the laptop transformer box.  Fortunately we have been pointed in the right direction for a replacement and are hopeful we can get everything fixed.

As far as windsurfing goes it has been an unsuccessful couple of days…the tides have meant that the freestyle spot is not working at the moment.

On Friday myself and Ricky arrived back at the beach late in the evening due to the slow slog back, Ricky had also managed to put a large hole in the bottom of his foot during a impressive catapult on the sandbar!

On Sunday we tried a wave spot down the road.  Whilst unpacking the car Tom’s board decided to blow across the car park, making a nice new hole to join the others! Jack and Ricky bobbed out, both coming in again after ten minutes due to a complete lack of wind, Ricky’s fin having also been a victim of a large rock beneath the water line.  Since then we have had no wind and have slowly been driven crazy by our flapping marquee!

Windguru is predicting a good week but we have learnt from experience that any prediction made by them is completely worthless so fingers crossed for tomorrow.  In preparation for the especially windy day tomorrow we have brought some camel for tonight – our first bit of real meat since the trip began.

More soon!

Contributed by: Tom

Tags:
Posted in Bray Lake Community | Comments Off

My first sail at ….. Christchurch Harbour

July 14th, 2010

Until recently, my UK sailing experiences have been Bray Lake, Club trips to Dale and a session in Langstone. After royally treating myself at Christmas to a trio of Storm Force 10′s and other rig component’s from the Bray shop, my endeavours with Gary M to get coastal will have been noted by some I’m sure. With a date in the diary for 17th, musing possible locations in the clubhouse Saturday presented a bit of an impromptu opportunity to head off to Christchurch Harbour on Sunday with Becki and Craig.

An early arrival just after nine ensured we had space. At £4.80 for 4 hours, or £9.00 for the day it’s not one of your better value locations, but it’s pretty and offers a nice grassy bank for rigging. No reason to get your mast stuck with sand (yes – you know who you are). Becki being fairly new to windsurfing found the harbour area shallows offered confidence building security, and a degree of energy conservation on mount and dismount she informs me.

With Craig standing in the water with hint’s and tips and quick changes for demo’s it was easy for him too between paddle boarding. Having hired a RRD155 with its standard fit 46 fin, the shallows presented a different experience for me! A bit of a walk out, a little sailing backwards on the nose whilst testing my navigation of the moorings later and I was then happily pottering up and down the front of Avon beach playing amongst the many Pico’s!

The conditions were almost on the verge of planing at times, but sadly, didn’t quite come up so between gusts it was a light wind skills day for me. Dave and Sue dropped by (recently relocated) for a social, and hopefully once they’ve settled in they’ll have James kit them out to play on our next visit too. A good morning was had – Becki got some good practice in for the next part of her improvers course this week. I’d like to head back again on a slightly windier day, but as the gatecrasher it was good to check out a location I’d not been to before. On arrival at Bray to drop off the board, I hear they were planing all morning – typical, but I guess that’s windsurfing for you…

Contributed by : Candice

Tags: , ,
Posted in Bray Lake Community | 1 Comment »

Doing it in STYLE!

July 8th, 2010

Hello again from Dakhla!

We have had awesome conditions since we last blogged. 3.7 or 4.2m sails have been getting some good use. Tom has been having an eventful time. Today he landed his first Vulcan which he was happy about however his inability to sail upwind meant he walked home and cut his feet so he is back his standard winging. Two days ago he managed to bag us a 400 Dihram speeding fine aswell so he may be sent home early.

Ricky has been clocking up loads of spocks and Jack has been getting along with his switch stance freestyle.

WindsurfingThe forecast is looking great for the next few days so hopefully we will all have learnt new moves by the time we next blog!

Keep it REAL!

Contributed by: Tom (4th June 2010)

And again!

Weve been having some more great winds and with low tide in the middle of the afternoon its been super flat. The sand bars work best for freetsyle at low tide so we try to windsurf then. Ive been getting on well with switch and can occasionally get the board out of the water when trying shakas. Tom and Ricky are racing to learn flakkas. Tom is also hoping for his fist spock soon.

Our tent is holding its own in the 40 knot winds although we are slightly concearned what the brutal flapping is doing to our mental state. We now have use of a toilet which is very luxorious. This will spell the end of being chased around the rocky sand dune (our previous toilet) by hoards of Moroccan school kids (Me).

In other news Rickys elbow is holding up well and everyone is reasonably healthy apart from the odd ear plug getting stuck in ears (Ricky)

Keep it REAL!

Contributed by: Jack (8th July 2010)

Tags: , ,
Posted in Trips Abroad | Comments Off

Journey Continues (instalment 2!)

July 5th, 2010

We arrived at Santander and drove straight on to Tarifa, arriving at 3am. After a few hours sleep under the car cover we bought some ferry tickets from the back streets and stocked up on chorizo. Our search for fiberglass (which Jack had left back in England) was unsuccessful and after burying all the pork products in the bottom of our car we got on the ferry to Morocco.

We arrived in Ceuta, where Tom managed to get confused between coke and beer buying two cans of the latter for the driver and map reader. At the border we enlisted the help of a local Morroccan to get us through which was fortunate as Jack was feeling particularly special that day being unable to fill out a simple form.

We made light work of the drive to Essouira, camping in Moulay on the way through, hoping to catch some wind but ended up disappointed. We did however manage to get hold of some fiberglass from bouj windsurfing.  Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Carl Pilkington made excellent company on the drive down with banter flowing especially when Jack decided to have a mini lash session by himself in the backseat. The drive through the Atlas mountains was spectacular but the road surface made it slightly stressful for all.  A tagine in Agadir to refuel and then a unanimous vote to drive straight through the night meant we arrived in Dakhla early Sunday morning – surely a record breaking drive!

We’ve Arrived – Dakhla Part 1

With only a few hours of sleep between us we pitched the tent and got straight out on the water. Jack managed to cut his feet within the first few minutes. After a quick lunch it was a trip into town to watch England’s lame attempt to stay in the World cup. Jack and Ricky were so disgusted with England’s performance (especially Lampard’s) we ended up leaving before full time.

Jump for joyThe morning greeted us with perfect 3.7 weather. We set off for the speed spot. Tom and Ricky made it halfway and stopped for a little freestyle. Jack shot off upwind to have the speed spot to himself, deciding he was too good to sail with mere mortals. He thinks he’s all that, but he still can’t tack or gybe.

We set off on 3.7s again the next day. All of us were sailing really well. Ricky landed his first few spocks and Jack landed his first Flakka Diablo. Tom was also having a good session until he set off from the bank saying “I’m gonna try a flakka”. It looked nothing like a flakka more like a ponch. It now looks as though he may have broken his foot.

Jack and Ricky had a slightly underpowered session this morning and that brings us pretty much up to date. We are in town stocking up on supplies and having been to the hospital we have decided that Tom does not need an X-ray because his winging has let up a little.

Contributed by:  Tom, Jack & Ricky

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Bray Lake Community, Trips Abroad | Comments Off

« Older Entries