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Indian Beach, Emerald Isle, North Carolna
Early April 2007
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Managed to make it to Indian Beach Emerald Isle. Alex and Celeste graciously took care of Mr.Nico while I went at it in 4-5 bft. ocean chop with the 6.5.
I retired my Pirate Wing Sail this session. Thanks Rob Meijer. If only he knew how many years it cranked. 19!
I used a smaller board later that day when the wind kicked in harder. That helped a lot controlling the chop, which was a challenge and swelled bigger as the day moved on.
It was marvelous riding some of the waves. I still can’t do it very well, but getting out there to practice is a challenge enough.
Cabarette, Dominican Republic
December 29 & 30, 2006
My dad took this pic on his first day, but it does not show the reef.
Yep, there is a reef off the coast and the waves are nice, smooth, non-threatening, and so fun to ride.
I spend two afternoons doing just that on rented JP equipment.
My first excusion into the “new evolution of computer technology board”, as the Velo dude explained to me.
“They don’t perform better perse, but they are more forgiving.”
The first day I rode a 85 liter with 5.6 sail and that was plenty. The second day a 95 liter with a 5.8 sail.
This was likely the best conditions I ever sailed, however choppy, and never mind the numerous blisters on my hands.
Its not me in the picture. This photo I took pretty much after the wind died and I finally realized I should take a picture before the plane left again to go home..
It gives an impression of the waves at their smallest. If you click on the image another one will be loaded, right after the wind had died.
Carolina Beach & Fort Fisher
May 11-12 2006
“I used to sail here all the time.Ten years ago you would find hundreds of windsurfers here.
We would set up a speed track at the other side of this area and go for run. It is a great ride at Southwest winds. There is a thermal wind from May on.”
He was speaking about the Fort Fisher Basin, right on the south end of Fort Fisher Blvd. I told him one is never too old to windsurf. I hope it is true.
Anyway, spend long weekend at the Sandstep at Carolina Beach.
Predictions were 10-20 mph winds first day. We headed to the Sound at Forst Fisher for some windsurfing.
The wind seemed to pick up gradually, getting interesting at 12:00 and full force at 3pm. Got to a nice 15-20 mph (4-5 bft.). Jan and Matt had a blast. So did I.
Day two I tried on the ocean. Little freaky since there is no rescue and no other windsurfing soul and some of my equipment is probably more then ten years old.
I promised myself not to jump, which was hard; nice swell with the sun glittering as I speeded back to the coast. Sure nice to get the ocean feel for a bit there.
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| Day 1; 6.5 with Bic Good 15 mph winds |
Matt on Mistral Shredder with Gaastra 6.5 |
Lucky shot; thanks to Jan |
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| Day 2: tried it on the ocean |
No waves, nice swell | Nico says its a sailboat. Close enough. |
Avon Outer Banks
April 2005
We rented a house in Avon on Hatteras Island (outer banks, NC) looking at the Canadian hole with soundside access as well as close to the beach. The whole aim was to finally make it out there to the beach windsurf spot on the eastcoast (6 hours from Carrboro). No ocean surfing or windsurfing happened, but having a relaxed windy sound at our fingertips was bliss. Actually, the sound sort of bit us in the ass Saturday with a whopping gale force cold northeastern which ended up being way too much to handle with a 3.5 meter. Only the Lake Michigan helmet wearing die-hards kept on standing up. Still had one of the best windsurfing days in a long time on Thursday with a nice 15-20 knots kicking the old Pirate Wing 6.5 with the Bix Saxo on a sunny day. Matt’s equipment failed him, while Jan missed Thursday’s wind. Saturday was too much for both of them.We’ll do it again.
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| 4-5 Bft. Thursday |
Beach on Friday | Saturday morning 25 knots offshore winds |
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| Morning 25 knots | Rerigging with Mr. Nico |
Afternoon 30-35 knots |
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| Afternoon 30-35 knots | Afternoon 30-35 knots | Afternoon 35+ knots |
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| Afternoon 35+ knots, Lake Michigan crew still at it somehow |
Crissy Field San Francisco
Saturday, sept 11 2004
Thanks to our awesome friends Nath & Jodi who of course were not campainging at all to get us to move over to beautiful SF I ended up having some of the rides of my life under the Golden Gate Bridge, so to speak. Amazingly predictable winds, which reached a good 4-6 bft. on a random summer day. I was racing on a 290 Fanatic Board with a 5.5 sail, getting more overpowered when getting further out. The experience of seeing that bridge standing out there in the fog, the fog horns of the huge tankers (which path i made sure not to cross), the awesome steady wind, the chop with some beautiful ramps to fly off from, and of course the sea lion who watched me for a bit before going under, is unforgettable. Crissy Field rocks. Thanks Cisca and Karlos! |
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| Crissy Field Map and webcam | ||||||
Wrightsville Beach
Saturday July 24 2004
We went with the gang to a rental cabin on Wrightsville beach. There was an relatively large, nice summer swell, rare according to the local boys. So, no wind? Heck, i’ll go riding. Shit what an effort to get out there, paddling against the waves, just to wait to fall off. I like the person who came up with the idea to put a sail on one of these boards. But fun anyway. Surferchick dug me. Michael, Nat, and Matt also had a good time on the long beginner surfboard. Next on schedule is the Northshore, then Maverick‘s.
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Jordan Lake
Sunday June 1, 2003.
Lordy, a whole year later. Finally got a day to windsurf! The predictions were on for Saturday, so there I was waiting the entire afternoon with some other poor bastards from 3 till 7pm. Nothing came. Not one breeze. It ended at 7p with a bunch of serious rain, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoe warning for Lake Jordan. The park Ranger kicked me out of the park, just out of precaution. Finally blew on the back of the front Sunday morning. Woke up at 4am dizzy from lust with the wind going full force. Beautiful day. Wind was gusty in the morning, but filled in later that day. Windspeed meters of local guys showed 12 to 22 mph in the morning. I rigged a 5.8. Got pretty bruised up on the waveboard; lots of swimming, some crazy jumps.
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Jordan Lake
May 13, 02 On the edge of a Tornado front
Amazing wind. It had been blowing a lot the entire past month, but somehow I was too wrapped up to go out there at all.
This day however I had to skip work and instead head for the lake after driving from Hot Springs 4 hours that same morning. It blew so hard at Weaver, I could not even hold my coffee straight.
So I ended at the lake around 2:00pm, and all had rigged around 5.5m sails. The windline said it was 15-20 miles, but later that day a gust of 35 miles was measured.
I rigged a 5.8 first and pulled out the wave board and could not hold much during gusts.
Some unexpected overpowered air on the small Bic that got baptized that day, finally after looking at me in the basement for over a year.
I broke my mastfoot, whatever you call that in English, but could fix it.
I had to rig down soon that afternoon to the Dutch bought 5.0m, which was actually the second time ever I used that sail.
Some fantastic fun and jumps.
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Later that evening some pretty serious Tornadoe warnings were in effect for Easter North Carolina.
July 2001
Brought the good ole 6.5m2 Pirate Wing Custom sail by Rob Meijer from Holland this past summer, as well as the 5.0 Ezzy Wave and 3.5 Dolphin. Ready for the hurricanes!
Totally tore up the Mistral 6.6 sail. Tried the Pirate Wing with a nice (yet ever gusty) 5 bft. at Jordan Lake.
Also tried it on the Bic waveboard, but I sunk like a rock to the bottum of the lake when the wind died.
The Shredder did me good though. Nice day. Click on image to enlarge.
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Jordan Lake
April, 01
Mistral Shredder with an old raggady sail for no money and woppa, Dan da surfing man speeds the lakes ones more … gusty as hell.
Alkmaardermeer, waar ben je!
Canadian Hole, Hatteras
Februay 01
I told Vinci and Mike I’d go windsurf and left them that day in Ocracoke with my Mistral Shredder and 5.8m2 sail.
The wind blew the equipment almost off my roof. The ocean looked like a roaring wild beast.
They wondered if they would see me ever alive. Mike remarked later he thought I was totally nuts taking such crappy equipment out on the ocean.
But I am not.
I spent most of the day buying a Dutch 5.8 m Gaastra Speed Slalom and a polyester Fanatic Wild 260 (on pic) at Hatteras Windsurding.
When I tried it I was mucho overpowered with spinouts at 25 knots. Went back to the shop after being blown out of the Canadian Hole for about an hour…
Traded the Fanatic plastic vibrator for an ugly wave board Bic SAXO (2,53 m * 0,54 m, 8,1 kg, 75 l, wave).
Didn’t get to try the board.
I watched this dude on the other side of Canadian Hole. Pretty impressive.
I am doing push ups now.
Missing the good ole North Sea at Bakkum (but not the bike-ride back with the board on the trailer)
Always windy. Always patat met sate..
Wind Scales – Wind Speed & Observed Effects
| Force | Knots | Mph | Kph | Sea Term | Sea Conditions | On-land Appearance |
| 0 | <=1 | <=1 | <=2 | Calm | mirror-like water surface | smoke rises vertically |
| 1 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 2-6 | Light air or wind | small ripples on surface | smoke drifts and leaves rustle |
| 2 | 4-6 | 4-7 | 7-11 | Light breeze | small glassy wavelets | wind felt on face |
| 3 | 7-10 | 8-11 | 12-19 | Gentle breeze | large wavelets, some white caps | flags extended, leaves move |
| 4 | 11-16 | 12-18 | 20-30 | Moderate breeze | small waves, frequent white caps | dust and small branches move |
| 5 | 17-21 | 19-24 | 31-39 | Fresh breeze | moderate waves, many white caps, some spray possible | small trees begin to sway |
| 6 | 22-27 | 25-31 | 40-50 | Strong breeze | large waves, white caps all around, some spray | large branches move, wires whistle |
| 7 | 28-33 | 32-38 | 51-61 | Near gale | seas heap up the waves, some foam streaks off wave tops | trees in motion, resistance felt when walking |
| 8 | 34-40 | 39-46 | 62-74 | Gale | moderately high waves, edges of crests break off in spindrift, foam makes well defined streaks | walking impeded |
| 9 | 41-47 | 47-54 | 75-87 | Strong gale | high waves, dense streaks of spray, visibility affected | structural damage may occur |
| 10 | 48-55 | 55-63 | 88-101 | Full gale or storm | very high waves, surface white with spray and foam, visibility reduced | trees uprooted, structural damage likely |
| 11 | 56-63 | 64-73 | 102-117 | Violent storm | Exceptionally high waves, small to medium ships obscured, visibility limited | damage to structures wide spread |
| 12 | 64-71 | 74-82 | 118-132 | Hurricane (start of) |
air filled with foam and spray, sea white, visibility restricted | severe structural damage to buildings, wide spread devastation, flooding |
Beaufort Wind Scale, Inland Lake Version http://www.unc.edu/~jbr/chart.html
Google Earth NC sites kml file
Outer Banks Sites: http://sailusa.com/obanks.html
Triangle Sites: http://triangleboardsailing.com/tbc/siteinfo.html
Windsurfing in the Cape Lookout Area
click on image for descriptions
