Monday 22nd May - Windsurf **** The River Stour at Wrabness – sunny periods.

Foil – 20.10 knot max, 18.51 knot ave, 14.55 knot hour, 17.41 knot mile, 38.06 km., 15.57 knot alpha.

Starboard Freeride 150 and an Evolution Freeride foil with a Tushingham Thunderbird 6.5.

The wind just keeps on blowing, after two days on the River Stour which involve a 52 miles round trip I was not sure about today especially as the north wind started off fairly light. With high water at 2.20 I was in no hurry so had time to do my exercises in the back garden and give the wind a chance to build. It had picked up so I decided to go, Mag came too for the third day in a row, she is such a star but does like it at Wrabness as she can do some nice walks:) The sun was out as we set off arriving by the river just before midday with loads of water and a good breeze, maybe NNW gusting over 20mph so I quickly set up my foil and took two sails to the beach my 6.5 and 5.6, in the end I went for the bigger sail which was probably a mistake as the smaller one might have been easier, faster too! I did have trouble rigging the old Tushingham as the mast gets caught on some loose material near the head, I had to take a knife to it, but its sorted now!!! Out on the water I soon realised it was pretty windy especially in Holbrook Bay but the 6.5 handled the wind gusting to at least 25 mph but sadly the river was choppy in places especially when going upwind but heading downwind broad it smoothed right out. In this direction you could do long runs from Bradfield beach nearly 3 miles just past Wrabness, disappointing speeds today but after three days of sailing I was getting a bit knackered to push things too hard, I have now sailed 94 miles in three days including another 38 today, am looking forward to a few light wind days now! The highlight of the day was spotting a seal twice, it popped its head up to check me out as I whizzed past! I had to avoid a small coaster heading to Mistley Quay, there are now three moored up there now as well as a few yachts making the most of a good breeze including one from France and friendly they were too:) I had one last long 3 mile run from Bradfield chasing the French boat before turning well past Wrabness to start the beat back, after a few tacks I was soon nearing Bradfield, I then whizzed back to Wrabness racing along close to Keith Farmer:) So another near three hour session and with the tide now turned I decided to call it a day, heading to the van for lunch and a cuppa with Mag who had been on another nice walk along the breezy river past the beach houses at Wrabness.   

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