2023-09-11 Hatchery - Again

 

Harold - Watching the water after a day of sailing!

Full disclosure, Sorry, I didn't take any photos today.  Thanks to Brad and Kent, we have a few for the blog.

The forecast was for it to be sailable by 9:30 and then to build all day to dusk, so no one was in a hurry to get going.  Kent washed his truck, I went to ProMotion to have my wetsuit repaired and to buy a new wetsuit for Louise.  I got a nice one for Louise which I think she will like, but their repair guy won't be in until Wednesday, so the fellow suggested I do the repair myself.  He sold me a kit and gave me instructions.

We found out that Mike was in Roosevelt last night, and would probably join us today. That makes us Eleven!

There was the usual round of shopping.  Kent suggested, like usual, that we all just head to the Hatchery and sit and wait there for the wind.  Most of us did that and sat around reading or chatting.

It was probably sailable, but we sat waiting for the wind to build.  That may have been a mistake, because while it was light, it also looked like it was fairly consistent.  At around Noon, the rigging frenzy began.  Kent rigged his 5.2 and went out for a short reach or two, then came in and rigged his 4.5, went for a reach or two and then switched to his 3.9.  Harold rigged his 6.1 and then changed to his 4.7 - big jump.  The wind was very gusty so there was no real correct sail size.

I was busy repairing my wetsuit and I also started a new book called "Follow the Scream" about how the drug wars started, so I was slow to the party.  I went out on my 4.5m Wing, but found it wasn't enough.  I came back in and went out on the 5.5, but the wind had picked up and it was too much.  After a rest, I went out on the 4.5 and it worked pretty well, but I was still very tired and sore from the last few days, so I only stayed out for an hour or so.  I had one over the handlebar crash when I hit a patch of weeds.

Ted - back to shore!

Brad was talking about how you have to be so careful when riding a foil, because if you move your head to look behind you, or look down at some weeds, that is usually enough to upset the foil. He said he also had a huge crash.

Kent foiled out and had a pretty good crash when he was looking down at his watch trying to start his Garmin track....   oops!

Blaine said "IT WAS GUSTY - BUT HE SURVIVED IT"

I had fun sailing downwind with Kent, Brad, Blaine and Cam riding the swells and turning around each other, or zooming past each other in opposite directions (Well, they were zooming - I don't go all that fast on the wing board)..

Cam's friend Kit was out on a wing, and then afterwards he took out his board with an electric fan/booster attached to the foil.  He and his friend would troll upwind, lying on their boards and using the power, and then turn downwind and get up to speed, then turn the power off and ride the wave.  He said it was a lot of fun.

Cam had a great day and told me (several times) how much fun he had turning in the swell, and feeling the "Push" from the wave as you sail down it.

Cam Riding a Wave!

Al said he had a really good day, although he said there was some waiting around in the lulls.

Ross and Mike kited out of the Event Site.  Ross got to try out his new 7m Kite and said it worked really well with his foil gear.  Mike was out on this 10m Kite.  Both said it was punchy, gusty conditions, but both had a good day.

We took our time de-briefing and de-rigging in the parking lot, so once again it was almost dark before we left.

We went to the Mexican Taqueria at the top of the hill for supper.  We were all there except for Ross, who is having some stomach issues and didn't want to chance it.  It was great to see Mike again. 

Pretty well everyone headed straight to bed after supper.  Kent and I had a glass of wind, and solved a few of the worlds problems but didn't last until 11:00pm! 

Another Great day!

At the end of the day....
Ted was DONE!