But don’t you dare call the Coast Guard out on me, ...
... a couple opportunities to air out the new 4.2. This after what seemed like an interminable stretch of either not getting or totally missing the conditions to try out that new Nano prototype. Sure it was more like ultra wound 3.7 weather both days, but I certainly did get to explore the sail’s upper end. And I’m impressed. It handles unreal too. I was not only surviving but making some turns, landing some air and going faster than I have in a long time. (Well, since I sailed Crescent City winter of ’08-‘09’) This with an admittedly large pair of 18cm fins in the 72 liter. Love the grip though.
It helped that the harbor at Crescent City delivered a classic speed run condition there for awhile as the tide was going out. Nary a blemish, micro chop or departure of any kind. Just other worldly port tack speed reaches on the impeccably groomed runs in between the whitewaters. It’s the rice paddy effect. You are purely blasting along the smooth in between the waves -- never touching one as you bear off on Port. And a pretty insane set up for the Starboard jumping as well. As a bonus, there were some rather pleasant backside hits to be had. As well as excellent hero jibe potential at either end of the run.
Sorry I don’t have photos or any POV to share but I was a little too caught up in just holding it down and trying to still sail my ass off to take time out for shooting. But I’m committed to doing better next time. And I totally have my eye on Crescent City. It had been so long since I’d been down that way to sail, I’d kind of forgotten how insanely fun that is. Sure it’s nearly dead onshore and rather tide sensitive, but when the place is on fire, all is forgiven.
Finally, ...
1/31/12
This from Crescent City on 1/22. Pretty intense sailing and a testament to the range of my new 4.2. As it was clearly 3.2-3.7 out there. But you know how it is. I had a new 4.2 and in spite of the quiet predictions I would get pasted on such a big sail, I managed to last more than three hours out on the water with it.
Yeah, and if you were thinking of coming down for that last high pressure but didn't, don't beat yourself up for missing it because it was pretty mean. Lots of bump, light on the inside, heavy outside, big enough to make you pay and a little chilly on the fingertips. Not very high on the satisfaction spectrum I'm afraid. A good solid workout though and I did manage to scare myself a couple times. I'd like to hope that mean sessions like that will at least go far to keep me in shape just in case a more civilized condition happens to come along,
The sailing shots at the end of this are thanks to Tigi on the 24th. As yet another storm was pelting the central coast with more of the same, once again I found myself testing the upper range of that 4.2. Sure I totally whimped out of an opportunity to go play with the Coast Guard at Bastendorff but it just didn’t look right. The waves were good, but the wind was gusting wildly from 3.2 to 4.7 and back while blowing over a quarter offshore on that rather north facing beach. They must have been training and were making it look fun but I just wasn’t feeling it and went for a consolation sesh at the Empire boat ramp instead. The wind was indeed pretty out of control even there and I never really had a chance to relax and get into the groove. The current was at full ebb too and you know how that is when you are so fully wound up. It’s all you can do to bear off enough not to be swept way upwind.
I noted eighteen sailable days in January but I managed to miss a record seven of them. There were lots of contributing factors. Surly conditions. Bad calls. Obligations. Poor discipline. Less than total confidence. I was behind the curve with gear repairs and my organization factor. Yeah, missed a couple good ones too. It hasn’t been that cold either. For the most part, the waves haven’t been so large as to frighten one unnecessarily. Sure there’s been some current to contend with. And I could always blame how crazy the wind has been. But mostly it’s been me. They say the hardest part is admitting you have a problem. Well, I’m admitting it. I’ve been missing it huge and I want to get back in the catching it better zone. Maybe I’m beating myself up too hard. But I’m only marginally comforted by the fact I did at least manage to rally some sailing the other eleven days it was windy this month.
So tough conditions and missing it aren’t the only issues I’ve been contending with. And I guess it’s an occupational hazard but I sure wish people would quit calling the Coast Guard out on me. It just happened again a couple months ago at Bandon. Somebody from in town must have seen me off the N. Jetty and who knows why they called it in. I didn’t think I was doing that bad out there. But the authorities felt obligated to send a police unit over to check up on me. I had just gotten out of my suit as the officer pulled up. I mean, sure I was taking some gas getting out but that’s just how it is on some of these winter days. It’s not like I’m doing it because it’s fun. Although I did get some pretty good waves that day.
