Crazy Winds

Well, we knew it was coming but when it blows properly it blows!

The wind here started at around 3am, then eased off a little this morning before picking up properly to 40-50 knots at around 10am. The exact time we had planned to go out windsurfing. Normally that would be a good thing, but 50 knots is pretty mad even by my standards. This wasn’t helped by the fact that it was high tide and with a big storm surge and the low pressure the tide was quite a bit higher than it should have been.

Toby and I decided to head to the estuary where the water was flat unlike the raging cauldron that was the sea today. Simon turned up as well and we all headed off to the estuary. Mind you, I should have known it was going to be a mad one when simply trying to get the board on the roof of the car was a bit of an adrenaline rush.

The tide had swamped a car on the estuary but Mike (the naturre reserve warden) was there to help sort it out, so I had a chat with him and then rigged up.

We went out on our smallest kit -4m sail and a 75 litre wave board for me. Simon and I got on OK and had a fairly decent sail. It was pretty windy and gusty too in the estuary which didn’t make it that easy but we were well powered and blasting up and down across the slightly choppy waters of the estuary. It wasn’t great but in such crazy winds it was never going to be, it’s more about just being out there really when it’s like that.

Toby did OK too, but struggled a little with kit that was too big and sailing in a new location which is always a little difficult. It’s good to have some people to sail with though as I’m usually out all on my own.

Hopefully things will ease of a little (but not too much) for tomorrow and we’ll be able to get an early morning sail in on the seafront. Although it is supposed to pick up even more overnight tonight so I’ll be keeping a close eye on my Borth Weather Station to see if we can break any records.

Tags: WaleswindWindsurfYnyslas