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Mon 15^th Oct – windsurf ***** sunny but a bit on the chilly side :(

Top day with four PB’s!!! Max speed – 40.58 kts , best ave of 37.057

 Max speed on my F2 Xantos(1996) 37.08 kts !!! and Best Alpha of 22.02 kts :)

The plan according to the two Belgian sailors for big Monday was be rigged by 9 and out before the wind turned too broad!!! But our water tank ran out in our favourite overnight spot of Port Mahon and it didn’t seem very windy so called in to Lidl for 12 lt. bottles of water – 3.10 Euros :) as no tap we know of around here!  We picked up bread and almond croissant from Port la Nouvelle :) arriving at La Franqui at our spot by the pier at 9.10 !!! but with no rigging activity as the wind hadn’t filled in we had breakfast on the beach and I filled the water tank in the camper. As it had rained in the night and it was a bit on the chilly side on the beach – coats all round!!! we were not surprised to see a dusting of snow on the Pyrenees :) With the wind starting to build I started rigging both 5.8 and 6.4 and took my falcon 80 and falcon speed to the water’s edge. The Belgian sailors had rigged 6.2’s so I started with 6.4 on the speed board, sadly the wind was too broad for most of the day making the course very lumpy with a nasty rolling chop and I had a good wipe out the first run down when I lost my back foot from the strap and did about three spins on my back!!! Back at the start my first run proper was over 37kts so things were looking good but it was a struggle in the up and down wind and lumpy sea on the small board so switched to the 80 with not much success :( So not wanting to waste the day decided to try and break my record of 32.43 on my 1996 F2 Xantos 133 and on my second run down with winds increasing made it down and was amazed to see a speed of 37.08 on the gps !!!! :) it was a hairy ride but I survived and then tried to get an alpha waiting for the wind to gust more square and sailing upwind to the pier and turning there, I tried gybing the other way but I was going too fast and keep bumping out over the chop, I am surprised I didn’t go through my sail !!! I wonder what speed I would have got on that fast Xantos run if I was on a smaller board but that’s the story of my speedsailing never in the right place at the right time or on the wrong board/sail :( After a quick bite for lunch and with some good wind now switched to the falcon 80 and got three good runs of 38,39 and then my PB max of 40.58 by bearing off into the chop, the course was still interesting with chop, the odd rolling wave and the broad wind making getting back upwind a nightmare for me :( I must have walked nearly as far as I sailed today and I must try harder to master the upwind technique on small kit without disappearing too far out to sea where it is very rough. I know I was close to improving my ave. So didn’t give up until the sun had disappeared behind the mountains and I got off the water completely knackered at 7!!!! The two Belgian  sailors were still there (I think PB’s for them too) and they had to drive home as both had to be at work at  7 tomorrow!!!!   We hope they had a safe journey:)

Mag didn’t have such a good day :( a stiff neck curtailed her exercises but she read and went for a walk with the camera and again saw my 40 kt. run but I was going too fast for her to get a pic !!! She then helped me pack up and we drove back to Sigean which is now our second home!  Had carbonara for tea and played phase 10 – scores are level at 12 games all and 2 draws

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