The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

About that fatal shark attack

I’ve spoken to quite a few windsurfers since the terrible news about Stephen Schafer, the kite surfer in Florida.   There’s probably nobody who’s ever sailed the ocean who hasn’t had The Fear at one time or another when a waterstart wasn’t coming together.   We all hear about the overwhelming odds against being attacked by a shark, though we also know those odds don’t take into consideration all the things we waterpeople do to drop our silly asses in front of sharks.     Locally on Long Island you rarely hear about a shark siting (my one experience at the Bowl last June notwithstanding.)   But still, we know we’re taking a variety of risks out there, and this is a ringing reminder that sharks are on the list, however remote the odds.    According to news reports, the kiter Schafer was known to believe in the buddy system…friends were puzzled to learn that he’d been out alone.

This merits particular attention given one amazingly positive note about the incident: A local lifeguard named Daniel Lund spotted Schafer floating in the water 400 yards off shore.   Lund paddled out with a rescue board, saw that Schafer (still alive) was surrounded by circling sharks, and went in to get him anyway.

What commitment.  What balls.   Let’s hear it for Lifeguard Daniel Lund.

Beyond Lund’s heroism, it’s worth noting he was able to approach a badly bleeding person in the water, drag him onto a board, and paddle out of there, even with sharks all over the place.    This is all the more reason to value the buddy system:  if one of us somehow manages against the odds to get hit by a shark, the rest of us have every reason to believe we can get in there and get our friend out without becoming victims ourselves.

That's my .02

R.I.P. Stephen Schafer.

(If you're not familiar with the blog of windsurfer/kiter/marine biologist James, this happened in his local waters, and you may want to check out the several posts he did on the incident.)

A Mast Full of Beer

This is what we came up with one summer night after a day of windsurfing:  Pour several bottles of beer into old fiberglass one-piece masts, then carefully tip the mast to pour the beer into your mouth.  Repeat.

Beginners should hose the mast out first before adding beer until you develop a tolerance for the sandy clumps stuck deep down the spar.    After you've done this a few times you'll find the sand doesn't matter.

Raise gently.

Someone who  knows wave theory may care to expound on why (no matter how slowly you tilt the mast) the moment comes when a breaking wave explodes out of the base and into your face.   The discerning mast drinker will hear the telltale rush of oncoming foam, close his or her eyes, and open wide.

In my opinion this beats board tossing any day.  Try on windless days, too.   We did this two at a time, the idea being...well I don't remember what the idea was (shocking) but it seems like a self-evidently worthwhile thing to do.

(Photos from the original Puffin House, circa 1993.  That's Jay with the face full of foam while the editor looks on approvingly)

Groundhogma

All sorts of press are hassling a groundhog named Phil today.  Word is if sees his shadow when he emerges from his burrow today (February 2nd) there will be six more weeks of winter weather.   If he doesn’t it portends an early spring.

As I’d imagine that groundhogs don’t have particularly keen eyesight, it seems a question of a sunny day.

Hey I just want to go windsurfing…can we get some sun on Phil?

Perhaps I should call my windsurfing buddy Phil and ask him if he saw HIS shadow this morning (he lives in Florida…that could work out.)  I can just imagine the conversation: 

“My shadow?  What the **** are you talking about?  I wasn’t looking for my shadow, I was looking for my car keys.  Didn’t see those either…Jen found them.”

So Phil didn’t see his shadow, but he wasn’t looking for it either.

A Winter Windsurfing Prayer

NYC Waterblogger Fest II: The Mini Version

Twas nearly a year ago that about a dozen bloggers interested in all manner of watercraft convened for introductions, conversation and beer at the venerable Ear Bar in downtown New York City.  Last Friday night a subset of that bash returned to the Ear, where we discussed the sacred (clean oceans) the profane (Coney Island whitefish) and our blogs, and we all generally had a grand time.  In attendance:  Frogma’s Bonnie, Bowsprite’s Christina, Tugster’s Will, and your editor. (Adam of Messing About in Boats) was a co-conspirator who had to drop out at the last moment.)    Pix below…




(Photos from the top: Tugster Will, Bowsprite Christina, the editor and Frogma Bonnie shout out two great waterblogs far far away, Proper Course and The Horse's Mouth, Christina and Will disagree on the size of Coney Island waterfauna seen on the beach, the editor will tell his shark story to anyone who'll listen, Bonnie's drawing of the shark chasing me, and my iPhone's trippy low light shot of Bonnie, who took all the rest of the photos but the top one.)

Jeff’s Fantastic SUP Photo

When Peconic Jeff sent me this photo I was blown away.  What did he do…bring a cinematographer with him?   The light was amazing at Ponquogue as the sun got low that day, and this photo captures the color perfectly.

The image a frame from some video he shot with his camera mounted on his paddle.   He’s edited that material together into a new piece you can see on his blog. He's also got information and links on how he set up us camera if you want to try this yourself.

Chores Kill Windsurfing

I have now officially gone a month without windsurfing.   It’s been three years since that last happened (Feb 06).  If you are not part of the Long Island lunatic cold water fringe (of which there are many)  this may not sound like anything to complain about, but it is.  Even Mike Burns was bitching about the lack of conditions (and when does Mike complain?)

But there was undeniably windsurfable wind on one day.  Last Monday.   Scott and CD and I don’t know who else caught it at Mattituck (Mike caught it mid-island) but I was tied up with chores.  Not even work..CHORES!  It was so mind-boggling that Scott hung up the phone on me in complete baffletude.   But it was true.  And I wasn’t the only one victimized by chores.  Peconic Jeff was off the water too, suffering from a strained leg and hip, as well as a tweaked knee, all inflicted on him during a bout of housecleaning.

Chores=bad for windsurfing.

My Latest, Greatest New Bit of Cold Weather Gear: Earplugs

I’d heard of Swimmers Ear, Surfers Ear, whatever ear…some problem with too much cold water in your ears.  It never happened to me windsurfing in winter…maybe a few drops would get beneath my hood but it never seemed like a problem.   Then two weeks ago I got rolled mightily by some waves during a SUP session, and the 41 degree water was a real kick in the…ear?   I’d get back on my board with my ear in some pain and a vague feeling of nausea.  After about fifteen seconds above water the badness would pass but I resolved to try some plugs for my next session.

So I wore a pair of wax disposable earplugs (the kind for sleeping) while SUPing a few days ago.  And while once again I got rolled in some very cold impact zone water, my ears were fine.   Yes they slightly reduced my ability to hear, but not so much that I'd consider not wearing them for cold water wavesailing or surfing (when the underwater experience is most intense.)  Also it seemed that the plugs helped keep the rest of my head a tiny bit warmer (that was probably just in my head...like the plugs) but hey I’ll take imagined warmth along with the real.