Alas, the combination of wind direction, heavy currents, and preceding days of nuking winds produced conditions which were hazardous to my health, had I ventured into the ocean. Damn. Poor me…I was stuck with 5.0 and 5.5 conditions windsurfing the Pamlico Sound, while Ted, Rob, Peconic Jeff and I chased Mike Burns around in a micro freestyle frenzy.
Mike put on a show of shakas, funnels, and a spectacular e-slider event that blurred the lines between freestyle, crashing, and comedy (the middle of which featured Mike under water with his board sticking straight up into the air, but he came up clew first so he landed…something.) For myself I hit my best backwinded jibe ever, my worst push tack ever, and made a mess of various 360’s, donkey jibes and reverse monkey jibes. I stink at this stuff, but it’s fun to try (I recommend the backwinded jibe to everyone…there’s no way you won’t roar with laughter after your first attempt.)
Speaking of poor freestyle windsurfing, yesterday saw the arrival in Hatteras of one Ace Ali. He doesn’t remember me, but he remembers an event for which I am thankful for him. At the 2001 King of the Cape freestyle competition, Ace was one of two competitors who managed to sail worse than I, keeping me out of last place in the novice division. It’s tough to be into freestyle and be less competent than me, but he managed! Ace is sitting ten feet away from me while I type this, but I’ll leave as soon as I click on the "publish" button.*
Today I return to New York. The forecast is for wind on Sunday…more Peconic adventures.
(photo: Jeff outbound.)
*Ace is surely better than me now. His name is Ace…how can he not be?
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