The Peconic Puffin

One must save the term “nuking” for those days when it’s really over the top.   Thursday at North Sea Road had been 4.0 conditions, Friday was windier.  Nuking.   I started with my smallest sail (3.4) and board (77 liters) and was fine in the lulls.   Cranked on the downhaul and outhaul, and then I was okay in the main wind, but was a mess in the gusts.  More outhaul was a little better, and then finally I slapped on an 8″ slotted fin to settle things down as much as possible.  I could go no smaller in any department, and was not inclined to shove rocks down my drysuit to keep the board in the water.  Fortunately the flat little sail/little fin/little board combo was able to negotiate the blow.

As with the day before the move was to get into the channel between shore and Robins Island, where the rushing outgoing current fought the wind, this day kicking up waves 5-7 feet.   Sailing with Peconic Jeff, John Natalie, and “Dr. Pain” (I forget his real name…I remember that he had a purple Gorge Animal) we took advantage of the tide vs gale and had several good hours before the wind got holey and the waves messy.  Jeff was skying some particularly stylish jumps, so much so that he inspired me to go for it on starboard (I’m a port man…my starboard “jumps” are pathetic) and I caught (and landed) my highest starboard air ever.  I had two good starboard leaps…we’ll see if any of it stuck the next time out.

During our breaks on shore we’d wonder aloud what the crew out at Gardiners Bay were getting.  Usually Napeague/Gardiners is a full sail size windier than the Peconic Bays…what the heck were they on?   Earlier today I spoke with the Wolf, who sailed a 3.4 also.   When I asked how big it got (Gardiners can be Land of the Giants in anything over 25) he was hesitant to say.   He doesn’t want to be thought of as exaggerating.   So I dragged out of him that it was mast high.   I believe it.

(John Natalie, lit as he jibes on the inside.   Photo by Jeff Schultz.)