The Peconic Puffin

There wasn’t much of a breeze on Saturday but I wanted to
sail, so I drove out to Napeague, where I knew the ABK clinic would inspire
me.   If you’ve never done an
ABK windsurfing clinic, they’ve got hundreds of things you can learn on the
water in nonplaning conditions, and it’s always a blast.  (If you’ve never done an ABK clinic,
get yer ass in one already!  I’ve
been in more than a dozen over the years, and will be in their freestyle clinic
come September.)

I arrived at Napeague to find a light easterly breeze
bringing fog across the bay.  
No matter…Andy Brandt, Tom and Brendon had folks out there working on
tacking and jibing and backwinded sailing and no-handed floating helitacks and
such while the water looked like Steven Speilberg was directing.    I loved the theatrics
almost as much as the stoke of the clinic, so I rigged my 5.3, went out on my
109, and tried my hand at a half dozen spinny things (including that no-handed
heli.)   I had a blast!   Friends I saw through the limited
visibility included The Mighty Larry Hoff, OG Puffin Steve, Pete, George, Jake,
Robert, Wilson, Andy, and the dynamic duo of ladies backwinded sailing:  Lily and Dana. 

  
Low speed sailing on an enclosed bay is definitely the way
to play encumbered vision.   A few years ago Peconic Jeff and I were lucky to get back to shore when fog, sunset and boat traffic conspired to make things interesting north of Robbins Island on the Peconic Bays, and just last week at the Bowl I kinda maybe didn't see Bill behind me in driving rain (on account of keeping my eyes open was difficult) and nearly crashed into him during a jibe.

Better to work on freestyle in the shallows.

(The editor outbound during a rainy bowl session.   Photo courtesy Bedford.)