Breakwind to Beacon

Firstly, thanks go to the Joelster for the title... it was incredibly apt.

The annual SHQ Gaastra Breakwater to Beacon , from Sandringham YC out and back to Fawkner Beacon, was greeted by nowhere enough wind for me (or sane people) to sail... errr, and the last remnants of my first hangover in about a zillion years (but thats another story, mostly involving a wine and cheese night that included too much wine, not enough cheese). Hence rather than join in the dog-slog out the 8 or 9 km and back I chose to sling the camera over the shoulder, laze on the beach and take some pics.

This proved to be a winner. As despite first place romping home in about 24 minutes, (and Joelster in about 30) the likes of my good and normally faster-cross-the-water friend, Mr Porridge, wandered home in something best measured in geological time. In fact, as we had a bbq we had to cater for, we left in the hope that he'd turn up eventually/the yacht club had a rescue boat handy. (He did/they didnt.)

Fun and games, shame about the wind. See:
http://picasaweb.google.com/windjunky/BreakwaterToBeacon

Mad (Mike) Monday

11/12/2006 Ricketts Point - Mad (Mike) Monday - What a session!

For me (see attached pic) it was the first ever serious attempt at backloops, of which I tried several, and once the fear had (at least partially) gone it was an awesome experience. Everyone seemed to be going for it - at times there were almost more bodies in the water than above it!

Highlights included:

• The waves - they were HUGE, and steep.... and hence,
  
• Numerous backloop attempts from seemingly everyone, with Joel almost pulling off a couple of sail-aways. My over-rotation and subsequent landing on my kermit-the-frog green Zone 4.1 sail - giving it a nice and seemingly permanent knee dimple - actually had me thinking it was possible!
  
• Silly old me again, thinking i was through the gap in the reef, hitting a wave, taking off, looking down and OHMIGOD!! - almost landing ONTOP of one of the reef navigation sticks! (I think i actually glided over it!)
  
• Watching Joel swim for his gear 3 (THREE!) separate times after backloop attempts, which were followed by waves washing over him and sending his gear beachward without him - well it made me laugh!
  
• Listening out for mad Mike and ripped sail - he decided a big tear that would normally end a sane mans session had actually depowered it quite nicely, so he just kept going!! (Hence mad Mike) He must have spent at least 3/4 hour sailing with that bloody hole flapping like a bastard and hence you could hear him a mile off. We think we're going to patent the idea of a velcro pull off in the next line of Severne wave sails....
  
• and the "THAT WAS FUGGIN AWESOME!" banter when packing up in the gloom.

I don't think anyone wanted it to stop!

The other awesome thing is that Wally outdid himself, and sat freezing in the dunes until he neared an Oates-like Antarctic death, taking 146 photos! (yes, one hundred and forty six!!) Included a stack of keepers, which we've popped on the web - check out the pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/windjunky/MadMikeMonday or by clicking on Mike...

Mad (Mike) Monday

Epilogue...

A near revenge incident.

Riding in this morning with a howling tail wind (only took me 45:01 home-to-(bike)hook), i was stomping it down the bike path on the low hill past the Dendy St beach entrance, sitting on high 30's kmh and just thinking about the joys of the mountain bike launching ramp which is the big buckled concrete on the path right there ("mmm will i flick out or front land or just sanely roll over?"), when...

WHOOOAAAAWHATTHEFUGGINHELL....!?!?!?!

A red Starboard Acid (90??) board appears RIGHT IN MY PATH as a muppet windsurfer walked out from between the trees - board first - obviously having just had a session at Dendy before work!

I missed the board (just), missed veering off the path onto Beach Rd-peak-hour (barely), and, dammit, missed out on the jump too.

Motto: Never laugh at a windsurfing board (in a bin). They try for revenge.

Oscar the grouch

Its not every day that you're riding to work past a big green wheelie bin, and there, plonked inside, is a big blue thing with foam padding insides. No, not Oscar the grouch, but rather an ex-windsurfing board (well, at least 2 halves of one) sans straps.

The last time i saw an AHD up this close was at an AHD demo day on nice flat easy peasy Lake Geneva. (As in Switzerland: dont you hate a namedropper.) Judging by the happy snap, and the boards obvious dislike of choppy old (sm)Elwood beach, maybe thats where it should belong.

(But then again i'm probably still sore that I couldnt get a sail on one cos of some minor Swiss technicality (i.e., my budgie smugglers, harness and wetsuit were in a box 10,000 km away)).

Dig those groovy cycling shades.