by Ah yes, another Hatteras shred session in the middle of what is supposed to be
winter. Well you never would have guessed it except for the very frigid water.
It started with a forecast Saturday for a "windy" conditions on Sunday with highs
in the 60s and a possibility of rain. I was getting a case of the Joneses trying
to get to sleep on Saturday especially after getting denied the previous weekend
(lethal icy roads kept me from getting there).
Sunday 7:00am TWC report was SW 12, air temp of 50. Heck, I'm outta here. I'll
just bring the big slalom board for that light wind (yea, right). Checked out the
point and the wind was the right direction (side-off), but the waves
were...well...toe to ankle high. The other side of the point would be straight
on-shore. Forget that, I'm off to the hole. I gotta sail. I need it bad and it is
pretty warm out too. 8:00am blowing about 15-20 SW and crystal blue skies. I like
this. Rig the 5.3 and the 8'7" wave board. Don the full dry suit, hood, mitts, and
some old holey booties. Wade out into the sound and...whooah, that water is cold.
That couldn't be any warmer than 45 to at the most 50. Dang, should have used the
good warm booties. Gee, why is this water so cold? I wouldn't be because it had
ice on it out for about 100 yards four days ago, or because it was cold enough to
burst the main water feed to my house down there causing a 40,000 gallon water
bill for $280.00. Boy it better blow better that this to make it worth while.
(Wish granted)
By 10am I was told (by the mighty wind god) to rig down to a 4.5 and try again.
Now were having fun. Still no rain in sight. 12noon better think about doing the
3.5. Wind is pretty steady between 35-40mph and the thermal of the sun feels
great. The sand was blowing about waist high which made rigging very interesting
at ground level. A couple of friends were down at the Hatteras turnout doing the
ocean and they never came back. Must have been pretty good down there. I'm sure
I'll hear about it. By 2:30 I am whipped, but that wind was still blowing and the
temp is hovering around 60. I know in the middle of summer I'll regret stopping
when the wind was still honking, but my hands are shredded. I've got to save some
energy for that trip to the DR next weekend.
Thank you (whoever) for the wind, the air temperature and best of all, the
weekend timing.
My first sailing trip to DR next week. I'll let ya know from a first timer there
what I think of the conditions, rentals, waves and....plane trip :-0 when I get
back.
Have a great week, I wish you warm fronts with megga winds.
Harold (bandwidth consumer)
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