Sandbanks Sept 24-25th, 2010

With my schedule cleared for Friday and Saturday, I car pooled down to Sandbanks with Peter to hopefully pull off back to back sailing days. We threw everything in my trailer and made it to Picton by about 12:30 or so.   Things didn't look as windy as expected at Outlet beach, so we scooted over to Mac's to see if it was any better since the wind was a bit south coming off of Salmon Point.  Mac's looked less windy for some weird reason - it seemed there was a 'doming effect' occurring (the temperature difference between the air and water was significant enough to keep the wind off the ground).  Either way, we headed back to the beach - I rigged up a 6.5 and Pete took out his 12m kite.  Pete was boosting some large arials and had no problem getting powered up as the kite seemed to get above the 'dome'.  I schlogged a bit, but got planing here and there.  It was really hot (upper 20's) and was wishing I brought my shorty.  More folks started showing up from Montreal and Ottawa.  Serge and Jean, some cool guys from Montreal chatted about their kites they use when not enough wind for sailing.  Serge has been sailing for 23 years and told his story of sailing through Igor in the les iles de madelaines.  He's a big guy, but Jean was a smaller dude, more my size.  Steve and Jon also showed up and did a little kiting.  We set up camp (3 times - we moved around a few times) and then headed to Picton for some grub.

Peter boosting through the dome on Friday

Saturday was THE day.
The wind moved to the west a little more and picked up to about 25 knots.  The sun came out and the waves started to grow.  Lots of jumps and wave riding on the Ezzy 5.2 and Quatro  85.  Rigged up the 4.2 but I was underpowered some times - a 4.7 would have been perfect for me.  Lot's more folks from Ottawa showed up like Dave Hinz, Malcolm, Bob, Chris Caldwell, Duncan, Craig, Richard.  I've never seen so many kites and sailors at Sandbanks!  It was crazy...you really had to look over your shoulder before carving a wave because a kiter might be in your blind spot or another sailor could be picking a line out through the breakers.  Pete proposed sailing up to Mac's but I don't think I could have made it.  Pete went solo and met up with Mike Fisher there.  Overall, an awesome sailing day!

off the lip on Saturday

Lot's of traffic on Saturday at Outlet beach!

Britannia - on the fence..oh what the hell

It was breezy and nice out, but the wind was ssw which means gusty and dirty for Britannia.  Around mid afternoon I couldn't take it anymore and headed down to see what it was doing there. Sailed for about 1.5-2 hours in gusty south wind on my 6.5.  Just a shorty with a rash guard - water still pretty warm.  Near the end of the session it totally shifted due south and was blowing from the beach making it hard to get back in and then it just turned off totally.  A few guys were out - Richard, Andrew, others...

Sandbanks

Camped at Outlet beach to be on-site early.  Jim managed to clear his schedule and met up with me at the campsite ( he pulled all the tent pegs out of my tent while I was sleeping....jeez - I was a little confused when I woke up!).  We headed up to Mac's just beyond a few cottages.  Some Montrealers were renting a cottage there and we launched / landed there.  It was very very windy.  My smallest sail 4.2m was a touch too big.  I could sail, but it was crazy fast and hard to control.  The waves were huge, and you could make turns coming back into the beach - but you'd lose a little ground.  Jim was struggling and was getting exhausted trying to fight the current and the waves on the way out.  The french guys and I Mike Fisher were ripping it up.  I was grabbing some large airs as the waves were coming straight on.

Later we got some grub and met up with the Ottawa crowd who were sailing in the pocket just east of Mac's.  I bought a 3.5m from Jon and it was perfect for me.  More epic sailing in heavy wind.  Jim got worked some more and ditched his gear on the beach downwind from the launch.  Even though it was his birthday, he was not getting any breaks.  I bought Jim supper at the Isah Tubbs  restaurant (on the way we some some downed lines...it was windy) and after that we headed for home.

I will reluctantly have to get a new pair of booties - my feet looked like a skating rink with tons of cuts from the zebra mussels on shore.   Later that night, my right ankle swelled up - must have strained it somehow - I did have a couple of flat landings and some crashes??...

more pics here on my pbase site