Three days stand out in extreme relief, though I can’t say exactly when they occurred.
The day Fred (The Shred) returned to the Gorge with a pristine Bailey 8’6†and just gave it to me. There I was shooting video at The Wall and up walks Fred. Within a few moments he has pulled out his very slightly used Bailey, which he says he’ll never sail again, and he won’t take any money for it, it’s just mine! Moments later with a skeg hastily slapped in, the Bailey and I launch into sweet 3.7 Wall conditions. And, we just rocked for hours, culminating in a fetch up to Rufus, where Vern Stokes pretty much saved my thirsty life with a cold beer. I found Marty, John, and Brian a little farther up the beach just chill’n, and commenced to chill right along. As I got up to return to my launch, there was some comment about it being a little too windy to be really fun Kiting. I fetched back to The Wall, and put out just in time to see a smiling, laughing, Marty coming up into the swells just off The Wall launch. I guess maybe it wasn’t too windy after all, since he proceeded to shred swells like a Cuisinart on Coke, while I shot video (look for it at the season opener next year). When he finally did crash, or maybe he was just laying in the water to rest, he yelled through an ear to ear grin “is this fun or what!†Pretty much summed up my day as well.
The second vivid memory I have is of an early October Westerly at Doug’s. That late in the season, there isn’t much traffic on the water, and I found myself with only Stuart
(The Rock Star) Martin for company as the swells got cleaner and cleaner. It was neither huge, nor a howler (4.7 I think), but it was one of those days when you sail way past your abilities, and the 5’ swell rides were endless in the sunny 75 degree air and the 70 degree
water didn’t hurt either. Bliss until we staggered from the water.
My Final memory is of a late October Easterly. Nothing notable about the wind, or the swells, it was one of those Bob’s beach 5.5 days when you just hook in and sail around in one of the most awesome environments on the planet. Late season, the light skips gold off the water all day long, and accents the pine laden bluffs so vivid green, you wonder
if you haven’t snagged a wind powered ride into Heaven.
Buttoning up the condo for the season, while listening to Jim Morrison, I realize how lucky we are, not only to indulge in such a glorious pastime, but also to be able to share that joy with all the others who ride the wind. “ When the music’s over turn out the lights†……….. until next season.
-Craig
- Fred snapped this of the Bailey and I. He
said I was having a good time.
