12/14 DCIB, 7.5m sail

[JimSouthwick]

Too little, too late - i.e. got to the beach too late with too little sail. Noticed that it was getting quite windy while on a bike ride. Unfortunately, by the time I got home at 3 it had backed off very noticeably (having peaked in the 25mph range at 2) but it looked as though it might be getting ready for a comeback. And although the overcast sky made it look cold, it really wasn't; the air temp was about 50F. What the heck! Pull gear out of storage, jump into drysuit and head down. Just an occasional feeble puff in the rigging area, but definite whitecaps upwind on the other side. Maybe if I could get out there, 7.5 would be enough. Hoped so, since that was all I had with me. Alternated slogging, brief bouts of planing and lots of "almost planing" on the first reach out, blew my jibe and fell in (not as bad as I feared -drysuits rule!) and had a nice planing reach back, by which time my fingers were starting to burn - Playtex gloves weren't quite doing it for me. Switched to DaKine mittens, which solved the cold hands problem. Unfortunately, it didn't solve the dying wind problem, so that was it - one trip out and back. Worth it? Yes, but mostly because I didn't have to drive very far to get it. In the month since my last session, the water has gotten higher (there's now only about 5 yards of "beach" between the water and the rocks) and a bit colder (6C/43F.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/JP.Southwic ... 7195221074

[ChrisPSherwin]

Jim,

You are one sick son of a....

Seek counseling

[Todd Jacques]

not so. He is a man that is aware of his surrondings and know his abilities. hell when i drove by last week the lake was capping big time, i was surrprissed not to see Jim out there.
On the great lakes they sail all year unless the lake freezes

[ChrisPSherwin]

Todd,

I talked to Jim on the chairlift at DV today. I have come to the conclusion that you need counseling and Jim is just fine.

Regards,

Chris Sherwin

[Todd Jacques]

pot calling da kettle black!!!

[bordy]

swell.......Sherwin could you n John get DV to pass a "plastic boot only " rule so i can come rider the DV chair lift too?

[Sarah Ranes]

Jim....YOU ROCK! Happy Birthday.....Sat.

[JimSouthwick]

Thanks, Sarah; happy birthday to you too!

Billy, I agree - I'd love to be able to carve up those sweet DV groomers on the hardboots and plates I bought from you.