03/14, DC CharlestonBridge, 7.5m sail, 117L board

[JimSouthwick]

3 PM, about to go for a bike ride, when I noticed that the wind chimes were starting to tinkle. The N end of DC has been mostly ice free for a couple of weeks, so it seemed worth a try. When I arrived at Charleston Bridge Camp, there was a football field size ice flow just to windward of the launch, but open water otherwise. By the time I had my gear set up, the ice flow had drifted past. The wind at Charleston Bridge is usually quite a bit stronger on the far side, and today was no exception; my 7.5 worked, but only once I got about half way across. With an air temp of about 50 and water temp of 44 (measured in the shallows near the launch) cold wasn't really a problem (drysuits rule!) Floating vegetation catching on the fin was a bit of a problem (a weed fin would have been a good call) and I encountered a few spots where my 62cm fin found the bottom.

http://homepage.mac.com/jsouthwick/PhotoAlbum130.html

[Leo Chan]

You early bird.

I will make sure I am the first to sail UL this year. . .

[jimhornbeck]

Be fast Leo, Erick C and Gary sailed grants two weeks ago.I sailed ut lake march 3 last year, mm19 5-7 great sesh.

[Leo Chan]

I was at the UL today. I think I went to the wrong location, SSB, for the for wind. I only managed to work on my balance and work on my tan.