Where We Sailed Today

[ctuna]

Water Level High see picture.
8/6/2013 no green showing they have been running the
water above 224 to almost 225. You can usually sit on dry land under this
tree. I was shot by 5 when it really
filled in and became more stable.
Gusty stayed on a 5.3 all afternoon. ( 1 to 5)
Two others sailing from the opposite side.

[windward1]

I launched at New Brighton State Beach sailing my Angulo 10’-10” Sail/SUP with an Ezzy 7.0 Cheetah. A very good combination for the light southwest winds that were 7 to 11 knots with occasionally higher gusts.
Tacked up the coast to The Playground just east of the Capitola surf break. Caught a little wave there. The South Swell was not noticeable at New Brighton and barely discernible here. It was coming from a direction with too much south to make it around the Monterey Peninsula to very far into Monterey Bay. But since it was bigger at Capitola than New Brighton, maybe it would have more size the further west I went.
I windsurfed the Capitola surf break as no one was surfing there. There were a few learners near the beach, but not out at the main break. After a few runs, a lifeguard with an old style megaphone got out at the end of the Capitola jetty and hailed me as “Hey Windsurfer” and told me that I was a vessel and not allowed there. Wait. If I am a windsurfer, how am I a vessel?
Not having a megaphone, I could not query the point so sailed out of there tacking up to the Capitola anchorage, making sure I did not enter the buoy marked swimming zone off of the main beach. There were a lot of boats in the anchorage with some from Santa Cruz and some from San Francisco. One lady on one from Marina Del Ray asked how long I stayed out and I said usually a couple of hours.
I sailed on up to Privates and caught a wave there. And then to the area between Privates and Sharks as the south swell was now a couple of feet at times in this area so I could play on the waves. AS I had hoped the swell was larger the further west that I traveled. I stayed there and windsurfed for a while.
Then I tacked up past The Hook and sailed on waves as I continued up the coast. I passed O’Neill’s, sailed Third Peak, then sailed passed First Peak and caught a wave in between there and Sewers. Tacked up past Sewers and rode a wave right off of the point. I avoided all areas that had surfers. Just went in between the main breaks for my waves. The Angulo could catch those waves easily and the surfers likely could not. No need to contest waves.
Then I proceeded back from whence I came, jibing and sailing in a zig zag pattern to have more speed than straight downwind and to play on any swell that might be available as I did the shoreward leg of the run. In this manner I rode quite a few waves on the way back. I did avoid Capitola’s main break, but did get a ride or two in The Playground.
As I approached New Brighton, I saw the water surge a ways in front of me powerfully. The pelicans had been diving in all over the place all day, so I knew it was something big chasing fish, but I could not see any part of it break the water. Then I saw what looked like a fast moving little rogue wave curve around and then head out against the way the wind waves were traveling. Again nothing breaking the water surface. I watched the area as I sailed in towards shore and finally saw a pod of dolphins actively feeding just past the wave and water surges, so it probably was them swimming in unison with such power it dramatically disturbed the surface.
I landed and proceeded to pack up the gear in the van. I noted that my hair and sail were dry. I had not fallen in in three hours of sailing. Made all my tacks and all my jibes. Yeah, I know it is a large Sail/SUP so falling in should be somewhat of a rarity, but I still felt stoked about it. What a great day!

[goinoff]

[dvCali]

[ctuna]

Where you there today goinoff?

I went the 7/7 also and it was crap even though the graph read
15 to 18 all day.

[windward1]

Two folk out at Natural Bridges today (Friday). One on a 7.0, the other on a 7.5. More wind would have been nice, but hey, we rigged for what it was.

[segler]

Candlestick was pretty dead all Friday -- so off to another great flat water session at Oyster Point. Decent wind from 5:30 through 7pm made for nice rides (131/6.3) then steep drop off.

One other brave soul showed up.

[dsgrntlxmply]

Delayed note due to travel.

I was on my way south for a week so I took a wetsuit and stopped off at Boardsports Alameda for a nostalgia session on rental gear. Light wind, Naish 160 board and 6.4 Boxer SL one-cam sail.

I worry that my admittedly low skills can become site-specific. Fortunately they were adequate to have a fun session in these light conditions. That board is super forgiving, and I was making a greater than usual fraction of jibes and tacks. I liked the sail: cam might have helped keep upwind power in light conditions, and the sail was light and well balanced. It might have been better than my North Volt in these light conditions.

[dvCali]

After a few days at TI it was nice to go back to Coyote. Bit of a longer ride (if the the Bay bridge behaves, otherwise it is shorter!!!!), but well worth the boundless sailing in perfect 5.0 conditions. Lot's of people out, including beginners, and a lonely kiter (with quite an attitude, does it come with the equipment?) while the construction is working its way toward the new ramps

[tomg]

TI ripped Saturday with gusts to 30. today a bit lighter but filled in with flat rollers near the cove and lots of bumpy stuff further out. most everyone rigged on small wave gear. doesn't get any better!