I’m toast!

That was 4 out of 5, and most of those I was overpowered. And no, I wasn’t in Taranaki or Wellington, it was good old Auckland!

It all started with some Westerlies middle of the week. Being stuck with my day-job at the Boardstore, I couldn’t go out during the day, but it was still good (if not even better) after work. Jenkins on the Manukau was delivering. It’s one of my favourite spots around Auckland, and you need a specific tide / wind combination for it to work. When it’s on you get some beautiful wind-against-tide swells and ramps that make for fun conditions in the channel. And some flater water on the other side if the channel. With the light rather flat in the evening, it didn’t look like much wind, so I went with what info I had from the meters and from friends who have been out earlier. Rigged 5.3, had one run in and out and decided that lucky Bevan has got already a rigged sail! I needed something smaller. Out of solidarity I decided on 4.7, should have gone straight to 4.2. Both of us were so powered up that we barely sailed in the channel but rather survived in the flatter water on the other side. The setting sun between dark clouds made for a fantastic light and an awesome atmosphere!

Thursday looked like much the same, but by the time we came off work, the wind was about to die. So we gave it a miss and decided to save ourselves for the next days of Easterlies lined up.

Friday I started early with all the jobs I had to do, and shortly after lunch I was able to make my way up to Orewa. It looked stunning! Windy, sunny, blue water, not too many people out there, some small (onshore) waves,…. What more do you want? Normally Easterlies bring moist air from the tropics and are often ex-cyclones with a lot of rain. Not so this one.

After 2-3 hour playtime the wind increased and I was too tired by then to rig a smaller sail, so I called it. Bevan, who had to work until 5pm went to Cornwallis Beach, which proves to be a real gem in Easterlies if you are after flat water and a stunning backdrop.

Saturday morning I felt a bit beaten up. Seems my windsurf fitness is not where it should be. Not sure who I’m going to survive a week Taranaki soon! However, a bucket of coffee and a good breakfast gets you going, and soon I was on the way back up to Orewa, while Bevan preferred the smooth flat water of Cornwallis at low tide.

Rinse, eat, sleep, repeat. More of the same on Sunday. Now I’m toast. Just glad it’s Monday and I have a few days to recover 😀 Isn’t that what day-jobs are there for?

And Friday we are off to Taranaki! Looking forward to our TWC Surfari and catching up with old and new friends.