I Love the Smell of Formula Windsurfing in the Morning

I got to the lake this morning around 8:30 figuring I would try for some clean SW before the nasty W came in with the rain.  It was awesome!  The lake seemed even more peaceful than usual and the 9.5 / 100cm board were just money.  I was hoping to head to Hatteras for today's and Wednesday's warm S and SW.  Since I can't make it I'm really glad I had a great local sesh to take the edge off.  I left the wind blowing and headed to work around 11 to support the habit.  You know it is funny- when you come in late everyone is there to ride you for sleeping in but when you stay late nobody is around to thank you for your diligence.  It is all good though.  All of it ;]

Dear Mr. West, Thank you and kind regards

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Any time I get to break out my 106L board I'm happy.  So yesterday was a good day at Belews for Leah and myself.  Even for a west wind with the leaves off the trees the wind is filling in nicely.  It has been a while since I've seen whitecaps uniformly distributed on a due west like that.  Always true to form the visit by Mr. West was brief since he never overstays his welcome.  I had to switch to the 155L with the 7.5 around 4pm.  The pic pretty much shows the peak time at Belews.  It was such a beautiful day.  I'm still not wearing gloves or booties. 

At Avon the west wind started in the wee hours Friday night and by morning pushed the sound up and over some of the lower areas of the land.  I bet Canadian whole was awesome sailing...

We finished the day with a sunset paddle into the NW wind.  You can see hanging rock really clearly.  Great exercise and terribly relaxing.  What a sunset and a great day.

Our Little Piece of Ida

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday we had wind and rain from the leftovers of Ida.  Wednesday we had the most rain with temps falling into the low 40s.  Without too much whining the short story is that I didn't make it to sail Wednesday.  Thursday however I was able to get to Belews after work for a fun sesh on the 106L with the 5.8 sail.  Yes it was extremely gusty but there were fun ramps and when fully lit you had an excellent launch.  I'm still working on proper bump n jump technique but even if you don't know what you are doing you get air.  I had the wetsuite but still didn't need gloves or boots!  Belews is so warm even at 40F you are perfectly comfortable.

Leah and I hit it again yesterday for more gusty but lighter stuff.  I was on the 106/5.8 again for a while and when she got there switched to the 106/7.5 so she could use the 5.8 on the 166L.  We both had fun and just before dark the wind cranked up again as a little rain moved through Greensboro.  After dark the wind pick up even more so I couldn't resist a last few lit up blasts out and back with the 166/7.5.  wooww.  Good times.

A Session I'll Always Remember

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I got together with Andy M. for a morning bike ride at Bur Mill park Saturday. We hit the Owls Roost and Wild Turkey trails- the Fall colors are spectacular & trails in awesome shape. Just a perfect ride.
Before I took off I packed the formula board and the 9.5 just in case there was a 10 mph wind since the forecast was for SSW. I was in the straps planing from lunch till dark. Amazing day and quite a surprise. With the leaves off the trees I think the wind as able to fill in nicely. Loooong planing reaches and up wind, white knuckle - dumper stance blasting! I've got raw video showing consistent planing from shore to shore. I'm still shaking from this one.

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Formula Windsurfing. Belews Lake, NC 11/7/09 from r d moore on Vimeo.

Weather Forecast is for Weather Today

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Is today the day?!  Could it be?  I woke over an hour before the alarm... windsurfing in my head.  I so hope for some good NW today.  Forecast is for it to start up later today- that typical 3 - 14 mph gusting to the upper 20s.  Oh yeahhh, that old friend of mine.  That lake wind that can make one look so silly yet can still be so much fun for the right kind of mind. 

I'm stoked because I've got something else to try today too.  While the water is still so warm I'm going to begin training for the duck jibe

and..


and...



and....



the forward loop!  The Peconic Puffin posted this "safer" loop training video.  So far I'll submit to this school of thought...

November NE. Steamy and Hot!

I had one of the best sessions ever today. I had planned to go to the outer banks but the weather forecast fell through. Despite the nasty weather the wind was blowing in Greensboro so I headed to Belews around 3pm. Temps hovered between 49 and 50 degrees so you would expect to be cold right? Not so at Belews. The water is still balmy compared to other lakes so all I needed was a thin wetsuit. And I sweated the whole time so I could have used even less. Air temperatures have little to do with comfort so there is certainly no reason to hesitate if the wind is blowing.


I rigged the old 9.5 and jumped on the 100cm formula board. Mac, Rob and Mark always measure boards according to “holler for the dollar”. Mac and Rob have AHD free diamond 77cm boards that they bought new and still use more that any other board. So far the formula board is on its way to giving me more holler for the dollar than anything else I could own. I was in the straps planing more than 70% of the time up to dark. It was kind of surreal since the cool wind was generating lots of wispy fog from the warm water. With the outer banks over 5 ½ hours away it is awesome to be able to get time planing at the lake just down the road. No need to even mention the Fall colors…