Wind for Stokesdale Part 2 (The Ecstasy)

I left work just after lunch yesterday when the wind charts started showing activity. Pulse quickend and the heart all a'flutter in the warm sunshine. When I parked at the lake it was cloudy and at least 10 degrees cooler than Greensboro. Neither are all that bad but no wind to boot. Tony showed up later when the sun finally came out but the wind never showed up. Around 4:30 Don came roaring down the road all fired up for some bump'n'jump to find us de-rigging.

Then there is today. I just finished a major project this morning. I had a 6:30am meeting so I didn't bring my gear- plus the forecast sucked. At any rate the wind charts were showing SW > 15mph! I bolted after lunch, shot home to grab my formula board and hauled ass to Belews with the low end dragging. Naturally when I pulled up at Belews it was blowing 5.8m^2. So since I had only my formula board I rigged the 7.5 and set out. I had a blast. Literally. That 7.5 zephyr was outhauled tight as a drum. The wind was clean and steady in front of the power plant and the jibes were on! I think I now have more of a idea how those formula windsurfing gurus race over powered. Rake that sail back, lean on that fin to get the weather side of the board out of the water to avoid swell washing over the whole board. (if it does it feels just like running aground) Entering your jibe force your nose higher so the swell doesn't grab your nose. Lean on the inside rail and lift the foot strap on the outside. Continue as prescribed and you have just carve jibed a formula board! One thing to note is I put the true ames weed fin on the formula and it worked like a champ with the 7.5 Looks like I'm ready for some light air canadian hole blasting...

So OK. I think I got now. When the forecast is for high wind I'll adhere to the following

• DO NOT leave the formula board at home



• DO NOT pack my 85L stick



• DO NOT email the tried and true locals to get them to come to the lake

So after much thought and careful planning whatever game plan I come up with for the forecasted wind I'll now know to do the opposite. Man I really needed this great sesh.