Ah, tis the season

Good forecast, nothing delivered except for about 10 minutes riding. Bugger.

Tease

Cracking when I arrived and jumped out on the 10m but soon the wind dropped and I stood around with my thumb up my ass. Decided to get the 15 and the wind came back, so that was nice. Big gap of nothing in the middle but it ended nicely.

Heh...

Epic forecast, but when I arrived at the lake just after midday, it didn't seem up to much so I headed out with the Speed3 15...

... oops. It was so gusty that "couldn't keep planing" was violently contrasted with "speeding out of control". Somewhere in between, I did some jumps. Some really big ones too -- getting my head almost level with wing tips of kites parked at 12. I need a Woo or a Xensr...

After some time doing that, the beach had cleared out some so I went to land the kite... needed help, so overpowered, glad Jun was there.

Took the Speed back to the car and got the 10 and 7m XBs. Went back out with the 10 and the Limited for some more yeehaas. The wind was up and down, so when I next came in I went out on the Dialer. Then changed to the Lim when I got overpowered, then back to the D when the wind dropped to wind the session down on a high note.

Tough conditions, but I had a nice time and enjoyed the 10m XB with the D.

Riddle me this, Batman

Q. What's worse than a small beach crowded with Asian kiters?

A. A small beach crowded with Asian kiters... with foils.

FFS people. Kites landing left, right and center on too of people and gear; foil boards left standing all over the show, wrapping up lines; kites stalling everywhere; lines laid out to every point of the compass. What a mess. Self-centered people and foil-learners is not a good combo... at least I'm not the only one getting grumpy at the dickheads...

Leaving the show aside, there was no wind. In desperation, I took the Dialer and Limited back to the car and for the Flydoor and the 21.

Super light, flat water but going upwind -- amazing. Then, as I'd feared, the wind picked up and it was a bit much... should have gone with the 15, but it was good after all the waiting and watching the comedy....

Yarr

So-so forecast but tis the season to deliver wind in the late afternoon.

Really late... I'd gone out to experiment with the Flite and line extensions, so it wasn't a total loss when the wind that was exceptionally light dropped off to nothing...

I'd stood around, glaring at the horizon, then given up and packed up the Flite when the wind picked right up... I rushed back to the car for the S3 15 and proceeded to have a great 45 minutes till dark fooling around around... even nailed a few tacks.

Gah

Looked promising, and it started off nicely on the Dialer and the 10m XB but dropped off after a half hour or so. Tried the S3 12 for a bit but it's not a solution in the low end of its range, and maybe too leaky when it's on... Got the 15 out but it just dropped away.

Still going to be a tough call trying to decide what to take to NZ for the hols... but it was good to experiment.

Ooh

Average forecast was better than expected. Good boosting, good stunting, great carving, nice surfboard riding... let's say nothing about the out of town assholes who take 15 minute showers whole people are waiting, cos that would spoil the buzz.

Oh, got new brown lenses for the Shark v1s... the shizzle! Glad the web store is up and running, well worth the money: 720-armour

Bah

No work today for a change so naturally, the wind chooses this weekend to not blow. Bah humbug.

Tried a few tacks on both boards, and while I could get upwind occasionally it wasn't fun. Gave up and test-flew the S3 12 to check for how much I need to resplice the FDS to take tension out of it...

Ah, that's better

Didn't risk it this time and went out on the S3 and had a cracking good time, despite the light wind. Wind dropped off as I needed to stop for work so that worked out well.

Tricksy weather

Forecast predicted blow at 3 so we all duly descended on the beach and glared at the horizon. It finally turned up and the inevitable bums rush to the beach followed.

I wanted to try the 10m XB on the Dialer again, but didn't trust the wind and with the SB despite having laid out the 10m's bar... Didn't suck as much as I thought it would though.

Went out on the Limited and came in for the Dialer as the wind dropped then lulled then picked up then dropped. Lame.

Twice in a row was too much to ask for

Forecast better than yesterday but it was worse -- more range in the gusts, even less low end, long time no blow.

Started off on the TT as the photo dears were there again and they wanted the action. Started on the 10 but it wasn't working, so I hit the 15 and it was better but not like yesterday. Not by a long shot. Hope they got some shots of the bottom of the board so I can share on Axis FB page.

Tried again later on the Dialer and the 10. Surprisingly good, but it didn't last... Shame.

Come fly with me

Good forecast turned fucking epic.

Started on the Dialer, underpowered weirdly but riding ok. Then the wind picked up a little and the riding got tentative so I got on the TT and went for a fly.

Goddam, big jumps. Couple of old duck with cameras too, might get some photos...

Nearly a disaster at landing, gust collapsed the kite and Miyachi missed it so I went to safety and it wiggled across the window, narrowly missing all the kites on the beach and the camera lady.

No harm no foul. It were all-ll good.

I done foil!

Got some time today on the Alien Air and MHL Lift foil and my Speed3 15.

Bloody hell, water handling is a PITA! I figured out how to body drag, but our spot is just shallow enough for a couple hundred meters out to ground the foil, and just deep enough to make it impossible to walk... so I spent about 99% of the time splashing around trying to get to deep water.
Only got a half dozen or so so rides, out of a dozen attempts, before I was worn out. My wish or goal was to water start, get up on the board and ride it on the water and let it lift with board speed. Now I look at it, I wonder if I wasn't a little overly ambitious...

First attempt was, of course, a total moon shot. Boing! and dragged over the foil... ow.
Next couple I got up on the board and moving, but sunk out in the light wind or got pushed off by chop.

The wind had picked up a little so body dragging out was easier, and the last 4 or 5 rides were easier too. I managed to get up on the board and riding, with a few seconds of feeling lift from the foil but not properly foiling before grounding out or mis-balancing the board and getting lobbed.

On the last two tacks, I got up and foiling properly for long enough to enjoy the ride -- maybe 4 seconds of kangaroo hopping and finally 10 seconds of wobbly "omg omg I'm doing it I'm doing it!" before losing speed, lift, and grounding the foil again...

Yeah good fun, I can see me buying one.

Aside from that, some Dialer riding and Limited boosting. Good day.

I done tack!

Me! Fuck yeah!

Ok powered today, for 2x 45 minutes, with a drink break between. Started trying to tack on a port reach, after watching a Cabrinha tech tip video. Got closer and closer until after about a half dozen attempts - nailed it! Woohoo! Got them 50/50 for the next half dozen but that did me; now for the other side!

Otherwise, a good day.