Rock 5.7m

Having completed my cycling leg in the London triathlon (20km in 44mins incidentally), I rushed down to the coast hoping to get an evening sail in. Only I ran out of diesel on the way down. Two miles from the petrol station. The breakdown man was a little shocked when I told him I'd misjudged it traveling some 50 miles after the light went on...

Anyway, Sunday morning was awesome. In the water at 7.30, the wind just got stronger and stronger all morning. Besides a quick break for a bacon sandwich at 9ish, I was in the sea till 11.30. First time I've been on the FSW87 for some time and I made more tacks than I missed which shows the practice is starting to pay off. I also made a fully planing gybe so same there! Eventually, I realised I was already an hour late for a friends BBQ so I had to leave... Gutting.

Heading down the night before certainly has its advantages. Today I was in the water before 8 making the most of a small wave on the sandbar. The wind was a little fluky but two hours of pure fun. And the more I sail the 110FSW, the more I like it! I wish there were waves more often on the south coast :-(

It's been a long time since I've sailed on a lake, especially an inland one... But, Tuesday was windy and I managed to escape early so thought I'd give it a try hoping for some light wind practice. I didn't count on it being gusty. Incredibly gusty in fact. One second there was enough wind to be planing in both straps and the next nothing, not a breath. Still, it was good practice for timing tacks and gybes. Eventually the wind dropped to a force three and became more consistent. All in all, worth heading out.

Now I've found a friendly place to stay, driving down to Hayling Friday evening really opens up the options for the weekend. This time I managed a quick sail before dark on Friday evening and then two early sails Saturday morning before heading back to London for Sheil's wedding reception in the evening. I'm also starting to really enjoy sailing at low tide at Hayling again - the mix of flat water, small jump ramps and occasional waves is a great blend.

At last a normal weather system headed across the UK so I took Wed holiday from work to make the most of it. I had a prior criket net committment on Tuesday evening so couldn't leave for the coast until 2030. In the event, it probably worked out well as the roads were clear on the run down to Hayling. I had planned to stay overnight at a friendly pub - unfortunately I arrived too late for food but not for a swift pint or two. Leaving the van in their car park overnight wasn't a problem although I wasn't sure they realised I'd be in it...

I awoke bright and early Weds morning and moved on to the beach front. The wind had arrived and there were a handful of kits already out. I rigged a 5.7 with the 110FSW and hit the water about 8.30.

High tide meant it was advisable to avoid the shorebreak over lunch - so I made the most of it and had a long lazy break.

By the afternoon, the wind had picked up and so I changed down to a 5.2. On my first run, I found the biggest ramp of the day, overcooked a nose-first landing and wiped out spectacularly. Luckily no damage to me or kit! As the afternoon went on, the wind got a little flucky, plenty for a 5.2 in the gusts but not much in between. I gave up about 5pm calling it a day after six hours on the water.

Only problem with great days like this is you another fix pretty soon after...

Four sessions over three days. The wind was always gusty and the waves not always there but excellent sailing none the less.

I did have a couple of moments though... One sailing the outgoing tide when the wind dropped and I was trying to waterstart. When I did manage to get up and going again I'd missed the headland - luckily a few runs upwind and tacks and I was back to shore safely!

The other was on the far side of the estuary. I'd sailed over to sail the waves on the bar, but when I got there I was in the wind shadow of the cliffs. When I fell in it took me an age to get up again - and all the time battered by decent sized waves... Urgh. Anyway eventually I made it up and wobbled back to the beach for a rest.

Seems like an eternity since the last time I was out, but finally the wind has returned. And what's more there was sun too. Sunday provided a chance to head back down to the South coast and my regular Hayling haunt. Although the wind was a week late for the Fat Face Hayling event, it was good to get out and there was a decent crowd around. Hopefully the sign of things to come before winter sets in!

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Another weekend, more wind, more sun, so another day on the beach. This is the good life. Ok, today didn't quite deliver yesterday's forecast - windguru downgraded to one star from three - but it was still 5.7 weather. Well I say 5.7 weather, most of the others were on 6.5s plus and big boards, but getting going wasn't a problem. So, ended with three hours blasting in the sun getting back in time to watch possibly the worst game of the season. Supposedly the two best teams in the country, in the first full event at the new Wembley. Talk about over hyped.

Only four weeks now until I go to Prasonisi.

Any chance you could give me a launch? So said the cheeky kiter who'd crashed his kite, right into the back of my head. I can't write here what I said to him, but let's just say I didn't help him out.

Anyway, onto my sail. There was no wind this morning, and even a frost, so most people thought I was loopy heading South at midday. I arrived at Pagham just as the wind was picking up - perfect timing! I went with 5.7/RRD when I should have done with 4.7/Evo!! At 11 degrees, the water was warmer than the air (10 degrees), but it was cold. My hands felt cold just rigging up, let alone once they were wet. I gave in a an wore boots for the first time, but hated them every time I tried to get into the straps.

I ended up being crazily overpowered for the whole session (solid force six on the beach). Going out wasn't too bad, but heading towards the beach, with what little swell there was, was mad. On my last run I barely sheeted in and I was still flying! It was too cold to change down. Once I came in, I was in.

My head's starting to feel a bit dizzy now, but it was worth it.

Awesome day at West Wittering. Torrential rain for the whole drive down, but as I arrived at the beach around 9am it started to clear up. There were a couple of kiters out already and a couple of guys rigging 5.2s and 4.7s. I wasn't convinced it was that windy so opted for a cuppa in the van before checking the wind again. It still hadn't really come up, so I rigged a 5.7 and headed for the water. I think today West Wittering was probably somewhere near its best - flat water on the inside and decent small waves breaking on the sandbars. As the tide came in, this just got better an better. Gybe practise in the lagoon, wave riding and jumping on the outside. I was doing mile long runs from West to East Witterings and back again - and, 'cos the wind was southerly, I was in standing depth the whole time!!

So what did I learn?

• Snagging a plastic bag around the fin at speed is likely to cause a catapult.
• Bottom turns are great, get the weight onto the front foot - but not too much weight forward, or the nose will catch and you'll be over the front
• Avoid the white water when riding - a wave breaking over you is bad news

I've had some fantastic sails this year, but I think today will go down as my best. OK, so it wasn't as warm as Martinhal, as windy as Tarifa or as big as Guincho, but when the sun came out today it was just awesome. I even won't mind if the cold weather comes now and that's my last sail of the year.