After the wind had already blown down a tree across the A3, getting to the coast was a more of a challenge than normal. It was the Fat Face Hayling windsurfing festival this weekend and by the time I arrived, there were already plenty of vans and tents parked up on the beach. Although it was dark, the wind was howling and the rain still lashing down.
I woke early to the sound of more rain driving against the van, checked the forecast and decided to get on with it. Measuring the wind at 18knots, although I'd taken the Evo down with me, I opted to stick with the 87FSW and a 5.2. There was a clear swell breaking on the bar and my combination turned out to be perfect for the first 30 mins or so. Then the wind picked up. Really picked up. And it was gusty, one minute not a lot and the next bang...
Still, the waves were rolling in and everyone was getting some decent rides and airtime. By the time I came in at lunchtime, I could barely hold on any more. Checking Chimet it turned out the gusts were over 40knots...