The weather threw just about everything at us today - sun, rain, hail and most importantly wind. Lots of wind. With the wind coming from the North I headed to Hayling Lifeboat station to sail on the incoming tide. I arrived around 11am to a gusty 15 knots so rigged up a 5.8m. I decided to chance the smaller WaveCult 85L rather than a 110L FSW and I was on the plan most of the afternoon. It helped that the wind picked up. And then up again. By 1pm, it was gusting 35knots and getting a little stupid on the 5.8m. I pulled on the outhaul and downhaul and managed another twenty minutes or so but by then the cold was getting to me. My hands were in screaming agony and a final hailstorm just about finished me off.
First proper session of the year. No sign of trouble from the ankle, looking forward to some south westerlies and maybe some swell in the coming weeks. It's about time isnt it?