You've got 1 night. Make It Work.

She gave me 1 night and I was so glad to get it.  Packed in a hurry the night before so I forgot my camera but did manage to get most of the necessary gear.  Arrived in Avon with a massive t storm dumping rain and sparking.  After that one moved out no more weather to speak of other than great Bermuda High wave sailing conditions.

I think it stormed most of the morning with a lot of WSW.  Anyway the wrap around was really clean after so I grabbed the 85L dacurve quad and paired it with a 4.7 North Hero I demoed from Ocean Air.  After the initial rigging I added down haul and was set the rest of the day.  That sail felt great and it was easier to spill off the power than my old Ezzy.  The quad is my 1st true wave board of any kind and after initially having trouble last year adjusting it was wonderful to get that thing dialed in.  Suffices to say my initial issues were just that I needed to get used to all that rocker and pivot jibe / tack.  For a few hours the conditions were ideal side off DTL and I had my most fun sesh ever.  I've got to keep working on my skills to extend the range of the wave board when the current gets gnarly but I have high hopes.

All in all I sailed from 2:30-dark the Friday and all day Saturday.  Saturday was certainly much more challenging with lots more current, weirder wind and direct choppy wind swell- but bigger nuggets. Keith took this photo late Saturday.  Here I am well past exhausted, getting absolutely sand blasted head to toe and dreading the drive back- but still buzzing from 2 great days.  Mike Wazenski sailing in.

Andy took shots of Keith on these nuggets.  The rest of Keith's photos are here.

Typical this time I would have all kinds of issues with the video but it is what it is.


ego beach june 28 from rdm on Vimeo.

Fish Camp also got some gopro action.  Nice!  A dream indeed.



This is mostly for my reference but here is Avon Ocean wind readings for Friday and Saturday.  Note the clean wind from 2pm to 8pm.  Steadier direction too.  Saturday was a bit of back and forth on everything.

A little wave vid

This is a little sample of recent fun at Ego Beach across from C Hole.  There is a quite a wind shadow on the inside on SW here but with ramp 43 and 44 completely closed the conditions still lined up nicely. Keith McCulluch took some great photos of Andy McKinney also.  Link to Keith's photos

few waves at ego beach from rdm on Vimeo.

A little summer fun

Schedule:
Paddle surf Friday afternoon with Ken and Mark
Surf Saturday with Ken.  Saturday afternoon light wind wave sail with Ken while Mac and Mark paddle surfed.
Sunday little warm up sesh at C hole with Mac and Mark.  Then wave sailing with the OBX locals.
Monday solo wave sailing ahead of the front.  Keith did show up just in time for the storm to kill the wind but did get 1 wave.

Keith took some shots Sunday.  Perfect temps.

Bill on a nugget

 Ken A. is looking for pearls

Mac has a great report on paddle palooza and a few more pics here.

Shortboard Wavesailing

Keith says this is the best sesh of the year for him.  I think most would agree with him.  Lots of wavesailors and kiters out with side off conditions.  It was challenging getting out due to powerful current but the outside was very comfortable with my 5.0 and 94L board.  This was the next level for this humble beginner.

Keith's Photos



Some of my photos

Leslie Surf at the Point

Keith, Sam and I hit the point today for some light air wave sailing.  The sets were fun and we got a good wrap around the shoals the entire day.  Keith gets the style award but I am Mr Clean after going through the wash cycle so many times.  Ian, Ken A. and Sarah came out later so we pretty much had the whole point to ourselves.  Great times. Bill's blog has the goings on from the previous 2 days.

Keith's Point pics are here.  Nice!  Below are some of mine.

 Carnage

*

August Action

I drove through lots of mist and rain to get there but the skies opened and we had a beautiful sunny day Friday.  Sam, Ken and I had a blast at C hole and then evening action in the ocean.  Like Keith said- hey it is August, we're lucky to get any wind at all.  Well, since it has been a vacuum in Greensboro I wholly agree.

Keith and Andy had the higher wind before we got there.

Threes Company

Fity is on it!!!!!!!!!!

Offshore Wave Sailing and Paddle Surf at Sunset Beach

Wednesday and Thursday were sunny and warm with SE swell coming in from TS Maria.  We got there late Wed and caught some chunky SW blown surf before sunset.  Leah clearly enjoyed it!

Leah's real dad circa conception?

 The neighbors are sand castle experts.  This is after the T storms messed it up some.

Last years design prior to completion.  No rain or wind last year.

The playground area

The NE wind lightened up Friday to keep beautiful waves.  The camera won't zoom for outside shots so all of these are inside.  Some shoulder to head high on the outside all morning to mid low tide.  Then size returned around 6pm.  So many lefts!

Wave Sailing Sunday. More haste less speed.

Hatteras magic all right.  It has been hot hot hot and windless inland.  When Sam and I drove across the Alligator River there was no wind or swell Thursday.  That was weird and I was a little worried.  Once on Hwy 12 heading south we took our time and stopped by the Salvo day use.  Good luck wading through all the kites stretched across the little beach to launch your windsurfer.  There was a little breeze though and we struck out for Avon.  After checking in and rolling into the hole we rigged 5.8s and hoped for the best.  We got the best.  The wind ramped up pretty quickly and we sailed hard until sunset.  Friday was a repeat performance. 

Saturday the wind backed off quite a bit so we scouted around and ended up in Frisco on the beach for some SUP wave sailing and SUP paddle surfing.  Sam got his first taste of side on wind and we both got some fun rides.  Just a note- if you do plan to surf or sail on any of the beaches get there early.  Tons of people out there from Frisco to north of Avon.

Sunday was the real highlight day of the trip.  We checked out and got out earlier for low tide wave sailing.  Luckily some of the SE swell was already coming in and we got rock star parking in front of a great break.  We both rigged 5.8s and Sam used the 10' SUP while I used the 112L Kode.  The wind was light and side side off blowing hit and miss but man did we have fun.

Sam's first sailing waves. 

Trolling for surfers 

I tried some gopro helmet cam video.  Clew mount would have been much better but it is great reliving some of those waves either way.  It took lots of concentration with air that light but it makes you appreciate the rides that much more.  Can thigh high waves and no planing wind be that much fun?  You bet your skinny mast it is.


Light Air Wave Sailing- Windsurf and SUP Sail OBX, NC from r d moore on Vimeo.

When Good Waves Go Bad

And so ended the sailing experience for the trip.  Note the mix of emotions on this grizzled veteran's face. 

Ken and I have sailed together quite a few times from wave jam action, sound side and surfing SUPs.  On Saturday after a little NE sound sesh we hit Old Lighthouse beach with the SUPs and sails for your favorite and mine- wave sailing in side shore wind.  Ken had a 5.8 and I grabbed the 4.7 since Leah was using the 5.8  Ken certainly had the right combo since we both had 10'5 Starboard Drive SUPs and the wind was really light.  I bagged out my sail like a potato sack trying to turn it into a 6.0 but we managed pretty well just the same.  We both made it out on the first attempt and worked up wind toward the jettie to catch the waves wrapping in from the ENE.  We spotted this great little channel from the beach and with timing and luck it held as a good route.  I got tuned to the conditions and started catching a few waves, popping out the end, jibing and heading back out.  I saw a few freight trains coming and boldly took a big ride.  Toes in sail sheeted out, down wind and popped out clew first for the trek out to catch another.  By this time more trains were coming and I busted through a big one with huge sigh of relief.  I flipped the sail just in time for the daddy of the previous one to jack up in front of me.  It was overhead, snarling and yes I bailed.  This nasty bugger broke on the outside- I took a looong swing not only to the beach but also down the beach thanks to the current.  Most of the time the ocean she toys with you- letting you get just in reach of your mast before the next wave takes your gear away again.  I had no chance of catching it at any point after I bailed.  So I took the swim of shame, not 1 but 2 walks of shame back up wind first with the board then with the sail.

Meanwhile Ken is on fire.  Experience is key.  Ken was catching great waves and surfing all the way to the inside (which was uncharacteristically mellow).  After a tack or jibe then heading back out from there since the wind was just as good in as outside.  I caught my breath and we both carried on like that for while.  Luckily I abandoned my strategy of jibing out of the wave like I was lit and started taking Ken's approach since the wave power was the only way to maneuver.  We took a break and were standing on the beach discussing how the wind seemed to be determined to stay up the rest of the day.  Also each of us noted how awful it would be if we had to continue wave sailing the rest of the afternoon.  But on the other hand we planned to paddle surf with Mac and Sam later so Ken said he had one more sesh in him.  One more and then we would head out.

As if we had been overheard the wind almost went away as we jumped on the boards for the trip out through the zone.  We both made it out but it took concentration.  The upwind trip took a great deal more time too but the waves were still pumping.  I got on a good one and rode it in to the inside.  I figured if the wind didn't come back I was finished sailing.  This is how Ken described the next series of events.

He went for the second of a set of biggies and thanks to the loss of wind power missed it.  Of course this had pushed him inside a little too much and the 3rd was destined to break on him so he bailed.  After the initial wave he actually got a hold on the mast but a 4th ripped it away from him.  He had to take a swim while I watched his gear heading to the beach and down wind I thought I saw that his old sail had finally bit it.  Turns out it was in fact formaly retired.  When he caught his gear and dragged it on the beach something else looked suspect- then I saw the board was folded a couple feet behind the nose!  Ken emerged from Old Lighthouse beach carrying gear trashed just like those heroic images you see of the professional windsurfers in Hawaii or somewhere else equally insane.  Waves are rough on any equipment but I'm hopefull Starboard will be sympathetic to Ken's case.  Usually masts break before anything else.  At any rate Ken was still amped from the great sesh and had a great attitude about the whole day.  Later he even borrowed my Starboard Drive and we had that paddle surf sesh anyway.

The day before while paddle surfing I experienced the longest wash cycle I've ever had to hold my breath through after a monster tossed me off the lip in a strong offshore gust.  Rob said he took a beating in a similar situation.  Though not the average size Friday and Saturday had fairly frequent large and powerful sets rolling through.  Dues were paid, bruises handed out, blisters worn in heavy air but what a time at the Outer Banks with great folks.  Super special thanks to Mac and Kris for having us stay with them on their spring break.  Mac, Rob and Sam have some wonderful pics and stories from the whole trip.  Check them out for stories of the windsurfing, paddle surf/flat and good times had by all.               

My blushing bride lit with a 3.5 and dialing in the beach starts in heavy air.  * This photo shamelessly lifted from Mac's blog.

Leah and Kris.  Further description not needed.

Sam luvin the new Fly 10'



Jedi Master and new apprentice