Nor'easter Day Two

Wow, blessed with yet another day of epic conditions.

What a fall this has been!

This storm is simply amazing, its been blow 40+ knots since Wedensday afternoon.

I’ve named her the Friday The 13th Nor’easter of 2009. Yesterday was survival 3.6 sailing. Today was dialed 3.6. I tell ya, what a difference 10 knots makes. Yesterday the wind averaged in the lo to mid 40s. That was manageable, but it was the gusts into the mid 50s+ that made it challenging. Today the wind averaged in the upper 30s, with gusts only into the mid 40s. Perfectly dialed 3.6 conditions. Yehaaa! On top of that, there was no rain today, just the relentless Gales of the Friday the 13th Noreaster!

The wind had a lot more north in it today, so I sailed Broadkill beach. The wind was side on, and the conditions could be described as very ocean like, especially on the outside. Don’t let anyone tell you Broadkill doesn’t have a breaking sandbar, you just have the desire to sail to an outer bar.

I’d say the perfect direction for Broadkill is NNE. Just remember, when the wind goes too onshore in Lewes, Broadkill is the venue. You can find me there every time.



My wife takes such artistic shots. Mac, you coined it best, she IS my secret weapon! The best most supportive wife any man could have.



I sailed out into the middle of the Delaware Bay, and surfed very large breaking waves. One in particular, when it broke, the white water had to have been 4-5 feet high. Quite ocean like.


I saw on the news that one of the offshore buoys just off the mouth of Delaware Bay recorded a 26.7 foot wave during the height of the storm. Wow. I can tell you that some of the stuff I saw out there was definately spawned off of that giant stuff out in the ocean. Oh yeah

I like to hop off my board out in the middle of the maelstrom, and just listen to the wind and the crashing waves, watch the period swell roll under me, and see the spray flying off the top. Its sureal.

Awesome stuff. Andy in your honor, I chucked one today. Man you guys gotta come here some time. My home patch is quite fun! I've got Assateague for some worldclass wavesailing, and the Delaware Bay during a Gale is hands down epic.

Lit

Very ocean like


Throwin some spray


The jumps where unbelievable. Like I said yesterday, jumping in heavy wind is probably as close as I’ll ever get to a weightless environment of space. All you gotta do is pop a little chop hop and you easily go up 10, 15+ feet

and just freakin levitate up there!


Had my fair share of wipe outs. If you aren't getting wet..........

......you're not learning


Look at that shorebreak, that was pretty much a rogue wave, and not very representative of the shorebreak today. Still, you gotta respect it.


Stan launched from the Lewes main beach and sailed up to Broadkill to sail with me. I was going to sail back with him, but my awesome wife called and she was on her way to Broadkill for a photoshoot, so I had to hang around the area. Sorry I didn’t sail back with you Stan, but you know I just had to document the action for live2sail, and posterity.



I did this intentionally, and I'm getting quite good at it. Not quite as high as the one I did yesterday in Lewis. What do you think Stan? So much fun


Jumps on both tacks were epic today

At some point, I was on the beach adjusting my outhaul, Stan had already left to sail back downwind to Lewes (a 20 minute drive by car, but probably a 15 minute sail), and this guy came up to me. He’d heard a report of and orange sail going down, and staying down. I told him that was probably my friend (Stan was flying an orange sail today), so I got a little concerned. Having said that, I also knew that the wind was side on, so the worst that might happen would be a long walk. Plus, Stan is a great sailor, so I wasn’t too concerned. I fired off a text message, and a voice mail asking him to check in when he got back to lewes. Long story short, all turned out well. He did drop in to rest for an extended time, but it was nothing more serious than that. Reflecting back, I was glad that cop (he was in civi’s but had a handgun on his belt) didn’t force me off the water. I sail Broadkill a lot, and I suspect most folks with beachfront property have seen me out there before. So they probably weren’t alarmed to see me out there during the storm, “Ah Mable that’s that boy from Milford, he’s always out there”.

Tomorrow the wind should back down to about 15-20+, and with the surf quite sizable

SAT
N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 9 TO 12 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF
12 SECONDS.

12 second period will make all the difference, so I plan to head down to Assateague. Definitely wont be mellow-yellow conditions, so I don’t expect to see Grendel, but you never know. I’m challenging him to come out and show me what he’s got.

Party tomorrow night at the Zamboni cave. Stoked, blessed, smile plastered on my face. I want more.........

Live2sail

***update***
Its been so windy, that my truck's alignment came unbalanced. Parking up on the beach over two days of gale force winds, sand had blown inside my wheels, so much had packed up in there that the wheels came out of balance. When i got up to highway speed, the truck starting shaking. I had to have the tires rotated! Lesson, always park your vehicle into the wind, i suppose pointing down wind so the sand also doesn't blow up into the engine, though i guess some sand up in there is inevitable. Just be mindful of the sand.

Noreaster Day One

***************STORM SAILING**************

Today definately surpasses my previously heaviest day ever on the water, the epic New Years Eve Sesh from last year. My pal Stan and I sailed from about 11.45 to just after 2. Ironic that the meter went down almost for the entire sesh. You'll have to take my word for it, it was sick! In fact this storm is stronger than some of the tropical systems I've sailed.

When we pulled up, it looked reasonably sane. I mean look at this pic, you can't really tell its averaging in the 40s gusting into the 50s.



Its strange, I've seen much heavier shorebreak here, in much less wind. What made it difficult today was simply the wind strength and not having a sail small enough. Having said that, getting out wasn't that tough. What WAS tough was staying out. Just SOOO windy...


Here are some observations I’ve reflected on since coming off the water:

• Jumpin in conditions like this is a close as you can get to a zero gravity situation so close to the earth. In that much wind, you almost levitate in the air.
• Landings in that kind of wind is sooo soft. Its really amazing. I mean you’re up there, I don’t know how high, and you think oh boy, this isn’t gonna turn out good, and then the landing is so soft.
• When its averaging in the 40s, what ordinarily would be a 6-7 foot jump becomes a 15-20 footer, Wohoo!
• When its this windy, I think goggles would be extremely helpful. A lot of the time I could hardly see cuz the liquid smoke got into my eyes. Yeah, its disconcerting to have to let go of the boom to rub your eyes! I've seen those big 'ole goggles Dana wears, but i've never been able to find a similar pair. Dana, can you drop me an email and let me know where i can find a pair?
• When its blowing over 40, a 77ltr board, 8.25 cm fin, and 3.6 is way too big. We would have been powered on much smaller stuff.
• You can’t really wear winter time mittens in these conditions, you’ll fatigue in like five minutes. No worries, the water is still very warm.
• It IS possible to get comfortable out there in that kinda of wind and have fun. When I first hit the water, I thought there was no way I’d beable to keep the board on the water. But after getting out, I was able to get reasonably comfortable out there. Don’t get me wrong, it was very intense, and I’m not saying I wouldn’t have rather enjoyed a nice dialed 4.5 day. But its all good right, and was an experience I’ll never turn down. Good training as well, setting me up to really rip in the lighter 30-40 knot days.




After the sesh, I really kooked it up in the parking lot. I was unrigging on the leeward side of my truck. As I was sliding the mast out of the luff sleeve, the wind ripped the sail off the final 3 feet or so of the mast. The sail goes flying across the parking lot, and this fool all clad in rubber goes chasing after it. I’m sure the tourists who’d been watching thought I was a complete moron. Lol. I’m darn lucky I caught up with that sail. Phew. :)


Most of the ocean access spots were closed today. In fact, the ocean was breaching the dunes in several places along route one down by Key Box and Indian River Inlet, sand and foam blowing across the road. Wild stuff


ps-more on tap for tomorrow and saturday. Apparently this storm is just gonna park it self out there, extraordinary and not something that happens very often. Hopefully the ocean will calm down and we can get out in the ocean and ride some big waves. Assateague on satuday and sunday should still have pretty decent size surf, with a more manageable 20 knots. Niko, get your a$$ out here. On top of that, some of my Hatteras pose outta consider comin up this way. I've got lots of space and you can crash at my place. Bill? Andy? Keith? Come on man!

pss-watching the news, i love it how when the report on the storm, they warn you that its not a good day to go in the water. Hahahaha. riiiiiiiiiight.


cya out there..

Ida's Leftovers

We have another multiday weather event approaching the Delmarva. Hurricane Ida has crossed over Florida panhandle into the Atlantic, and will redevelop into a powerful coastal low. Should be pretty intense. Could be another repeat of the one - two punch Noreaster weekend we had a few weeks ago.




Check out the forecast!

Windguru has it down as an epic weather event.

Tomorrow may be the sanest day, but also the might be the wetest. Wave height by Friday may exceed 15+ foot. In any event, its gonna be wild.

Stay tuned......

Magical Assateague Sesh

Update:
Congratulations to my daughter Kristin and the rest of her team, who just won the gold medal to wrap up the fall season Volley ball rec league. Now on to MVSA tryouts this weekend:

***********************************************************************************
Oh man I must be living right, because I’m constantly blessed with incredible sailing. Today it started getting breezy around noon, and I hopped in the truck and headed down to Assateague around 2pm. Forecast was 10-15, waves 2-3 foot, lo tide around 3-4pm. A perfect set up. I was highly confident I’d score some fun rides. I didn’t expect what I actually got: Juiced 5.8 conditionst and clean side off wind, some waves head high, big open faces, with plenty of punch. I threw down a lightening rig, and was on the water just after 3. I sailed solo for about 2 hours.

Juiced side off, are you kidding me!? Get it on....


Nice long lines


Lets get it on

Here we go!!

When the conditions are right, side off, plenty of juice, wavesailing is so much easier. I was catching 4, 5, 6 turn waves today. I was out of mind amazed at how I scored.

I came in after one exceptionally long ride, just hooting and hollering at the top of my lungs. This fisherman just downwind of me no doubt thought I’d lost my mind, which frankly I had.

He looked at me incredulously as I walked up the beach laughing and talking to myself. I was sooooo amped.


You gotta be aggresive-do the hitting, don't let the wave hit you. Use a lot of body movement, twist the torso, sheet in and bank the board off the lip/whit water. I'm figuring it all out.


Alas, my rock star photographer wife couldn’t make the sesh, so I was resigned to blogging with words only, and try to paint the picture of the conditions with my prose, certain that a certain someone would receive the report with a grain of salt, the great fishing story. Enter Mr. Alan Yeck. I’m coming back in to fire off an email report to Grendel (inside joke), and I see someone parked close to my truck, leaning on the hood of his car watching me sail. I walk up the beach, put my stuff down, and he gives me the thumbs up. He was stoked on the sailing, very interested. I struck up a conversation with him. Really nice guy, works up in Aberdeen for the Army, and was down to the shore fishing and visiting his family in Ocean Pines. After a few minutes, I strike. The conditions today are absolutely fabulous, and the light is incredible. I’d be stoked if you would take 15 minutes and snap a few photos. I’ll even pay you twenty bucks…….Wohooo he was happy to, and don’t mind the cash, he was just enjoying the show. Ha! Talk about being blessed!! Alan, you took some great shots, almost looks like you’ve done this before? Very impressed, and very thankful as well.


Look at that wave!! 2-3 foot?! Are you kidding me!


this one is kinda funny cuz i'm out of the straps

I made it over though!


This is a smaller wave

but look how clean

When the wind is side off like that, the waves are held up by the wind, are oh so groomed, like a stick of butter waiting to be carved. Bottom and top turns are effortless, and the only question is how radical do you want to get with your approach to the lip, because you have complete power to go anywhere on the wave face.

Off the lips are so easy cuz you can hit that lip in the perfect spot. I’m learning though that you need to be aggressive when hitting the lip. If you’re timid, its gonna smack you. Also, I think the off the lip aireals turn out better when you land on the wave face off the wind, otherwise you pearl. At least I did today once. Got worked, and loved every minute of it. You gotta enjoy spending time IN the water. If you’re not comfortable with that, then its gonna be tougher for you to learn, because as they say, if you’re not getting wet, you’re not learning.

Headin out


Juiced

gybing on the outside

I love these sessions that you score that totally exceed your expectations, like the Hurricane Bill session that scored me a cover shot in the NEWJ. You just gotta have faith and a willingness to make the effort to get here.Passion and a love for the sport drive me.Luck has nothing to do with it. I’m telling you, if the timing of the tide is right, and there is anything above 2 or 3 foot forecasted with 10-15 knots, YOU WILL score. Andy, you should of come out today. Would have been perfect for you. Coyle, are you telling me you worked again today? The World Series is over. What’s your excuse? Ken, well....all I can say is I’m sure you aren’t surprised. I’ve got the spot unlocked, my own private wavesailing paradise. Assateague, Maryland.


I unrigged as the sun was setting and had a smile on my face as big as the State of Texas. It was a magical sesh, even spiritual on some level. I get so caught up in the beauty of being on the ocean, the simplicity of the sport, the power of the ocean, and I can't help but give the glory to God for this amazing day. I am so blessed and thankful.


Midweek forecast looks good. Can you sail tuesday or wedsneday Ken?

Perpetually stoked.
Live2sail

Solo Dawn Patrol Sesh-Lewes, De.

Scored and absolutely fabulous morning on the Delaware Bay, Lewes. Conditions where basically hi tide, and heavy shorebreak. 4 footers routinely crashing on the beach, however getting out was no problem. Fully juiced 4.5 conditions on my smallest board. Huge rolling swell on the outside, especially as you approach the jetty. We're talking very ocean like, and quite clean and organized. I was boosting some big and floaty jumps. Ahh, the main beach in Lewes is so good on a strong NW blow. 4.5 conditions here are pretty epic. Kellar, you should of come out, it was a good one.

Looplicious eh?!

Juiced 4.5 conditions. Gybing on the outside in big swell is so easy and fun. When it gets that big, it pretty much is smooth in between the swells, and a pretty generous period gives you something akin to a freshly grooomed ski slope to carve your turn. Yehaaaa!

Looking upwind toward the secret spot

Lewes lite. Funny thing happened to me for the second consecutive week. I lost my hat and then found it. Today i was out with full suit on, and a helmet on as well in case the mood strikes me. Anyway, I notice something aint right, and figure out my helmet is missing. The genious forgot to tighten his chin strap. Oh well, i say to myself I have another one back home, so no worries. Bout 20 minutes later, i see it bobbing around in the rolling swell, so i sail over to it, hop off, and reclaim my property, remembering to tighten the chin strap this time.

I wrapped up the day on my 5.6 and 91 ltr. Still some big jumps to be had. Its funny, the morning sesh on the 4.5 was lit up full power. But perhaps the biggest jump i hit all day was with this setup. Man it was good :)


Dave Coyle showed up, but missed the prime window which was 9.30 - noon.

More action on tap for tomorrow. Wind will be light, but the tide and forecasted pickup in southerlies is lining up for a fun afternoon.

cya out there...

live2sail