Monday, August 24, 2009

World Class Wavesailing Conditions On The Delmarva

Hurricane Bill Brings Large Surf To Assateague On Sunday
All photography by Janis Markopoulos











Under normal conditions, in this situation I'd sheet out in front of this breaking wave to let it blow out most of its energy before poping over it

but this day, I was never sheeted in!

right place, right time and gaining experience.


Not sure if I made it over that one, but I did spend some time in the water

yah I got worked a few times, but seriously, no dues what so ever

Just enough wind to putt out to the sandbar...




I was in awe out there. Chicken gybe to warm up on the inside

Quick warm up on the reform rollers on the inside of the lounge to loosen up





Ok, now to head out to ride the big boys. Just don't fall on your pivot gybe in zero wind in front of a logo high+ wave

yikes!!!

Here we go......







Feels soooooooo good.



Now to ride a bigger one!































There was zero wind. But once you harness that wave energy, its off to the races!



The larger waves move really fast and caught me off guard more than once

Glassy huh?!










Time to pack it up jack it up

Stoked


Epic weekend

I'm livin for redemption day at The Cove

6 comments:

Andy said...

Nice work! That wind looks super light, I would've just gone surfing! haha

Glad to see you caught it again!

Bill said...

Awesome George!!

Glad to see you were able to take full advantage up there in MD!

Ahhh, tropical surf season....!

Kristin said...

I luv you dady you rock awsome waves and pics good job!

Ken K said...

I just revisited your site. You've lowered the wind threshold so low in big surf it's amazing. In the light wind did getting out rely on timing it so you were between sets or did you have enough power to handle the white water? What was your success rate in getting to the outside?

George Markopoulos said...

Ken, it was a number of things. First of all the period was something like 15 seconds. A luxury I’ve never experienced, and that made all the difference. Second, there was no current. Third, lo tide was I think 3pm-ish .. I launched at 5.30pm. No shore break, and a huge lounge. Surprisingly, 10 knots was more than enough. Lifting my sail up on the beach before launching, it felt good, and that gave me confidence to charge the outer bar. Effective pumping, like Dana said in the August NEWJ “like getting out depended on it”, was key too. My success rate? Very good. I was denied only twice. Once heading out, and going over some big white water on the outer bar, and once coming back in where I was too far in front of a macking swell that broke behind me before I could get up high on it. The white water took me out from behind, knew it would, and I just held onto the boom and went for the elevator ride. That was sooo much fun!!! So denied twice, and I caught maybe 6-7 waves. Sailed for about and 75 minutes, and each time, I rode the wave all the way to the beach and re-launched. I figured that would be less taxing on my energy as opposed to falling cuz of the zero wind, and having to expend tremendous amounts of energy getting everything straightened out and uphauling over big whitewater.

I’m telling you, ZERO dues. The only dues I paid was stepping on shell up on the beach.

George Markopoulos said...

Oh and timing it as you went thru the impact zone was key as well, but thats intuitive