The Day After-The Epic Christmas Blizzard Of 2010

The plan was to go sailing today. I mean, this storm had the barometric pressure of a category 1 Hurricane.

It was HOWLING today, and with temps around 30, it was warmer than expected. BUT......Delaware was under a state of emergency, and the roads where in BAD shape. LOTS of cars getting stuck, and I personally helped 3 cars get out...We got perhaps 14 inches here in Milford

It just wasn't in the cards to go sailing today.

 

This guys got his F350 stuck

That said, it was one heck of an adventure driving around, both on and OFF the road.. Here are some shots from today... Oh, these are from coastal Delaware, around Milford and Slaughter Beach.

Signs down all over 

I got into a rhythm, and really couldn't see the road, but i just followed the power lines. 

My Dodge Ram can get thru anything

just too much fun

Frozen Tundra 

Jake, did you make it back from Long Island w/your gear? Looking forward to sailing with ya soon.

Live2sail

Christmas 2010-EAST COAST BLIZZARD

Yeah we're getting hammered here in coastal Delaware. 12-24 inches of snow expected thru Monday morning

I'd hoped to go sailing today, as there is a Gale out on the Bay. But we have almost white out conditions at times, so I think its best to hold out for the backside clearing winds tomorrow. Forecast is NE 30-40. 

Locked and loaded for tomorrow

Where is that extension? 

Kristin and I doing our best to keep up with the 1-2 inch per hour snow fall 

This shot reminds me of The Overlook Hotel - remember The Shining? REDRUM

Almost white out conditions here in Delaware 

North facing homes get the worst of it

view from our porch looking out

live2sail

I'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You

No, not the Elvis Presley Classic Blues song, but a solid bump-n-jump sesh on the Wave Cult 90 and 4.7 Wave Vogue. All decked out in Blue today.

The 4.7 wave vogue is such a tunable sale. Tweak the downhaul just a smidge as conditions change.

Wind was not as strong today as I would have like, but still well powered. 

Water temps in the mid 30s and air temps a balmy 38 degrees, but plenty of sun made the session a blast, and I wan't cold at all.

Cool shot

Its been the coldest December for as long as I can remember here in Delaware. All of our ponds have been frozen over for several weeks now. This small pond in my community is frozen over solid.

But the deeper water venues are still liquid, so I keep on sailing..

Live2sail

Christmas Arrives Two Days Early On The Delmarva

Looks like Christmas arrives early on the Delmarva.....

COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM-


1020 AM EST WED DEC 22 2010

...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE THU


THU: NW WINDS 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT


FRI: NW WINDS 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT.
***Christmas***

SUN :NW WINDS 25 TO 30 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. A CHANCE OF SNOW.


GK-are you in? Tomorrow's venue will be the Secret Spot. Get in touch with me here.

Twas The Night Before An Epic Christmas Storm

Could it be? My Christmas wish for an Epic Nor’easter may just come true! I’ll be a happy boy if that happens.

Twas the night before the Epic Christmas storm, when all through the house

Not a sailor was stirring, not even rat boy Dave Coyle.

The gear was packed in the windsurfing Van with care,

In hopes that Gale force winds soon would be there.


Each of us was nestled all snug in our beds,

While visions of big jumps and forwards danced in our heads.

And Kellar with his Promotion, and I my Mystic Force,

Had just settled in for a restless night of anticipation.



When out In the yard there arose such a clatter,

I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

Away to the porch I flew like a flash,

Tore open the screen door, and threw up the blinds.



The early morning sunrise on the top of water

Gave the view of something stirring on the surface of the pond below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But texture and then white caps, and a lot of wind shear.



With a Northwest Gale, so strong and gusty,

I knew in a moment Dave Coyle wouldn’t be rusty.

More rapid than Marines we got dressed for dawn patrol,

and I began to whistle, and shout, and started talking incoherently.. Semper Fi!



"Will it be 4.7?! Or 4.2?! Or perhaps 3.7?!!!

Will I get to ride the RRD Wave Thruster!? Or, Wave Cult Quad!? or Free Style Wave!?

To the bottom of the steps! Then out into the garage!

Now get in the van! Its time to roll!!"



As small pets and lawn furniture that before a wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with my 3.7 storm sail and I fly up into the sky.

So out into the garage we did flew,

With the van full of full gear, and Ken Kellar too.



And then, as we backed out, out of the garage an onto route one

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the road to the Secret Spot we did bound.



From head to foot, we were already decked out in full battle dress,

although still tarnished with dried sea salt and sand form the last sesh.

All of our gear, we brought every piece ,

Cuz you don’t wanna forget anything, or else you might miss it and end up sitting on the beach.



We arrived at the beach, our eyes-how wide open and big!

It was nukin, the seas were building, it was time to rig!

The call was my 3.7, which was still rolled up like a bow,

And the board of choice was as my new 2011 RRD Wave Cult Quad Limited Edition, dont ya know



I spoke not a word, but went straight to rigging my sail,

And tweaking the downhaul just that little extra bit

And feeling that satisfying connection of rig to board, I was ready to hit the water

So gave my mystic force the final zip



I hopped on the board, then sheeted my sail,

And away I flew like supersonic jet right off the beach.

and I heard Ken exclaim, as we passed each out in the shipping lanes,

"Sheet in, extend you front arm, and look over your shoulder dude, that’s my advice to you!"


live2sail

What's On Your Christmas Wish List?

Wouldn't you like to wake up Christmas morning to a complete new rig under your tree?  Email me with your wish list and the contact information of YOUR Santa and I'll see if I can make your Christmas wish come true.

Delmarva Board Sport Adventures, your windsurfing and standup paddle board source in Delaware and Maryland.

Have you been wanting a new dry suit?  Tell your Santa about me the new Mystic Force Dry Suit, available now at Delmarva Board Sport Adventures!

8' RRD Kids Wassup

Looking for a present for a kid that has been especially good this year?

we have the 8' RRD Kids WASSUP in stock, both in regular and Convertible (with center fin) versions.

Have a look at this board in action on the RRD Facebook page.

Get in touch with me here if you would like more information.

The Coveted “Secret Spot”

Recently on this blog, and on Face Book, there has been some dialogue as to whether or not we should keep clandestine our favorite, less well known sailing venues, versus complete transparency and freedom of information. A couple of you have come out and expressed yourselves. Frankly, a vote on the issue would be 50/50, advocating both sides.

Getting to the Secret Spot often takes effort!

To be clear, my position is as follows: I believe that to grow our awesome sport, no spot should be kept “secret”. Yes, I often refer to my sessions at the “Secret Spot”, but all my friends here in Delaware and Maryland know the exact location. The spot is hardly a secret anymore. That being said, we continue to give it the moniker of the “Secret Spot” out of reverence to the often epic conditions experienced there. There simply isn’t another name that can be given that extends the deserved machismo that is due the spot. So “Secret” is the name, and that aint changing son. So you guys that are offended (on either side of the argument), take it easy. Its frankly just more fun, and sexier, to refer to the place as “The Secret Spot”, as opposed to say 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue. Come on, it’s a lot more fun to say “meet me at the secret spot”. Plus, we’ve referred to the spot as “the secret spot” for so long now, it would be darn near impossible to call it by any other name. It’s become part of popular culture around these parts. Do you get it? For those of you who resent the lack of clarity, perhaps we should announce latitude and longitude coordinates out akin to freedom of information? And for those that wish to keep their spots secret, well then why not usher in another death cry for our sport, akin to that experienced in the ‘90s? Look dude, can we all just get along?

In addition, it’s not like there are hoards of sailors chomping at the bit, banging on the door, ready to inundate your beach the moment you disclose the location of that coveted spot. I frankly would welcome that scenario (with certain caveats as it pertains to skill level). It’s just WAY more fun to sail with lots of people, no matter the skill level. For me personally, that is a lot of the appeal of The Hatteras Wave Jam, sailing with lots of new people, learning new spots to sail, stepping outside your comfort zone. Most of the venues for the Jam are so obscure that they might otherwise have been thought of as secret, certainly obscure to the uninitiated. To grow the sport, we have to have an open beach policy...Look at what the Jam has done for sailing here on the East Coast! Heck, next September we are going to have a pro-level event in Hatteras, complete with pro-level talent making the trip to sail our waves! Talk about a selfless approach paying dividends. Way to go Bill. We all owe you a debt of gratitude.

At a recent epic session in Lewes, there was quite a bit of consternation about all of the new sailors who showed up out of thin air. But after the day was done and the gear was unrigged, and were all basking in the after-glow of that epic day, I think we all realized what an extraordinary session it was, and I submit almost completely due to the presence of new sailors that showed up that day. New faces, new styles, more energy, more STOKE. Give me more of that…

Windsurfing is making a comeback, so let’s each do our part to spread the stoke, offer encouragement, and welcome newcomers to our beaches, even the clandestine ones. Welcoming new sailors will go a long way toward promoting the sport, and bolstering the resurgence we are seeing in windsurfing, especially here on the Delmarva. That’s what live2sail is all about, spreading the stoke.

Delmarva Board Sport Adventures…..spreading the stoke, and leading the way for windsurfing and standup paddling here on the Delmarva. Email me if you have any questions about windsurfing or standup paddle boarding here in Delaware or Maryland. I’d be stoked to hook you up..

Live2sail

Stacked and Packed

Here it comes….Gale warnings are posted thru tomorrow evening.

Should be pretty extreme here in Delaware so make sure you bring your battle tested gear.

Need ideas for the holidays? Try the Mystic Dry Suit. Sailing in extreme conditions will never be the same!

Mystic Force Drysuit

Better yet, get your sig. fig. a romantic Sunset SUP Adventure.

Live2Sail and SUP

Stand Up Paddle Board Summer Camps

Click HERE to read about Summer Camps with DelMarVa Board Sport Adventures.

Happy Holidays from DelMarVa Board Sport Adventures

Click HERE to read our Holiday eCARD.  At DelMarVa Board Sports, we celebrate Christmas and honor the true meaning of the holiday.  We hope your holiday is safe, healthy and happy.

Winter Sailing Conditions In Delaware - No Problem with the Mystic Force Dry Suit

Ken Kellar and I scored a great session today at the Secret Spot. LIT 4.7 conditions on my

RRD 76 lt LRD Wave Thruster.

We hit it perfect today, lo tide was around 2.30 pm, and we sailed from around 1-4. Perfect!

WNW is sideshore here, and the ramps where excellent, although we had to sail rather conservatively due to the early sunset and cold temps.

In fact when Janis and I came out of church this morning, it was snowing here in Delaware. 

Water is still warm though, and with the sun shining, it was easily do-able. Ahhhhh :)

Ken ripping-sorry for the poor quality photo-blame it on the smart phone 

I wore the Mystic Force Dry Suit

Lemme tell you this suit is pretty advanced. Today was 35 degrees farenheit and the water temp is in the upper 40's.  I wore sweats and a turtle neck underneath and I stayed warm all day (except for my fingers). I've never worn a suit that kept me entirely dry thru extreme conditions, but this suit blew me away. My shirt was a little damp, but due to my own sweat, no leakage.

If you'd like more information or are interested in purchasing one, Delmarva Board Sport Adventures has them in stock.

God Bless this great country 

Live2sail