Day 1 - Saturday, 4-25-09
The new house & sailing site in Nags Head is better than expected. We arrived yesterday and Randy and I rigged 5.2 meter sails. With sunny skies, the water has warmed into the low 70's. I went out without a wetsuit. Marcel arrived, rigged a 6.0m and pulled off a bunch of jibes. He's close to planing all the way through. We sailed until sunset and Peggy had a fabulous dinner ready. Ron arrived in time for cherry pie.
Gene - The 77 liter JP "Pro model" board is a blast. I took it out yesterday for the 1st time.
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Barrett
Sunday afternoon we had South wind & I sailed a 7.0 meter & 100 liter board. Monday afternoon SW, 7.0m & 8.3m before sunset. Tuesday afternoon SW 5.9m & 84 liter board. Wednesday the wind picked up at 3PM from the North - sailed a 5.9 meter & 100 liter board. Thursday there was no wind, so Marcel, Albert & I drove to Avon to look at the shops. Randy and Gretta sailed in light wind. Randy is a windsurfing machine. When I get up at 7:30-8AM he is already on the water for a session with his Serenity or a big board.
Except for Thursday, the water and air have been in the upper 70's, so we've been wearing rash guards for sun protection. Wed. was the only day I wore a wetsuit - a shorty. This morning the wind is already blowing 20 mph from the Southwest, but it is forecast to be in the 20's for the next 3 days, so we're going to start sailing about 11:30AM when it will be warm enough to skip the wetsuit. We are getting spoiled by the great conditions. We all had dinner together at our house the last two nights. I'll post photos at the end of the week.
Barrett
Today, Friday, we sailed before lunch. Sail sizes: Marcel - 6.0m, Albert - 5.3m, Randy - 5.2m, Barrett - 5.9m.
After lunch & a work break we had a bright blue, cloudless sky that kicked the wind up to 25 - 30 mph. Sail sizes ranged from 5.0 down to 3.7 meters. Albert & I had a blast on our 75 liter boards.
Ron prepared a delicious dinner and we watched an osprey catch fish as the sun set over Roanoke Sound. Randy announced it's hard to believe he's had all the windsurfing he can handle in a week. Love this place.
Barrett
After two weeks of warm windy weather, the pattern changed on Sunday with an approaching cold front that became a mild Nor'easter. On Monday I went out before lunch with a 5.9 meter sail and 101 liter board. I was rigged right, but had to walk and then sail out some distance to get away from the inshore wind shadow. While out in my long wetsuit, the temperature dropped from 62 down to 57F. The water was still a cozy 73F. I came in for a late lunch before rain storms that lasted the rest of the day.
The last two days have been in the low 70's and sunny with light to moderate east wind. We've been catching up on work, walking the beach and bike riding. Several people in the house played golf yesterday. The fisherman next-door sold us a basket of crabs and we had a sunset crab feast out on the deck. Tomorrow the forecast is for wind in the low 20's.
Barrett
Today, Thurs. May 14, we sailed mid-day and again in the late afternoon. Conditions were excellent. I sailed a 5.2 & 84 liter freestyle-wave board for the 1st session and changed to a 4.5 m sail and 77 liter board for the 2nd session. Mid-day was sunny with no wetsuit, but I put on a shorty in the evening before quitting.
Barrett
Sun. May 17. After 3 weeks for warm weather a cold front is moving through the Outer Banks. Yesterday was so much fun with steady, warm SW wind all afternoon. I was on a 5.2 meter sail and 84 liter board. Eric had the biggest sail, a 5.7 meter.
My brother arrived last night and this morning joined a group of four other beginning windsurfers on big boards. Around 1PM the wind died as dark thunderclouds approached from the north. Now the temp has dropped 12 degrees and the wind reversed 180 degrees. It was spectacular watching the front pass through while eating lunch in the comfort of a sound-side beach house.
Barrett
Thurs. May 21. The Nor'easter has weakened and wind moved south. Conditions should be good today at Lake Lanier.
Yesterday, Adam, Philip & I walked our boards out from shore to get away from the wind shadow from a brisk side-offshore breeze. I was rigged right with a 5.9 meter sail & 101 liter board. This was the third day of North to NE wind. The previous day I sailed a 5.2 meter sail & 84 liter board. We're all sore from sailing and don't mind the break. The air is so clear, that last night we saw the green flash of the sun while watching it set over Roanoke Sound.
With a light east breeze, Philip & I are going hang gliding this morning on the sand dunes at Jocky's Ridge, about 4 miles North of Nags Head. Philip will be taking a beginner lesson and I hope to launch from the 90 ft high main dune.
Barrett