Big Salty

For UK Weather check out the recently launched Big Salty site www.bigsalty.co.uk (see link to the right). Made by windsurfers for windsurfers means you no longer have to search 5 different sites to get a reliable forecast.

Jericoacoara

I haven't really managed to get as much sailing as I wanted done this year, so I decided to head out to Jeri for 3 weeks before Christmas. Last time we came here was 4 and a half years ago and needless to say it's changed considerably. There is still wind, but it's super crowded on the water. Whatever, I'm not complaining, it's such a chilled way of life, you leave your kit on the beach, you don't have to drive anywhere and you can windsurf for 5 hours a day.

Thanks to Anna Persson for the pics.

Llangenith - after a 5 year wait

Getting a message from Savage saying the forecast was right for Llangenith was such a long awaited call. I'd wanted to sail there since living in Bristol but never managed to make it quite that far.

When we rocked up and caught our first sight of the sea through the sand dunes we kicked ourselves for net having been there sooner. The most amazing waves I had seen in months peeling across a long sandy beach, cross off shore wind, you know the rest - leg it to the car, rig up, and start the mammoth walk across the sand.

It was tricky getting out with light winds on the inside, but catching the first real wave I had been on since december eliminated every single negative thought. After about half an hour, however, the tide started coming in, and the waves started jacking up with hell's mouth-esque lips. So eventually we decided to cruise an hour down the coast to Porthcawl for a quick sail before the tide came in too far. Awesome day, love checking out new beaches (even if the tide ruins things).

As always ,- Chris, thanks for taking the pics - I'm amazed you could see anything through the lens based on the fact it was pissing it down.

Slalom racing is for old men....isn't it?

I always thought racing was the boring option. However, I went to support JP/Pryde UK at the Aberdovey Slalom event. No sooner after I arrived I had already been entered, and was rigging up my biggest wave kit to race on!

To cut a long story short, Mr Lewis gave me some slalom kit and I loved it. The atmosphere was super chilled, friendly and the racing ......well I actually totally enjoyed it; and the slalom kit felt so much lighter than I had expected

Sunday's conditions were slightly different; 40 knots, horizontal sand and rain etc etc. So I went back to my trusty wave kit. Overpowered on a 3.3 and 66 litre pro world wave I managed to hold on for all 4 races.  My car was emptied of kit....Chris using my 3.7, Jamie H on my 4.7, that's how windy it was. Luckily it all came back to me in one piece and I look forward to slalom-ing it up again soon....