johng
Pagham on 05/06/11
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 102 litres |
| Sail: | 6.5 |
Sunday started early for me - on Saturday in fact, when I rolled up in hope of a sail at 17.30, only to find Juan coming up the beach with Rigging B*tch No. 1 (Andrew!) carrying some of his gear, and no water left in the pond. Poo. So RBs Nos 1, 2 and 3 (Andrew, J-P and me) derigged while the Daddy got changed and put the kettle on. The post-(proto-)sail craic was good though, feels like ages since we've stood around looking at kit, new and old, in the sunshine with nothing else to do!
At least Sunday offered a short burst of excellently amusing flat(tish) water zooming about. I really enjoyed the quickie, and the after-sail chill (literally!) with the guys. Good to see Yoli having a go, and introducing someone else to watersports fun as well - you go girl! My day was completed by a visit to a good friend on the way home, so all-in-all a Good Time. More windsurfing would have been nice, but hey, there were compensations.
Pagham on 21/11/09
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 102 litres |
| Sail: | 5.5 |
Met up with Juan at Paggers - quite a few people out, and clearly some wavey things happening. Rigged a 4.7 to start with, paired with my 102, but I guess God doesn't read the forecast, because it didn't match reality. Changed up to the 5.5, and it got better. Practised catching and riding waves - not too hard in places here, even for numpty me - and trying to remember how backside works. Hard work but good fun. As the tide changed it all got very confusing, with one area where there seemed to be waves and chop and river flow all mixed together, like riding over a rocky beach on a skateboard! So Juan and I called it quits, since the wind and light were going anyway. By that time everyone else had left, although one hopeful turned up just as we were leaving - maybe he had a key to the gate!
Pagham on 24/10/09
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 102 litres |
| Sail: | 4.7 |
Having had teasers all week, all we had to do was decide on a venue...
So Pagham it was! Arranged to meet Juan, who was a bit late (if you can be late for anything to do with windsurfing :^) ). Cross-on, I opted for a 4.7, even though it wasn't too windy on the beach. This was a good move... the wind came up, and I was well powered up. Managed a few rubbish jumps and a couple of good ones once I decided to do the curl up thing instead of flapping around... Also performed the fastest gybe of my windsurfing career, horrifying speed, pulled it off in the reasonably sized swell coming in with the tide onto the sandbar. Wowser!
Since Pagham is a wavy spot, allegedly, I also played around trying to get some DTL action, but kept out-running the waves and into the back of the next one - bl**dy Baha, totally spoilt me! Time to move perhaps... Good fun practising bottom turns and then falling off on the cutback when the wave wasn't there... And then, creme de la creme, executed a miracle tack on the inside, edge of the beach, people watching - marv!
All-in-all, a good time had by all - Juan came off the water hours after me, Kiwi Stephen slightly before, Stevie G arriving "late" and getting out there, Beth, Justin (first sail since Jan - been sh*tesurfing up until now!!) - we were finally chucked out by the gate-locker, who kindly reminded us it was time to go. Almost like yer favourite pub!
Pagham on 16/08/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 116 litres |
| Sail: | 5.5 |
Arrived 2-ish, to find Stevie G there with Andrew and Julie, all sitting on the beach and wondering they could be *rsed to go out. Then Juanito arrived, and galvanised us into action - well me and Andrew anyway. Was it action? hard to tell in the huge tidal flow and light wind, but we had a good time. Juan and I practised falling in together, holding a lengthy conversation on the subject of board width before resuming our meandering. I practised a few tacks after Andrew and Juan left for the increasingly huge walk that is Pagham at low tide, then did the same painful journey myself. The cup of tea that followed in late Tate's van was well worthwhile 
, topped off by a good meal at the Walnut Tree. G'night all.
Pagham on 24/05/08
| Rating: |  |
| Board: | 77 litres |
| Sail: | 4.7 |
A late start, arrived just as Beth was packing away and looking for Haka - why look?? He'll always turn up! Anyway, got out as everyone else came in, nice cross, gusty but ok, chop more than swell, not really sunny but not raining. Spent an hour bashing around, practising waterstarts 
and trying to go fast enough to make gybes easy - actually made a few, both tacks, so a result. Last 30m someone else appeared which was comforting. Note to self - use 77l board more often, it's brill.
Then the long walk back at low tide... BUT, I'd hung footwear off my harness, which hadn't come adrift in all the bashing around and occasional over-the-fronts, so no problemo! A result. However, managed to lose harness hook, webbing and buckle things - they just dropped off presumably into sea or lagoon bit. Damn. Anyone see them, let me know. Hopefully spares will be available - that's my fave harness and it's a year old! Bah...
Pagham on 18/05/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 102 litres |
| Sail: | 6.5 |
You will notice that I rarely rate a session as less than "Good". That's because every session has its own unique charm, its special attraction which can only be found by looking past the superficial... Much like people, even the session from Hell can teach us something, whether it's the importance of enough downhaul or just staying out of that rip! Or is that me being too politically correct?
So what did I learn today? ALWAYS WEAR BOOTS WHEN YOU"RE GONNA COME BACK IN AT LOW TIDE AT PAGHAM!! That was one of the most painful experiences of my life. Thank heaven I was reunited with my wondrous Crocs and their padded soles, as I was expecting to be carted off in search of padded cells! Still, no real harm done, the scars will be inside.
Other than that, and wind that went up and down like the proverbial toilet seat at a mixed party, the sun was lovely (except it killed the wind) the sea was warm, and generally a good-ish time was had by all. But I'll let them speak of their lessons for themselves
Pagham on 13/05/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 102 litres |
| Sail: | 6.5 |
Drove for 2 hours in the hope that the wind would last until I got there, about 6.30. It didn't 
, BUT, I did wear my summer suit for the first time (yeah!!) and... bare feet!! Water was lovely and warm, sun setting prettily over the harbour, and I splashed around for 30m until I thought it prudent to pack up for 8.00 gate-closing-time. Everyone else had given up ages ago but who cares! Summer...
Pagham on 29/03/08
| Rating: | |
| Board: | 91 litres |
| Sail: | 4.7 |
The first time for 2008, post-foot op! Thanks to Juan and Beth, who led the way. Stooged about for an hour, good waves, just need to read them better. Gave up when feet started to hurt and got cold... Let's not talk about the van that didn't start - fortunately the AA man was able to get me going just as the Pagham man-who-shuts-the-gate-at-5.30 arrived (yes he passed us coming as we were going out).
