Wednesday 15th July

A game of three halves at Niton. First half was sailing maxed out with a 5m in overhead+ breaking chop, you could bottom turn but then it wasnt clear if you should be top turning on the section in front or behind you. Still managed to avoid munchings, swimmings and trips to the rocks.

Second half things cleaned up a bit, wind dropped to sensible 5.0 and we started getting some decent turns in, also some faster swell seemed to come in so you didnt need to turn as tight to hit the wave on your top turn. Overcooked it on one and had a decent swim as a result, then a long trip downwind in the rip before I could get going. Wind dropped a bit so came in for a bit to eat and a drink and to think about using a bigger board.

As we were drinking, the incoming tide slackened right off and things started to look much much cleaner with swell coming in in lines. By now there were quite a few surfers out in the lee of the cliff and the sets were properly overhead. But it was high tide the tricky keyhole launch was looking like russian roulette. Somehow, more by luck than judgement, I managed to get out on my 78 and had some real clean wave joy in the bonus third half, never masses of turns linked, but with things so smooth some really nice critical take-offs and smacks. We were sailing quite close to the surfers, if they knew how surfers should behave they would probably have been pissed off, but that wouldnt be very Isle of Wight. They did have a good laugh when my mate took off a bit deep and ended up on the rocks though.

Anyway, great fun, and a massive two of us out. I love sailing there; heading out is like sailing into a Turner painting, coming back a Constable.

Noticed one of the surfers had a quad when he put his board in his truck, then noticed they all did. When did that happen?

August 12th

Oh dear been completely slack on the blogging front. It's all been a bit too much like work. However this year has seen a fair bit of sailing and I owe 25 or so session reports. Anyway, couldn't let this one go - fantastic session at Niton on IOW. Easier to post a few pix than describe it, but it was heavy with lots of swimming.






















































£25 for a half day return on Wightlink if you get the boat after 11:25 (ie first boat you can catch is 1130) and return on the 1830 or later. That isnt much more than a foot ticket plus parking on the hover, and you can take all your kit with much less aggravation. Best £25 of the year!!

EDIT: And here's some video

Saturday 19th May

Niton again. This time with 5.0 on the Guerilla. We sailed in the morning for 2 and a half hours leading up to high tide. The decent swell that had been forecast never really showed up, but the waves were still good fun, even though it was just windswell. I would love to sail this place in a proper groundswell.

The pic shows that the launch is a touch trickier on high tide, especially if a set comes in and there is a surge. Basically you walk your kit down the slipway in the pic, swim it round the corner and towards the post mid-right pic. That is when you find out if you have the right sail up. It's not that kit-threatening in the waves we were in - bit bigger today, some overhead, maybe even a few half-mast lumps out the back. Good for a few big backside hits on the way in, then a quite fast bottom turn on the inside hoping to find a peak to hit.

There were some surfers out where the wave was smaller, but a little cleaner, but it was difficult to get onto the point to drop-in without taking out the line out and the wave was not so peaky once you had done your bottom turn which meant a fairly lame top turn. It was actually more fun to leave that section to the surfers and ride in front of the channel where there was a little sandbar which meant the waves were breaking and you could get a couple of nice smacks in.



Strange local in the car park.



Heading back up the track, looking West to the lighthouse on St. Catherine's Point.



It is a very scenic place to sail, when you are heading in the lighthouse and cliffs make a wonderful vista. You are also quite aware that there is a lot of water moving around and you are that much further out in the channel. The rolling swell out the back gets big quite quickly. Coming back if you miss the channel, then you have another chance about 100 yds downwind, then there is a point, then who knows where you would end up - almost certainly with a hike of shame as the next road access is quite a way away.

Two good sessions in two days and with plenty to time to do family stuff on Saturday. The Isle of Wight is a great pace to take kids, there is an absolute stack of things to do.

Friday 18th May

From Boardhedz

Niton near St.Catherine's point on the Isle of Wight. Sailed with 5.4 on the Guerilla, well powered (although it didn't look it) and with some small waves around, although it actually looks quite good in the picture above.

Here is a view from the car park down towards the sailing area. You walk your kit (unrigged) down the path to where there is a small grass area where you can rig next to the harbour. There is no beach as such you have to swim your kit round a breakwater in no wind. Interesting, but then all the best spots are a pain in the arse to launch from.



J launching out through the channel - heading towards low tide - easy.



J on fun sized wave.



The view from Castlehaven caravan site looking towards the sailing area - you can just make out J and Clive in the background. This is an excellently located site, it is beautiful, and there is nice little cafe there. But - on a pretty good forecast there was noone staying there. The guy needs to work out a late deal offer including ferry then advertise it on the windsurfing forums.



A good day, but better was to come...