Windsurfing Pilgrims head North on a Hurricane Swell скачать в хорошем качестве

Windsurfing Pilgrims head North on a Hurricane Swell

Windsurf Pilgrims head North on a Hurricane Swell. Location: The Holy Land. Music Credit: The Cure, Love Song. Full Write Up: This 'smaller' second session almost didn't happen as the morning session involved one epic mast high wave and then getting washed onto the rocks and breaking all my kit all before we had time to set the camera up. Here's a little write-up on what turned out to be the day of days. After 32 hours of traveling, we had arrived. The annual pilgrimage was blessed with a hurricane 'Erin' forecast that we tried to ignore as there wasn't much wind forecast, and it was likely to change. This time it changed for the better with perfect side-offshore winds. The question would be whether the wind be too light and too offshore or even the waves too big for us southern softies used to gutless mush. With a 4.3m swell @ 18seconds, we got up at 5am to get an elusive spot that we had been trying to surf for over 6 years but even with a 4m+ swell it was still barely showing. Most likely the swell was late and needed a pushing tide. So it was back to bed to wait for the wind to pick up and try to sleep whilst seeing increasing 10ft+ lines out of the window. We could have paddled it, but it was pretty big and fast. I had paddled it before, but only got a few waves in a couple of hours. I knew windsurfing was the call if only the wind came. Eventually, we'd had enough of waiting, and we drove to the spot where I was pretty sure it was sailable despite the light and very offshore winds. The more offshore the wind, the better the wave riding, but the more difficult it is just to sail out. I am not the best at it at 98kg but with waves that good, I was rigging up! While there was wind on the beach I found there was virtually nothing through the break. But at least the 10-12knots on the outside was enough to keep me floating around out the back in giant sets. I hadn't experienced before the extreme mixture of big surf and super light winds. I definitely felt vulnerable out there, as getting into the right place or more importantly getting out of the wrong place was hard. It was a solid 10ft hawaiian. I just had to find one. After a little while, a giant set came in and I had just enough to pump the third one as it doubled up under me and hit the reef. I had to commit, as I realised, due to the very offshore wind I was sitting super deep on the reef. I bottom turned around two long sections which felt more than mast high and without a ripple on the wave face! I made the wave only to fall on 4ft of foam at the end section with zero wind and got pushed onto the rocks. For sure, the best windsurfing wave of my life. Nim Chimsky hadn't set the camera up yet, having only just walked to the end of the rocks and only to see me getting pushed onto them. Another few sets pushed me further onto the rocks, ripping my sail and then ripping my mast base clean off the board, snapping my extension and creasing my board. I got stuck under the sail at one point and then I decided i'd had enough swimming and tried to get my stuff out of the rocks as the board and sail separated, and started going in different directions. Fortunately I managed to get out and got the board and sail out pretty easily in the end. I was stoked, even though I broke my gear and Nim Chimsky didn't get the shot I didn't care I got the cleanest longest bomb ever and my body was in one piece. My trip was already complete. My luck was in though, as somehow my 430cm mast didn't snap, and I had a spare extension and base in the van. A friendly local and Nick helped me carry my kit back as I was out of breath. Back at the van we realised we couldn't get the mast base bolt off as the base had been cleanly ripped off, leaving just a rounded bolt with no way for us to get it off. Still in my wetsuit, we drove to the village to find a garage in hope we could find a tool and I could then sail the creased board and get back out there. Fortunately they had just the tool, and so we drove back and I rigged up another sail (only after I had pulled out the snapped extension which had got stuck in the mast). Luck was in again as the wind by then had picked up so using a smaller sail was doable. Nick was starting to consider it now too. The wind was less offshore and increased to 15-25knots, pretty much want you want. The waves had decreased but still looked solid with some mast high sets on the outside and it was looking more rippable. Pretty much perfect. Here are some pics of what went down on the second session. Some great waves, some swimming and no more broken kit! Thanks to Nim Chimsky for walking all the way back along the rocks again and shooting this all-time wave sailing session.