Anyway, don't want to make this post a whiner-fest. Needless to say, the lack of sailing in Kingston Ontario has been taking its toll, mentally and on the skills. Summer was meagre. I only owned a 5.3 and nice 105L freestyle board and that just isn't enough for this palce. A 6.0 is critical. So, missed some decent 6.0 days, but tough to even think about going to that size again. The 5.7 I had in NZ got used 3 times in lame conditions and was promtly sold. 5.7 wind means its a mountain bike day. All in all: the gecko's have improved.
But alas, fall has delivered a few days that have rekindled my spirits, so not all is lost. I have found my 540's again and in the ideal conditions, they are happening at a decent success rate... I put a hell of an effort into flakas one day in Lake Ontario Park, in dead flat water, to no avail but notwithstanding the tendonitis that has since developed in my shoulder. I hate that move!! ;) I also promptly lost my wedding band after 9 days of marriage, also in Lake Ontario Park while sailing damnit. Yesterday proved that I can still pull the odd nice shove-it out of my arse too. I hope that one is on video!!! Tried to tweak that bitch as much as I could, and planed out of it nicely.
So, the blog is back. Not much of the season left, but I'll post when I can. I'm keen to see if anyone at all checks out this blog anymore, its been dead for a long time!! If you do read it, please leave a comment. Otherwise I'll declare it officially close.
Yesterday was already enough to make me happy. A nice 25kts coming through from the south, dishing out head to logo high waves, with some of the bigger sets coming in at mast high. Mmmm, yummy. With just a few of us out, it was an all you can eat buffet on good waves, with some of my best gougiest top turns ever. Loved it, couldn't get enough. Quite frankly, I made a pig of myself. So, after a beaut session, I was quite content to pack things in here...
But, sure enough, Friday delivered, and how... It topped Thursday, hands down. Wind was up from 25kts increasing to 35 gusting 40, again from the south, producing bigger and bigger meaty waves. Lots of guys out today and great fun to sail with the Welly crew - Troy, James, Clayton, Lawrence, Colin and a few others... 
Great times, lots of big waves, huge airs and good rides. This was IT!! The best I have seen Lyall Bay, and just on time. 
Back to the ditch. It was slated for Plimmerton, but I generously acted as windy dummy, or more appropriately, wind complete idiot, as the wind was absolute shite and turned worse. A thumbs down for Plimmerton again.
The ditch was doin' wierd stuff too. There has been some nutty wind patterns around here the last week or two and everything was messy. T'was gusty and slightly E of N leaving a bit of a wind shadow by the normal Hatchery-style jibatorium. Bugga!
Anyway, it went off... I swapped between the 95 and 76 L boards, but stuck to the guns on the 4.4. Once again, Tom Taylor blew the competition to pieces with his goiters and flakas, and I think he may have even nabbed a shaka in there too, the bastard. I definitely witnessed a pretty sweet switch-chacho attempt. Hands-down he deserved the victory.
I kept to the usual standards to keep myself in 2nd spot, landing my grubbies, spocks, one-handed shove-it, forwards and a meagre upwind 3 to top off the lighter inside wind kookery. Clayton followed up in 3rd. I saw him do some real long clean body drags and snappy forwards. James was whipping up a willyskip frenzy and Troy was coming close to those shove-its himself. To top off the action, Gary made a special guest appearance during heats 3 through 5 tossing out his awesome looking wymaroos and one-footers.
Another fun day! So, I sit tenuously in 3rd place overall and it all comes down to the final event. Word on the streets is that Tom is back to school and will not make it, so the top podium position is up for grabs!!! Clayton is at 7pts and will head into the final event with the advantage and lead, with me at 9pts, James following up at 11pts, and Woo at 14. All I can say is that if the event is in the Ditch, I have a fighting chance at #1 or #2. If it's at Plimmy or Lyall Bay, I am f#%$ed and will be hoping to claw my way into 3rd overall. On the other hand, if Tom shows up, I am also in trouble where ever mother nature takes the event. February 17 is the day.
Thankfully, the babies will be here soon. With my 3 wks of paternity leave, no doubt I'll be sailing everyday and be as sharp as a knife. ;) Oh wait, maybe I have that wrong... Perhaps sleepless, exhausted and fat is more appropriate.
