Then I got slammed in the head with the mast. This is something that's never happened before. I fell backwards while uphauling and the mast just clocked me. This is right after a converation with my opthamologist where I reassured her that I never get hit on the head. My first check was visual field because, quite frankly, this could cause my retina to detach. I was okay, but in little shape to wrestle the sail anymore.
So I floated down to Senasqua Park, the next launch site down. Northerlies out of Swamp Hole are good for this. They give you several recovery points. Then the vultures came...
No, that's not a joke. No less than ten vultures (I counted them) were circling overhead, waiting for my bloated corpse to wash on shore, so they could have a meal. Perhaps that' nature saying, “These are the consequences for over-rigging, stupid. Now you are nought but carrion!”
I beached at Senasqua. The vultures realized I was alive after all and went in search of some roadkill. I walked back to Swamp Hole and chatted with George, one of the lower Hudson sailors.
I missed my Kona. Today it's probably back to Swamp Hole, and this time I take the Kona. I'm also buying a helmet.
4 comments:
I got hit on the head once a few years ago. I made the mistake of letting go of the rig coming into shore when I was starting to actually sail in windy conditions on smallish sails....never made that mistake again :-).
The other thing I have learned, first on my Kona and then on my IMCO, is that nothing beats a longboard in overpowered conditions for lesser skilled sailors...they are the bomb for taming difficult conditions. I have an old Mistral 288, [ 288 x 58 x 120 L ] but I never use it because the imco is so much fun and easy to use, and if the wind is at the limit of what I can handle, I'll choose the longboard every time.
Are you not water starting yet? To ride a short board in planning conditions water starting is the most important skill to learn. Everything happens faster on the short board. You need to speed up your reactions.
Found this on Youtube, which exemplifies my longboard surf experience (on my Kona):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJsLBKVzUhE
Frank,
You're right about the waterstarting skills. I honestly get so fussy about getting in sailing time each time I get out that I rarely work on the other skills. I really like sailing, just sailing, but I know I need to put my nose to the grindstone.
Gidget, great surfing vid. You've inspired me to get my Kona out in the surf.
-Ian
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