Managed to sneak one in at Wanda Sat arvo. Hard a good surf in the morning and the NE "appeared" about 2:00pm blowing 8-10knots in up in the carpark.
Had to launch right down at Greenhills where the was a rip to drift out through as the sets were a solid 4' - definitely overhead and coming in from the south east in distinct lines. There was even less wind than I thought but i figured that once on the wave the apparent wind would give me enough to carve up the first decent surf in weeks. Also there was no one else out to show how marginal it really was.
OK - so in reality there was just enough wind to push me out but not enough to lean against, so no resting in the harness. I used a 5.6 and 75 FSW to get out being careful to time the sets to sneak out the back, but even still i got cleaned up by a couple of decent waves. Being careful not to drop the sail in the light wind gybe as I had to uphaul once as I didn't have a hope of waterstarting. I would then try to pick up a decent size A frame that looked like it would peel left and would not end up being a close-out set.
it was pretty hard to pick up the right wave because there wasn't enough power in the wind to go upwind or enough to plane onto larger waves out the back. Being able to get on nice and early helps you get upwind and then fly down the line for lots of speed. So I had to "park" just outside the break and hope that a wave would pick me up. This meant several very late drops down the line and heaps of acceleration into the waves. Unfortunately the larger waves would break towards me as I went down the line making it neccessary to cut back at the last minute (not having enough wind or the fearlessness to pop an aerial) The white water and inside reform was big enough to get more top/bottom turns on so pretty happy anyway. After ending up 50-100 meters down wind I would walk back up to the rip gutter and wait for a break in the sets. This gave me a welcome rest because all the work drifting out and pumping onto the waves was exhursting.
I kept this up until about 3:30 when the wind dropped even more and I thought it best to leave with my dignity intact. This was after being washed in through a group or learner surfers!
These NE's are getting rare!
I sneaked a session last thursday during the south/south easterly. Went out at about 3:30 after noticing the kite surfers were fired up and one lone windsurfer was planning past the back sets - who packed up about 4. Managed on a 5.0 and 83ltr but could have been on a smaller board easy.
Even though sailing the waves backside, it was still possible to get some decent waves as the sets were about 4-5ft easy. The sets also made for decent ramps on the way out, good for attempting jumps on opposite tack for a change, vertical and high was the norm. Even off the swell that was rolling in further out....
Once out the back managed to sail upwind and get all the way to cronulla beach and then shot back to wanda downwind, and get some decent waves and runs on the swell....
Was supprised no one came out, finished up about 5pm, and the wind was still up.... bout 17knts...
NE'ers are getting rare with the strong pressure systems in around victoria forcing the southerliys to us. But I am suprised with the lack of windsurfers when there's a S/SE'er and swell at Wanda, the waves might not be as clean in terms lines, and the wind gusts in and out in the shore break due to the swell creating wind shadows but it is sailable, even if it is 1 B/T and 1 cut back, better than watching kite surfers in the shore break.....
Where does everyone else go on a day like last thursday when there is a 17-22 S/SE'er???
