2024-09-08 Swimming with Jim

Handré says he is sorry he is missing the trip, but he is having a lot of fun!  (Note the shirt)

Jim Mudry called to say that he was heading to Rufus at 9:00 and suggested that we all join him.  The forecast was for the wind to start light, but to build during the day.  He said it would build to the point where we may not be able to foil by 2:00.  He was sort of right....

We all arrived at about the same time - around 10:00.  I was first on the water with my 5.5m wing and big board.  There was a barge parked right in front of the foiling site, so I had to slog upwind to get past it.  The wind was pretty steady, and it looked like it was going to be a great session.  

Jim Mudry went out on a 4m wing.  His wife Heide rigged a 3m wing, but didn't go out on it.

Cam went out on a 5m wing, and Andreas went out on his 8, Kite.  Brad, Blaine, Kent and Big Air Jim also got out.

We all had a pretty good session for about an hour, until the wind started to lighten up.  I actually headed back to the beach about 3 times, but each time the wind came back and it looked solid all the way up the river, so I thought it was good for the day - but then it would drop again.

Then it really dropped.  I slogged across the river and back a few times trying to make it downwind/up current.  I had to avoid a barge.  Then the wind dropped more, and I couldn't stand up anymore, so I kneeled on the board and held up the wing to make my way back to the beach.  Then I couldn't kneel any more so I straddled the board and just held the wing vertically.  Then the wind dropped more and I wasn't making any headway at all, so I swam the rest of the way to shore - and then did the long walk back to the van.

Brad, Blaine and Big Air Jim were all able to get back to the beach, but Kent and Andreas were way upwind when the wind died, and had a long swim.  Cam said he started to feel sorry for himself, but then saw Jim Mudry even further upwind, so he figured he was quite lucky.  He did have a tense moment when the barge came through and he was swimming in the barge lane not able to get out of the way.  Fortunately the barge either steered around him, or just plain missed him!

Just like Chuck Yeager in "The Right Stuff"
Cam comes walking back from oblivion!

Heide helped ferry us back and forth from where we were parked to where we came off the water.  Eventually everyone got back to the vans, and everyone was accounted for!

We gave Jim a hard time.  "Go Upwind", he said, "There will be more wind"!  In the end, Jim was right.  By two o'clock, we weren't even able to foil, but because there wasn't any wind, not because it was too windy.

We ate our lunches, and sat for a while hoping the wind would come back up.  It didn't.

Big Air Jim, Brad, Kent, Jim M, Vadim, Blaine, Cam and Andreas.  Ted behind the camera!

At about 2:00, we left.  Andreas, Cam and Jim stopped at Moiser.  We found out later that Ross had arrived and had also headed to Moiser to sail.  Ross was on a 5m kite.  Andreas went out on his 8m Kite and then changed to his 4.  Cam had a great sail - 41km.

Vadim stayed at Rufus, and the wind did eventually come back up  He went out on his 6.5 and had a great sail until about 5:00.  There were still people on the water when he left.

Blaine, Brad, Kent and I went to the Hatchery.  The place was parked out.  Blaine lucked out and got a parking space right away.  Kent and I had to wait, but eventually got parked.

We all miss-judged the wind and rigged too big.  I was on my 5.5wing and 899 foil.  Kent went out on a 4.5, as did Blaine and Brad.  We were all way over powered in the gusts.  My watched ran out of power and turned off, so I don't have a record, but I think I sailed about 10km - making it 22 for the day.  I was tired from my swim so I didn't last long.  Brad, Blaine and I all came off the water at about the same time.  We all described the wind as punchy with big gusts from different directions.  

Brad, Blaine and I were done!  Kent re-rigged to his 3.2 and went back out to have the best session of the trip.  He sailed for about 40km - really enjoying the swells.  As a bonus, there were a lot fewer sailors as it was late in the day so people were heading home.

Kent on his 3.2

Blaine and Brad enjoyed a few beers with Jim Mudry who had also been sailing the Hatchery on a 3.5.  

Al left in the morning and made it to Cranbrook - half way home.

The Moiser guy's went to the Moiser Restaurant for supper.  The rest of us drove up to Kick Stand.  The service and food was great as usual!

Interesting day.  Blaine picked up ice cream after supper, so we enjoyed an ice cream back at the townhouse.  There was lots of discussion, because Cam sailed further than Kent, and Andreas was going way faster than Kent.  For the first time in a long time, Kent is not the fastest or the one going the furthest!  I hope he doesn't pout for too long...  Early to bed again!