2025-09-06 Ego's Smacked!

Watching the mayhem on the beach and on the water!

You think you are getting to be a pretty good sailor/kiter/winger - then the river steps in to teach you a lesson.

Today was a windy and gusty day.  We got to the event site just as Dale finished his session.   He said it was windy but good if you could get up to Swell City.  I was first out - 4.5m Wing, but I knew right away I was over powered.  It was also the first time I had used that wing and my harness line was too short, so my arms were wearing out fast.  I did about 2km and then headed back to the beach.

Kent went out on his 3.2, headed upwind, and was gone for the day.  He said it was his best day this trip.  Great swell, but the 3.2 was all that he could handle!

Ross went out on his 3m Kite and also headed upwind!  He complained a lot about how gusty it was and how awful it was, yet he had to admit he had a pretty good session, especially when he got up to the Hatchery.

Brad and Blaine went out with 3.2m - their smallest rigs.  They sailed for about a half our, but then came back to shore.  Blaine described Scary gusts, particularly on the far side and then lulls where you just stood around.   It was a challenging day as the river gave our EGO's a bit of a smack.   Way over powered on our smallest stuff with lulls that left you standing absolutely still!   Up at the Hatch there were no major holes but the wind was pretty darn high for foiling.   

Brad and Blaine - survived!

I re-rigged to my 3.5, but as I was walking to the water, and stepping over the line of rocks just before the Event Site beach, I slipped on some loose gravel and fell on my butt.  I wasn't hurt, but my board hit a rock on the way down and got a pretty good hole in the side of it.  Damn.

Damn!

I brought it back to the van and rigged my 100L board, which was probably a better call anyway because of the lulls.  I went out again, but it wasn't fun.   I really struggled to get up on a foil after falling - the gusts weren't as big as earlier.  I pumped ... and pumped ... and pumped....  I came back to the beach exhausted!  Done for the day.

Eventually the guys gathered on the beach.  We had lunch, looked at the water, and watched the gong show around us as the beach got more and more crowed.

I went to a couple of shops, and then headed back to the townhouse to lay down.  The rest of the gang arrived after 6:00.  Apparently none had gone back out, but they had solved a lot of the worlds problems over a couple of beers.

Solving the Worlds Problems!

Ross made us salads, and we cooked Safeway frozen pizza for supper!  Other than the damage to my board, it was a good day!  Early to bed - everyone was sore and tired!