2025-09-11 Missed the call....

Jim Mudry, Kent, Blaine, Ross and Brad

Last night, the forecast was for nuclear wind everywhere.  Jim Mudry suggested we head to Rufus early and get in a few hours of sailing before the wind gets too strong and blows us off the water.  When we got up, the forecast hadn't changed that much - wind everywhere.

Blaine and Brad actually skipped their daily coffee routine and headed straight for Rufus.  Kent skipped breakfast and did the same.  I had breakfast at the Townhouse, finished yesterdays blog and headed out a few minutes behind them.  Ross, the smart one, took his time, knowing that it wouldn't be any good until after lunch.

Wind Everywhere!

I let Kim know our plans.  He said it was already blowing at the Hatchery.....

As I was passing Moiser, I got a WhatsApp message from Kent.  No Rush - No Wind....

I arrived around 10:00 am.  The wind was very light, but it looked like it was building.

Jim Mudry arrived, and then Kim.  Jim rigged a 4.0m Sail and a 3.5.  I inflated my 4.5 and on Jim's advice also inflated my 3.5 so I cold switch easily as the wind built.  

Brad was first out, but it was too light.  He slogged out and back.  Then Kent, who had rigged his 3.9, gave up and went out on his 5.2 and sort of made it work for 25 Kilometers.  Blaine also went out for a session, and Ross was making it look easy on his 4m Kite.

Instead of building the wind dropped.  The guys came in to wait.  We sat and had lunch and waited.. and waited.  It seemed to come up a bit so I rigged my 5.5m Wing, but then it lightened up again so I inflated my 8m Wing.  Now I had a 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 8m Wing on the beach!  I went out.  It took a while to get on foil, but then I had a pretty good session for almost 10km before it died again.

We sat and waited, and waited some more.  There was rain between Rufus and Arlington and also a lot of smoke and haze... all contributing to no wind.

Not much wind - Barge coming through!

Eventually I packed up all of my rigs and left for home - lots of packing to do if I am leaving tomorrow.  Of course there was wind at Maryhill, Dougs, Rowena, Moiser and the Event Site.  Any of those sites would have been a better call than Rufus... Oh Well, you can't win them all.

Kim left at the same time as me, saying that he would try to catch some wind at the Hatchery by his house.  I hope he had a good session.  Blaine and Brad weren't far behind me, but Kent and Ross went out for another session as the wind finally started to kick in.  Kent was on his 6M sail and Ross on his 5.

Not the greatest wind to end the trip, but still a pretty good day all in all.

We went to Double Mountain for Pizza for supper.  Early to bed.  It will be an early morning and long drive tomorrow.  Pretty good trip - Foiled 9 days out of 9!

Ross looking way too relaxed.  This heart rate actually goes down when he is foiling!
Thanks Kent for the photo!