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<p style=”text-align: left;”>try this again…bounced during an edit</p>
Durand Double D DayDuring the week I got a couple heads up from local sailors about good wind coming on Wednesday. A cold front was approaching. We had already squeezed in a nice Seneca lake day in the southerly flow that announced it’s approach before the clocking west winds arrived. I seem to be on the wind lately and got a few texts about keeping guys in the loop.
Wednesday morning a loud thunder storm and downpour tried to wake me but storms have a way of making me want to sleep so I did. By the time I got up and had my coffee the trees in the yard were already blowing. Unlike some of my friends, my research of sailing conditions is often very simple, I suppose retirement does that I don’t know; I wake up look out the window and if the phone doesn’t ping with windy messages from Joe, I check the meters.Murphy’s Law dictates that all good sailing days come during the work week and most of guys fight this battle of managing a work schedule and finding time to sail! Today was no exception, Doug’s family needed hot water more than he needed to sail (my hero!), Eric had to get his work schedule cleared up, Joe had to mow the lawn first. Everyone has to make it work when the wind blows on our beloved Lake O!
I was the first to arrive at Durand Beach and although the meter at Seabreeze was showing stiff WNW winds, they weren’t touching yet as the beach curves a bit northerly to cast a wind shadow on our launch. The walk to the water to assess the near shore breeze suddenly became usual and a bit uncomfortable. Although not quite noon but with comfortable air temperatures a solo bather was testing the waters at our launch and her large gray bra was blowing in the light breeze in the nearby tree! Yes, a large gray bra, double D? (not speaking from experience here)! Needless to say I felt awkward as I lingered nearby to get a full assessment of conditions! In short order the gang started to arrive and by looking down the path through the “mangrove” we could study the swinging gray bra as the cups caught the wind. Back and forth the wind building and away from shore, out of the shadow it was clearly blowing hard. Our solo bather was certainly flattered by the arrival of so many old men who seemingly were lounging about her “private” beach! After a bit,a not so embarrassed young lady strolled up the path, passing by all the sailing gear in various stages of assembly, with bra in hand. With a big smile she wished us a good day and we obliged by sailing our butts off!
To get to the wind as is often the case at Durand you have to navigate the wind shadow so I grabbed my mid-sized 110 liter Fanatic Cross and after consultation with Joe, a 5.3 Ezzy Elite sail. Someone has to be the wind dummy and I was happy to oblige as I slogged away from shore. I was confident as you could see the white caps and waves everywhere. The wind meter was reporting gusts to 28mph! The wind was out there I just had to get to it. After a couple unimpressive reaches the board started to come alive and my timing couldn’t have been better as the wind freshened and my sail stretched tight. I blasted around through the chop finding beautiful swells and the occasional ramp for jumping. On the beach, the army had arrived and sails popped up out of nowhere as everyone came out to play. Art, Bill, Corey, Eric, Gary, Joe,Keith and Teddy were finding the the wind and waves. It was an Epic Durand Day, a Double D Durand Day!
Everyone was testing their skills. At one point I caught two big air jumps on the same wave set; hitting the first ramp, landing in the backside trough and hitting the very next ramp behind it! Whoaa! I watched Joe melting butter on a smooth swell, flipping his sail and powering off to find the next one. Eric was ripping and masterly pulling off short board tacks and powering upwind. Keith was a flash of green on the water finally getting his long awaited Lake O session. Gary was all smiles soon forgetting his recent week in the San Francisco Bay and blasting about as well. Art, well he was forgetting about the gallon of special juice awaiting him in his refrigerator back home (doctor’s orders!) and bouncing from wave to wave. And then to balance out the spiritual vibes in the universe, Corey smacked the nose of his beautiful RRD Freewave with his mast and Doug was HOME!! installing a water heater! Although I’m sure Doug’s water is now hot, the beer at the beach was not! The nose of Corey’s board didn’t prevent him from having a great day on the water and pulling out a couple nice cold IPAs to celebrate. As I left, the first to arrive and the last to leave, I couldn’t help but notice that the wind was still howling!
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Amazing story Scott! That’s something about the grey wind meter…..it’s cups were spinning away, eh?
I’m paying the wind gods back I guess…yup, my hot water heater blew the night before and the “save me some money” gods smiled on me with a friend who would replace it with me and a very reasonable rate.
It crushes me to know so many of the wind tribe were able to make it out to Durand when I was stuck at home, but it’s great to know the fire was stoked for so many. As you know, my fire was stoke the week before on out 6.5 Durand Up-winder day.
Thanks for checking in with this amazing story.
Wd
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Ah, you Rochester guys have it so good.
And you definitely “busted it”, Scott.
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