yesterday arriving at my local, it was probably just on eighteen but quite rough due to the direction.

i rigged my 5.8 and hit the water. Koshi told me there was a guy out the back who seemed to be in trouble, and we couldn't see his sail. a rain squall appeared and the wind went off the scale. i was overpowered and struggling to get comfortable in the ridiculous chop.

i found the guy out the back - he was in trouble. caught in a huge wind gust, he couldn't waterstart, kept going over the handlebars. i gave him some advice (glad was wearing a helmet and flotation vest) that wouldn't be best practice but should at least get him home.

later i saw him getting rag dolled; waterstart - splat. waterstart-splat. in this agonizing way he got to shore and walked home. would have been a long afternoon.

i didn't get a chance to talk to him again but i just really wanted to say to everyone starting out, that we all have gone thru this - caught out when the conditions are either misread or turn nuclear. beginners can be put off...you definitely come to your next session timidly. don't be discouraged - getting home in severely overpowered conditions happens to us all, and with a little technique (i call survival sailing) it's all do-able.

in my experience, windsurfers always look out for each other. you wear the right safety gear and don't go sailing alone, and we'll always make sure you get home.