The weekend was better than expected at Low Head with wind on both days. I had to work on Saturday and missed the more consistent winds of the weekend but Chris sailed East Beach solo, overpowered on a 5.5.

Gill and I sailed for a couple of hours on Sunday morning in conditions that varied from 5 to 15 kts right up to 20-25 kts. We were joined by a very very large seal or a modestly sized leopard seal who cruised around about 50m from the beach so we decided to go and have lunch (better that than becoming lunch!).

I had a second session in the afternoon in what looked like a rapidly easing wind but I was quickly blow off the water on a 7.5 and Chris didn't look to impressed that he had taken my advice and rigged a 6.5 having been all set to go with a 5.5. Pretty soon we were both powered up on small sails. Conditions still refused to settle and we both almost ended up swimming back to shore as the breeze started to swing to the ESE and fade away.

I was lucky enough to have a few hours spare on Wednesday to look for some waves but I didn’t have enough time for a trip to the north west where there would have been a solid swell running with maximum exposure to the forecast NE winds. This left me hoping that East or Bell Buoy might produce something unexpected.

East beach had very little swell and the wind was more easterly than forecast so I drove to Bell Buoy and found that the very easterly swell was looking better than expected and the wind direction was very cross shore at the middle of the beach and even a little cross off as the waves hit the shallows.

I rigged up a 5.3 but the wind was still increasing and after a couple of good wave rides and many wipe outs I switched to a 4.5, this was still a little to much in the gusts but at least there were a few less crashes (It gave the little voice in my head that mutters “I’m to old for this” a bit of a break and the other little voice that shouts “Whoooo Hoooo” had a field day).

When ever wave sailing in cross off conditions is discussed images of Cabo or Hookipa spring to mind and north coast Tasmania is about as far from that as is possible. If Cabo is the Wave sailing equivalent of heli skiing perfection then the north coast is like skiing Ben Lomond with the ice and rocks and cruddy uneven terrain. But its still epically fun.

With the swell a little over head high the hardest moment was the first turn down the line, 35kt bullet gusts and a heavy cross chop caused plenty of problems but once off the wind there was massive acceleration and some return of control with the opportunity for five or six bottom turns. As the wave hit the shallows the fore dune gave some protection from the wind and the wave faces smoothed out a little allowing a little time to throw some spay. It is at those moments when the water gets smooth and the wind evens out a little that the possibilities of riding with some precision open up but seconds later its all over with either a graceful exit or a messy wipe out as ambition overrides skill.

It looks like the westerlies are returning on Friday and Saturday so hopefully Bakers turns it on.