Got to Swansea on Saturday afternoon just as a bit of a front was coming through, SW at around 30 knots. Looked like the ideal conditions for a run over to Dolphin Sands.

It was "hook in and hold on", and keeping the board in the water was challenging at times. The wind had whipped up a soild 3 foot surf and messy chop. Even bearing away I was half sheeted out and averaged nearly 22 knots for the second kilometre. Peak speed was 23.7 knots, and that was when I was trying to slow down. At the crest of each swell I had to drop the windward rail to keep the board from lifting out of the water. Controlling a 3.7m board as it lifts off in 30 knots had its moments!

By the time I got to Dolphin Sands and re-grouped the wind was down around 15 knots and made a far more leisurely sail back to Swansea. Great stuff.

Clarence

www.strava.com/activities/217133488/analysis