With the end of summer in sight, I would like to enjoy a few more windsurfing
sessions. When iwindsurf.com forecasted favorable winds at Coyote Point, I
decided to try windsurfing for the 12th time in the season.
When I arrived at Coyote Point, I saw signs that the
Coyote Point Park
was closed. Although disappointed, I decided to try my luck at the nearby
3rd Ave in Foster City (Baywinds Park).
Arriving at Baywinds 10 minutes later, I was shocked at how busy it was. It
seemed that every windsurfer and kiteboarder was there! I parked my Sienna
minivan near the rigging area and took out my 2018 Fanatic Freewave STB 105
board. I was slightly unsure about the wind, so I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m
sail.
I saw rigged sails ranging from 3.7m to 5.0m, and I thought I fit correctly.
After parking my Toyota Sienna far away, I returned to my setup sailing for
the first time. The launch was quite busy, with many windsurfers getting in
and out of the water. Once in the water, I water-started and sailed into the
channel.
At first, the wind was not very strong, a bit gusty, and I managed pretty
well. However, as I sailed further out, the wind intensity increased
dramatically. I was getting quite overpowered on my 5.0m sail. I drifted
back to the shore and rested a bit.
I decided to try again. This time, the wind was even stronger in the
channel, with large breaking swells. I was getting huge jumps on my board
and was sailing out of control at maximum speed.
It was so much fun but also so exhausting. After a few sessions, I was
utterly depleted of my reserves and returned to shore. Sailing back was
relatively easy, though I was sailing fast on a broad reach.
I should have used a smaller sail - perhaps a 4.5m would have been better.
It was a great day, and I hope to return to 3rd Ave again.
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