So I am no longer a UK sea virgin... After a weekend of wondering about the wind, I plucked up the courage and determination to go for it potentially on my own, thanks to Wendy Windblows which provided some excellent real-time weather info. Why on my own? Left home about 14.00, not sure if the club would still be there by 16.00, when I arrived.
Headed down to Hayling, found excellent wind, rigged the 6.5 m on advice from a local guy, and took to the water. Sailed for about 45 minutes, since I started to cramp up etc. (too much effort - will refine, and I had already done a 20 mile bike ride at what for me was a record speed today), and better to quit when feeling good. Not even ONE uphaul, just beach starts and waterstarts - aren't they a truly wonderful thing, and my greatest thanks to the Zen Mistress!!
The icing on the cake was that Mike and Helen from the OMWC were on the beach when I came out, and they very patiently listened to the pilled-up* mega-loony raving about EVERYTHING. Even the drive home was spent in a euphoric state, after enjoying the comforts of the van for changing, sorting myself out and the space for just dropping stuff and not losing it. Eek!
Yay. Maybe now I can believe that I'll actually get to do the thing I want to!!!
* "pilled-up" in this context is a personal reference to the statement made by Pete Townshend on the original "Odds and Sods" album sleeve, where he referred to the session guitarist on the first Who record "I'm The Face" as a "pilled-up lunatic". He might have been, I wasn't, but might as well have been for the ludicrous speeded-up speech, gestures and general enthusiasm.
