just can't get enough of dw/ing. learning knew stuff every time. it's maddening the way it can be so good and you seem to be at one with the ocean and then it's the worse thing in the world when it turn it's back on you
cheers

I'm right with you on that one Lacey, got my wife to drop me off for a 10k "down-winder" on open water yesterday....except between checking the wind and getting to the beach it had changed direction and was side on. Too late when I realised, family were gone and waiting on the beach up the road.

Wind slop constantly pushing the nose into the direction I didn't want to go - ended up doing a zig zag course, tacking straight up into the wind then back down trying to catch the slop and heading in the direction I was meant to be going. Longest 10k I've ever done!

Funny thing is that after I got over myself and relaxed a bit I went for another paddle straight out into the wind, turned around and had a blast catching those little wind swells....same ones I'd been cursing an hour before. That's the beauty of it all for me, always different and even when it's crap you can turn it into something good.

Gorgo said...

It could be the "banging your head against a brick wall effect". It feels so good when you stop.

There's a great deal of satisfaction to be had from encountering difficult conditions or situations and dealing with them sensibly.

Downwinders are definitely in the category of "normal, sane, sensible people do not jump into 40-50+ knot winds and go for a play".

I have been in several situations in the snow and surf and kiteboarding and paragliding, where screwing up could be, at best inconvenient, at worst life threatening.

Dealing with those situations calmly, and in control and coming out the other side always feels fantastic.

so true, there is a group of us pushing for safety. anything could go wrong. something i would like talk about with supsa now i've been roped in.