Went out early to Mainbreak, Lancelin... the waves were looking good and there was just enough to get going on a 5.8, i was the first one out...
On my first run out, barely on the plain, i went past the break, gybed and started pumping to get back on the plain to hit some wave action... then "ping" the uj with the rest of my rig came out the mast bast socket.
I thought, "no worries, this has happened before, quick swim, get the board, paddle back to the rig, pop it back in and off i go again"
All was going to plan until i realised that the U shaped pin that holds the UJ into the socket was now on the ocean bed .....AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH WORST NIGHTMARE.
I waved at the one other windsurfer out there, he acknoweldged what had happened but made his way in, the wind had dropped and he was slogging.
Hmmmmmm what do i do now, there was no way of getting the rig back on board and I didn't want to ditch it as it was all new gear.... I've had a mast brake before and managed to derig everything and paddle back in 1km . But this was not an option, too rough i'll never be able to roll the sail and hang onto board, masts and booms etc...
I know, i'll just tie the rig to the back footstrap and drift into shore with a bit of surfboard paddling, ok i'll endup about a 1 or 2 km's downwind. but at least i'll save my rig and it should only take an hour or so... WRONG WRONG WRONG!
I drifted sideways to the begining of the south passage waves, all on my ownsome, thinking about sharks as you do... I got sucked into the impact zone of a set and was promtly crunched by 3 or 4...which only broke a couple of batterns but I was still determained to save my rig.... met up with a surfer who was on the same waves, who kindly offered to help me out, i declined, just asked him to keep an eye on me!
About 40 mins had passed and the shore was hardly looking any closer, My plan now was to reach the first cray pot bouy .. tie my rig to it and paddle in on the board then come back for the rig later....15 mins passed .. going no where... OK time to ditch the rig maybe save my new carbon extension and skinny then paddle in.
Just then my crayboat in shinning armour pulled up beside me, the skipper shouter out "do you need help?" ... fu*&in oath I do... "yes please"
Within a couple of minutes I was on board with all my equipment, heading to the jetty and dryland, the wind was kicking back in and there was plenty of time to rig up for another session.
I'll never ever curse a craypot ever again
