lulls: 15
    average: 25
    gusts: 25

Bird Island in December and blue skies and lots of wind. Unfortunately, I missed the wind. Actually, there was wind, but I was rigged wrong the whole time. When I got there Worldwinds Don told me he and two customers had just gotten off of high 3's and low 4's. It was five-ish. So, I rigged my 5.4 and hit the water. It died. I fought it for awhile, hoping it would come back, but nope... it died some more. So, I rigged the 6.6. It died. If I'd have taken ten more minutes tearing down, it would have been nearly glass out there!

It wasn't totally a loss, though. I've figured out a couple of reasons why my jibes are going wrong. That will help in the future if I ever rig right again. I also was able to put up quickly and tear down quickly. It's nice having your gear set up well so that it goes together without much fiddling.

And, as I left the sun was just setting -- at 5:40pm! In Montana, it would have been setting a lot sooner than that. I just looked it up, sunset in Missoula was 4:47 today, and we used to live in Hellgate canyon, which doesn't even get sun at all this time of year. Here, officially, the sun set at 5:36. Beautiful. It was 65, sunny and the water was fine. I love this place.

Now, if only I could rig right! My new nickname is Windkiller Hans.