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North Beach is still awesome. One thing people everywhere like to do is jump. North Beach has so many freaking ramps -- from both directions -- it's amazing. The problem is that there isn't all that much space between them so sometimes it's hard to get enough speed to hit one. Not that hard, though. I didn't get any good jumps, still not mastering the whole chop thing. The last two years have been light -- I'd been out maybe 30 times in 2006 & 2007 combined -- and all off the bay, because I'd had those ear infections and thought it might be bay water. So far, sailing at NB, I haven't had any ear trouble.
I took one of my kids to play with Pete & Carrie's kid and he had a blast. Fell asleep tonite as peacefully as that little ball of anger & energy ever has. I watched the three kids thrash around in the water for a bit while P&C got to sail together. My own personal time on the water was short again, and punctuated by tired forearms. Getting out in the shorebreak makes me use my arms too much and after about 30 minutes they just can't hold on. There is so much more to do, too, in the chop. It's so much more dynamic than the flats, where you can lock in and just screech. I love the dynamic, though. NB is as fun as my 1988 trip to the Gorge with my Dad (my first taste of high-wind sailing) and reminds me of the energy I had when I first moved here in 2001. I love the scenery, the water, the launch, everything.
We had 6 sailors and one kiter today (the first three sailors were off the water by the time I was on). It's a phenomenal place. So fun. If you watched me out there, you might have thought I was struggling -- no inside jibes, shaky outside jibes, slow getting through the shorebreak, short session -- but I was still having fun. After a few years of not really being serious about windsurfing, I feel so much more excited about it again!
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