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First day at the Texas A&M, University of Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) beach, a nice little launch on the south end of Corpus Christi Bay. The chop is a bit less than toward downtown & Ropes, Poenisch & Oleander. The launch is a protected sand beach built by the University to promote their "we are on an island" theme. Parking is limited and there is rusted pieces of metal and some garbage where you have to park (along the water), and you have to haul your riggings to the beach. If there was better parking and a grassy rigging area, this would be THE place to launch. As it is, it's pretty good. We are probably going to get the boot from Grassy Point pretty soon, because the land has been purchased, the current tenants evicted, and improvements are due to start soon. We might eventually be able to sail in the area again, but it might cost a "membership". TAMUCC, along with Oso Bay, might be the replacement for Grassy.
At TAMUCC, Mike, Thomas & John were there ahead of me. Mike went out first. I rigged my 6.6 and John & Thomas & I headed out together. There is a rock breakwater surrounding the beach with 3 or 4 breaks in it (Mike was hero jibing in it) and we all made it out right away. I forgot to snap a few buckles, so I crashed right away and did so. Later, I found I forgot to snap my helmet, too (every once in awhile, something would hit my helmet and I couldn't figure out what it was. Usually it's a line of some sort, or the zipper belt from my shortie -- but I wasn't wearing a wetsuit... I finally figured out it was my helmet. Thankfully I hadn't crashed for the first 20 minutes of sailing, or I'd have been swimming for my helmet.) I had a good sailing day. Sailing in chop makes you feel more powered up than you really are. I was going pretty slow compared to the speed runs at BIB, but I like the more challenging aqua-terrain and I pulled off a few fully planing jibes, along with wobbling through almost every other jibe. The chop wasn't huge, but there was definitely chop. Some spots were probably in the waist-high range, but it was mostly about half that. It was easy to get around or go over most of it, if you wanted. I wrecked once during a jibe, right before my sail flip, and did a really nice clew first waterstart. Those things are so handy!
I didn't sail long, because I had some duties as new Commodore of the CCWA. Actually, I don't take over until next month, but the current Commodore, who has done a great job, will be stepping down for medical reasons.
I found Roger Jackson & Ellen Faller down at the Event Site. Corpus is the site for this years US Open and US Nationals, held concurrently. It's happening all week, and it is exciting. There are recognizeable faces all over the place... Kevin Pritchard among the most, but also Micah Buzianis and Phil McGain. Oleander Point had an insane amount of kiters ripping it up yesterday. Well, there weren't that many, but usually there aren't more than a couple. Some were really good. Fifteen kites pretty much take up the space of 50 windsurfers, so it seemed crowded.
Anyway, Roger & Ellen are teaching for Starboard and we looked at sites to do some on the water lessons. The TAMUCC beach is one, as is Oleander. The problem with Oleander is that there isn't a break from the chop and an unlucky sailor may be blown down the beach a bit, to have to crawl over big slipper rocks. TAMUCC is six miles down Ocean Drive, but offers better learning. I'm not sure what they will do yet. But I know I'll be sailing TAMUCC again soon, maybe tomorrow.
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