Back on the Waveski

After the Wet, Wild and Windy weather of the last few weeks, things have settled down with high pressure taking over again. It's been cold and crisp here, which is bad news for the river levels, but the swell charts have been looking great. Light off shore SE to E winds and regular solid swell pushing in all week and it looks the same for next week too!
So with that in mind, I loaded up my Waveski and went to Saunton. I wasn't disappointed with what I found, winds great, if a little strong, and swell upto 4 feet at times. Shame it was damned chilly and I'd forgotten my Towel!

You've got to love the retro colours on the ski!

Once kitted up I hit the waves. The conditions turned out to be trickier than I had anticipated. The wind making dropping in hard, and the swell coming in regular sets, meaning everyone (all seven of us!) was fighting for the same peak! The outside sets were coming in at a regular 4 foot, but with so much competition I decided to give the quieter inside waves a go. Trouble was when a couple of freight train outside set came through I got a serious beat down!

Dropping into a classic Saunton wall

Looking down the line, wondering what to do

Hanging on in, trying to stay on the shoulder

I finally get the timing right and bang one off the top of a little inside wave

Cruising on down the inside waves

However things started to calm down a bit, with the swell becoming more regular and more waves in the sets, and soon I was taking more waves. I'd decided to try the ski with the fins in a different position today. I ran them a little further back, only an inch or so, but it made a huge change to the feel of the ski. Previously I'd had the fins all the way forward, making the ski quick, but loose and skiddy. Moving the fins back should make it carve and hold a line better. I noticed the carving ability but I missed the loose and forgivingness, and found that I struggled to slash the tail as much as I would have liked.
But it was all good and I had a great session overall. The sun gently setting casting an amazing orange glow over beach, and lighting up the spray off of the waves. With the swell and winds looking good for the next week or so I hope to get out again soon.