With the long-range forecast not looking good, I shot down the south coast to catch the end of the storm. Harty wanted to get a few pix shot while we still had the conditions, he was also claming it would be clear blue skies, think that was just a ploy to make sure I drove down, torrential would have described it better.

With all the focus on speed, it seems an age since I sailed in anything that could be described as a wave. We rarely get a wave at Clacton, its more like big chop, and when it has been good enough to windsurf we’ve been down at Southend.

I know there would be some wind around for Tuesday and with the high tide at midday there was no way we could get any speed conditions in the Ray. I’d basically made up my mind to go when Harty called, come down mate, clear blue skies and howling, we could get a few pix as well…

The wind turned out to be bolt on shore at Wittering, we looked down at West Wittering first off, been six months since I’ve sailed there, boy how the beach has changed, the stone bank at the top of the beach has almost been covered buy the moving sand. The sea looked more like Clacton, plus that storm wind seemed to have passed, so we headed to East Wittering, at least the wind angle would be better.

Wrong, but now were here, we headed out. I’d hoped to be out on a 5,0, but it looked light even for my 6.2. Harty, get out there I’ll grab a few pix, it really didn’t look inviting. He was struggling on the first run but then the wind filled in, though the rain soon followed, it felt wetter on the beach.

With Everything rigged in the van I don’t really have any excuse for not changing down, I wasn’t sure if the increasing wind was just a fleeting moment, but as the day passed, it just kept building. Then it was more of a challenge, by the time I came off the water the 5.0 would have been a better option.

Driving home it felt like my arms had been pulled from their sockets, every turn of the wheel just made them ache even more. Strangely that’s the best feeling in the world.