| |
|
|
| |
| First Signs of summer |
28/04/08 |
|
 |
 |
We had a fantastic sail at Frinton-on-sea on Monday, full power on a 5.8 under blue sky’s, it really felt like summer was on its way. Though perfect for pictures, we just didn’t want to come off the water to sit behind the lens. But when a friend asked me to join him and his camera a few days later, the sun decided to go into hiding. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
Its funny what motivates you? Spent the start of the week introducing Ian Kraft to a few Gaastra/Tabou dealers, and the end at a demo weekend. Even though our British weather continues to frustrate I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed the involvement in British windsurfing. The kids are still off school so Aaron spent a day biking round Thetford forest with a couple of friends. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Will Winter Ever End |
31/03/08 |
|
|
 |
Shaun and I got out on the kites for an hour on Easter Monday, there’s something wrong about being on the water when its snowing. Can’t remember a winter being cold for so long, not only was it warmer last winter, on average it blew for days a week. Misreading the forecast didn’t matter; there was always another good day round the corner, shame that wasn’t true this week. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
You couldn’t escape the wind, even if you stayed indoors there was little else on the tv but the weather, for once the forecast got more airtime than the adverts. It looked good for everyone coming over for drivenbywind, though some were caught out by the early start. We had to be rigged before sunrise to catch the best wind as it was forecast to swing and drop soon after low tide. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Chalk and Cheese |
03/03/08 |
|
|
 |
What a great week, loads of time on the water, even had four days on a 5.8, had I stayed at home that would have been replaced with a 4.7, though the two sessions I had with Timo Mullen and John Skye made the trip worth while. Back home on Sunday the wind was still pumping, but what was Anthony doing on the beach. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
Its been great having the kids at home during half term, particually when they want to help out in the garden. Guess I can’t complain because it takes them half the day to get out there, at least it let me spend the morning down at the F-Hot workshop where I was working on the new camera boxes. Also had a surprise visit, but at he headed for the camera my luck was running out. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
The forecast for Thursday was looking good all week, the closer we got the better it looked. All but a few riders arrived the day before in preparation to what we expected to be a world record day. One record, two ambulances and a whole host of spectacular crashes ensured the day will stick in the minds of all the riders for some time to come. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Burning both Ends |
20/01/08 |
|
|
 |
It wasn’t until drivenbywind got the ok to run from the WSSRC that I realised the candle had been burning at both ends. Since we moved its been non stop, building the office / gym and the final set-up for driven by wind, guess I’ve been running on adrenalin for the last weeks, once we got the results and past our last week, my body just shut down. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
We spent the penultimate day of the year in our capital. I’ve had an amazing year of travelling, but when it comes to cities, our own London takes some beating. We try to get there once a year and see a new site; this year it was the London Dungeons. Now my office is up and running, I couldn’t resist going through some of the pictures from 2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Theatre of Dreams |
05/05/08 |
|
|
 |
Not sure how many times I’ve watched it, but The Windsurfing Movie for the me is the best windsurfing film out there, but the big applauses should go to the guys why got it on the big screen. Windsurfing maybe my dream, but my boys have a different theatre for their dreams. Love or hate them, watching Manchester United at home really is an experienced not to be missed. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Seven Perfect Days |
21/04/08 |
|
|
 |
The weeks started on wheels and ended on water, it’s been a smile a minute week. After a couple of days mountain biking I switched to four wheels and a trip round Snetterton race track, but as the wind started to pick up we had four days windsurfing and kiting and still had time to get out all the kit for a demo down at Worthing. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
The weather started to smile on Monday as temperatures started to rise, but just like some of the faces in the pix, it soon turned as the week ended with snow again. With the kids on school holiday and no wind we headed to Disneyland Paris with the Dunt family, though I wish we’d left a few days earlier, maybe then I wouldn’t have been nursing another broken rib. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
Is it really Easter, I’ve got a garden full of snow and can’t remember when my hands froze sailing so much before. Though the wind was predicted to be northerly all week, there was just one glimmer of hope of a few hours of south-westerly spell we could catch at the Ray in Southend. We’ve only got a month to go and wanted to take every opportunity however small. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
While I was getting Pam’s sailing back up to speed, the canal in France was setting its own speeds. They sure had a hell of a session on the canal, new world record, a big jump in the production record, and the end to seventeen years as the UK’s fastest. Would have been broken, but to see Farrell take the title just felt right. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Nothing going on |
25/02/08 |
|
|
 |
Been one of those weeks with nothing really going on. The winds been too light to windsurf, and only just enough to get the kite going, but then after last weeks disaster I needed to get out and sort my self out. The new camera boxes are finished and already packed in the van for a potential drivenbywind session at the end of the week. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| End of the Storm |
10/02/08 |
|
|
 |
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. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
It looks like we could be in for another day at Southend. With the experience of the last one and having made a few changes I’m looking forward to the next one. Its been a busy week for birthdays this week, Aaron turned eleven, and my mother, well lets say she hit a mile stone of her own, If I said she was seventy, I wouldn’t make my next birthday |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
Got one question to ask, why would anyone want to organise an event. Some how I was tricked into stepping up, not sure how, maybe it was more a dare, can’t really remember. But one thing’s for sure, I’ll be the last to complain when it doesn’t go according to plan, suddenly I’ve just become aware just how much goes into making it happen. Some one please stop me next time. |
|
|
|
|
|
learn more