Busy day for the safety boats - Saturday 26th May 2012

As forecast, sun and as much wind as you can handle, or maybe more than some can handle.

Various weather sites were forecasting 16 kts plus for today and for a change, they proved to be right.

Single handed, a stiff breeze gives some challenges when getting afloat. But, off we went at 11:30. Soon there were a number of other boats on the water, with reefed mainsails - unlike mine. Damn.

Can't say exactly how strong the wind was, but the white horses on the water suggest force 4 to 5.

It's not so much the wind, but the gusts and holes in the wind that provided a couple of hours of entertainment; punctuated with a pause on the slipway to reef the mainsail.

Back and forwards I went, with the safety boats buzzing around all over the place, as they raced to the latest dinghy to capsize. Typically, the water closer to the clubhouse were calmer, given the E to NE direction of the wind. Far more excitement to be had on the leeward side of the water.

Sue turned up to watch from a dry position around 1PM so I did my best to demonstrate my boat handling skills as she observed through binoculars - she copes well with disappointment.

Around 1:40 PM I headed in for a chat and tied the boat up near the slipway ramp and while I eat lunch, we observed the near carnage going on around the reservoir. Well, maybe a slight exageration, but plenty of boats were going over.

It's hard to say whether the wind surfers were falling in more than usual, as they spend a lot of time in the water anyway.

Credit to the juniors in the Optimists - but I suppose having no concept of fear helps. They weren't immune from capsizing, but they seemed to cope better with the wind than the larger boats. A few did need recovering to shore by safety boat, but still, fair play to them.

Lunch consumed, I pondered the prospect of going out again. As I had already confirmed the effectiveness of my drysuit, I was in two minds.

I would have only been going out for another hour anyway, so I chickened out and decided to recover the boat and go home to mow the lawn.

Tomorrow AM, I'll be out on the Bonneville; got to make the most of the weather. PM I'd plan to cycle out to the reservoir and maybe watch a couple of races while cycling around the perimeter.

...and that's without mentioning the motorsports. Busy, busy, busy. So many interests, so little time.