Normanville Family Fun Day

Well with wind hard to find in Adelaide for the time being, we have had to find other things to keep ourselves busy. We decided today to spend the day on the other side of the Fleurieu Peninsula (we usually sail on the Goolwa, Victor Harbour side) looking around Normanville / Carickalinga and Second Valley. It was a sunny 22 degrees, so we decided to hit the cafe at Normanville for a bit of lunch, yummy fish and chips with a cleansing ale, Phoebe with the Lasagne (cant believe hers was a kids size meal - it was huge!)

Thankyou Mr Coopers...

Lasagne!

Then it was off to walk along the beach, looking for shells and sponges, with the biggest bucket we could rustle up...

The worlds smallest jetty....Normanville....apparently it used to be longer.

Second Valley jetty was going off with a group fishing for squid, didnt see any being caught, but the jetty was black from all the squid ink. The coast line is so spectacular between Normanville and Cape Jervis.

*Kym with neck in a brace due to a recurring neck injury, all better now thanks.

Foo Fighters!

Went to see the Foo Fighters in Melbourne on Saturday night, they totally rocked out, heres a few snaps.

I thought I was quicker!

Here's a recent clip of me sailing at Sugars beach at the Murray Mouth, I thought I was going 30 knots +, but only chugged out a 28 knot flat fastest time! Maybe Kym and I need to invest in a speed board (slalom) and one of those monster 8 metre sails! Maybe not.....

Trailer Tales!

After weeks of bloody sweat and tears, mainly other peoples, because I am no handy man, my trailer is finished.

For years we have struggled with a small car, sometimes loading 5 boards on the roof as well as a sail / mast bag (even booms on the roof as well!) with the fear of the roof racks peeling off everytime we exceeded 100kms per hour! I have longed for a trailer to hold all of our gear, so sails dont get crushed, also being able to take all of our gear with us etc.....

So here it is, Lano's trailer, complete with waterproof seals on the trailer edges, a chequer plate lid with roof racks, sexy blue paint job, Gas struts with 70kgs pressure to help lift and hold the weight. I am excited!

Big thanks to Chris, fellow windsurfer and man with access to a large engineering workshop! Also big ups to dad for lots of painting and drilling late into the evenings! Dad in the background :)

Arlo

I just love this photo! This is a friend of ours Arlo, one of the usual suspects when its blowing in SA!

Easter Classic - Best yet!

Well the 30th Easter Classic has been run and won. Well I say win, but the classic has become more of a social gathering with three days of free sailing. 112 competitors signed up, $40 entry got you, free beer on the Friday night party, thanks Coopers (burp), also a cool hoodie, t shirts, hats, stickers, money well spent.

Conditions looked promising all week leading up to the event, 4-5 foot waves and solid winds greeted us on the first day, Friday. Kym hit it with the other ladies, Susie and Penny, very impressive considering waves arent the main focus with womens sailing in SA, but they did great, getting out through tricky shore break and showing good wave riding skills, some nice Gybes on the inside, aslo some good impromptu jumping by Kym early on (pity she didnt land the 6-8 foot first air!

Some of the action from Friday

I went out on the Sunday on my 6.7 and Carve 122, didnt get slammed, but was frustrated with no wind on the inside, making geting out, even in 2-3 foot swell tricky. Had a good time though. It was great sailing and listening to the DJ on the beach pumpping out some great tunes all weekend.

112 competitors were made up of about 85 kiters and the rest wind surfers. I want to make special mention of the good vybe in the water and on the beach with both disciplines. Before the comp we were all briefed about safety and wave riding rules etc.... I only saw one tangle for three days sailing, no agro, everyone looking out for each other, bloody good fun. Well done everyone.

Sunday nights prezzo was a great event, held on the grass just out the back of the Caledonean pub. Red Bull put up their tent, they even had little Red Bull podium cans which was a nice touch! Alas I won nothing :( something for me to work on for next year. Kym took 3rd prize, Susie slipped 1st around her neck, closely followed by Penny (who by the way is in Maui the same time as us this July)

Saturday had more of the same, just less swell and a tad less wind, but again some great conditions at 3rd Ramp, Robe.

So another top weekend in Robe / Beachport. Big thanks to Pete from Onboard Surf Shop at Glenelg, the work you put into the sport mate in awesome.....

Susie, 2008 womens Easter Classic winner! Go Susie! (Also a bloody good photographer)

The Girls Podium presentation,

The mens division was hotly contested, 'Macca' won, never met the guy but he rips! I only know Deane who finished 3rd, very tight contest across at least 10 sailors....I now want a wave board!

A few beers and a laugh before the presentation, Kym, Dean and Susie.

Kym finishing up, exhausted after sailing All day on Friday....

Phoebe's sailing is really coming on well, especially with the second hand RRD 160 ltr we just picked up!....Even I gave it a crack, this is my flacka to heli tack, just need some wind and i will be right!

Beachport - Speed weekend

I had last week off work to spend with Phoebe and basically relax. Over the course of three - four days I went to the Zoo, The Museum, 2 kids movies (Bee Movie, Golden Compass), a bike ride along the river and to a Hi Five Concert (hmmmm Charlie). As much as it was relaxing, it sure takes a lot out of you - beats working though :)

We also booked in another weekend at Beachport, our favourite windsurfing destination in South Australia. The KA Sails Windsurfing Speed Challenge was taking place over the long weekend and we were keen to get down and support the event. The wind through the week had been going off, constant 25-35knots all week, so we were looking forward to getting into some of that, but it didnt really go to script! The weather was great, but the wind deserted us to some extent. We had good winds on the Saturday, around the 18-23 knot mark at times, but was really flukey, not good for trying to crack that 30 knot mark (I only pushed out a 23.3 for the weekend - well short of my PB or 28!) Kym struggled with pace as well and concentrated on quantity not quality. She ended up sailing a combined distance of 60 nautical miles for the weekend, not fast, but steady - top speed 23.4knts. One of the local lads, Tim, sailed 102knots on Saturday night alone! Sicko!

Heres a few a photos of the weekend.....

'South Australian Girls Speed Team', Susie, Kym and future world champion Phoebe
The boys settling into a few evening brews, ready to watch the crusty demons style show, the local lads were pretty good motorcross riders, apparently they rode until 3am!

How much gear can you put on a car?

Lake George in all its glory! Where'd the water go?

KA Sails new 'quad boomed' model.....

Dunes near Lake George