Wild Windy Sunday!
Today, SW and then W gale force winds blanketed the OBX! Everyone was looking forward to a winter time wavesailing extravaganza; however, the ocean was in turmoil down in Avon, and though conditions looked perfect in Nags Head, the wind was too offshore, and heavily shadowed by the oceanfront buildings. I made a recon run to the Boiler on Pea Island and conditions there were pretty big. 
10 to 12 ft set wave faces and a massive shore pound kept my gear dry. Plus the fact that I am green from only a few days in the water this month, and no one else present; prompted me to forgo an attempt to make it out. Instead, I returned to Nags Head and decided to blast around in the sound at Jockeys Ridge. I began on my 3.7m while warm SW winds and rainy skies covered the area. Conditions were up and down during the morning hours; however, by 1:00pm, skies cleared, the winds shifted west, and the air temps fell. I rigged up to my 4.2m and was well juiced as winds ratcheted into the 30s! Jim M joined me for an afternoon session and we sailed until near sunset in intense yet fun soundside action. The set up was classic "big" Jockeys Ridge! Fun swell rollers and lots of whitewater provided plenty of ramps for big jumps and aerial spins!
GoPro Video Report:
13 Comments:
Stopped at Boilers at 2pm and it was barely waist high, what are you talking about....
Waist high...what are you talking about?! For some perspective, view the photo added to the post showing the Boiler stack, and compare with this one of Charlie sailing there last year. See how the Boiler is about the same size relative to the water! Waist high...don't think so, at least when I was there!
Did you get any sailing on this trip?
Hey obx people who is this ec guy (or gal) and why does he always seem so agro? Out here on the west coast people who get to play so much are usually happy!
It's doubtful that EC is agro. I agree that Bill doesn't know what he's talkin about. This is the weekend wrapup. Saturday at the north end of Ocracoke. Speed sailing first. As the tide went out it was time for wave sailing. Where was bill? Sunday was huge on the south end of the island. Again were was bill. If this blog is supposed to be informative, then why don't you post the real deal? Instead of going to sail where there is the greatest likely hood of having your photo takin, you should try going to where the conditions are the best. If you think I'm full of shit go back a few posts to info on Noel. Bill said it got too windy to windsurf. Not too windy to kite though. Again,the north end of Ocracoke went off big time.
Hey "sheppard,"
I call it as I see it, with photos to show what was out there! That is why I post them up for the world to see. If you "say" I missed something, images speak clearer than words.
Regarding Noel, not sure what you are talking about. I sailed it (not fun...more a proving run at the time I launched), and was surprised Pam caught a photo of it. The kiters kicked ass out there, and I give them plenty of credit for it, but the conditions worked for their gear setup, not ours. Dimitri was on a 4m kite at the exact same time that I was on a 3.7m windsurfing sail! I saw one short clip of EC on Ocracoke and I posted it. Looked like a nice wave, and glad he caught it, but if you are going to bash my reports, back them up with what I am full of shit about!
Come on sheppard, you really think it was "barely waist high" at Boiler yesterday?
Additionally, Ocracoke is probably the best wavesailing spot on the East Coast, USA no doubt, but on Saturday while heading there, I found minimal surf on the south facing beaches. There was a decent swell, but the tide was not in our favor, and hell, even the lighthouse was unusually small. It is not worth the ferry time to go down there and sit around on the beach looking at a flat ocean, especially this time of year when daylight ends before 5:00pm.
When Ocracoke fires, its awesome, but it has not happened that often in 2007, as compared to the past two years. Plain and simple!
What is up with all the agro towards "not going to Ocracoke" if there is no surf?
PS sheppard,
Thanks for the Ocracoke weekend wrapup! I was hoping someone had a report from down there.
Hey Bill,
F the haters, if they are going to complain about the content of your blog, why don't they make a blog with "accurate info".
You checked out the conditions and chose the best ones for you and your gear, you don't owe anyone an apology.
Keep doing what you're doing... great video too..
Well let anonymous squander in his/her own filth, what can't sign in your own name? I know what i saw and it was what i reported.
You want to see Agro, jump in the car with me when i'm driving 320 miles to catch a session in Hatteras....
Or better yet, should have came with sunday-monday, as Air Canada screwed my buddy flight and we had to drive back, 1500 miles in 22 hours, you would have needed diapers for the entire ride, 'cause it was aggressive driving regardless of weather conditions and traffic.
In any case, Ocracoke always has tamer more manageable conditions and usually a cleaner wave, clear break for us to ride and you know it....
BTW, why is the above post selective to pictures of 3-4 riders when they're are many more of the entire group, of which you posted none?
In any case Merry Xmas to all and see you in Ocracoke in January 'cause the water will be warmer, that plain simple
Its not like i can post a pic on your site nor do i have time....
Noel, was so clean in Ocracoke and rideable on a 4.0 that it makes me infuriated to read your crappy comment about unsailable conditions
I speak my mind and get insulted every f time, hence why bother continue..... better yet, this is my last comment
PS, who is to say those pics from boilers are really from sunday, you?
i mean it could be from another day...
EC,
The pics were from Sunday at the Boiler...One thing I would not do is post photos of conditions that were not from that day. As I said in the post, it was not unsailable on Sunday at Boiler, but I chose not to go because I was the only soul there. Not even any fishermen. But it was big, no doubt and definitely bigger that "barely waist high." If it was "barely waist high," I would have gone solo with no worries, as I have done before (Dec 3).
If you have time, you have my email...send me a pic. I will post whatever you send. I am all about reporting what is happening here, but I can only report what I have, and if it was different from where you were at, send me something so people can see.
However, if you are going to come on and bash the reports, fine, but really back them up with something we can see.
Regarding the header images, it’s not about the riders, but rather the shots.
Regarding the driving, yea that can really drive anyone agro, especially the mileage you travel, and conditions this time of year.
Additionally, if you want to post photos up directly, you can use the OBX Beach Life Discussion Forum. I believe that members can post photos there. You can then add a link from a comment in any blog thread to the photo post.
Enjoy!
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