Camilla on the Solent

9th Jul 2008 @ 01:37:25 PM

sSs Team Rider, Camilla French, took advantage of the recent windy weather with a couple of great days sailing on the south coast this weekend. Where was she, and how did she get on after an extended rest from windsurfing? Camilla tells all:

The South Coast was going off this weekend, perhaps not in terms of swell - it is summer after all - but there was definitely some wind! I shamefully hadn't been windsurfing since Easter, so it was great to get out on the water finally.

On Saturday I sailed at a secret spot in the Solent... so exclusive that by midday it was only me and my parents' next-door neighbour Peter sailing there, until a few other guys turned up. It is a small beach that I've been sailing from for years, and one of the few places on that stretch of coastline where the council have not yet introduced parking charges.

There is something special about driving to a secluded beach and rigging up with the high tide lapping against the wheels of your car, and New Forest ponies being the only spectators.

We do get the occasional folks who drive to the beach and then sit in the car eating their sandwiches before driving home again, without even getting out of the car. Why bother? Surely it's all about being in the great outdoors!

Anyway, it was pretty windy and I was well powered up on a 3.7m sail.
I even contemplated blasting over to the Isle of Wight and back, but I figured that the wind strength was potentially kit-breaking and there weren't enough yachts out there to pick me up if anything should snap.

Sunday... well, when I saw the torrential rain beating down in the morning I decided there was plenty of time to relax with a cup of coffee and the morning papers. By lunchtime the rain had eased off and Avon Beach was bathed in glorious sunshine, with wind to match. I went out sailing with a 4.7m and my 65 litre RRD Wave Cult Ltd, and managed to find a few nice little waves to ride or jump.

The wind gradually became stronger and stronger, and some guys who had been on 6.2m sails had to come in and change down, and finally I was beaten too and found that my 4.7 was too much.

An awesome weekend of sailing at local spots, let's hope the great conditions continue through the rest of July!

Thanks to Simon Crabtree for these photos taken at Avon Beach on Sunday 6th July.

Camilla, Avon beach