tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61165112009-08-29T10:04:54.867-04:00Steve's Windsurfing JournalAn occasional journal of my life in (or thinking about) the wind.Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-19295410201819799772009-07-26T13:00:00.000-04:002009-08-02T11:07:01.727-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey CedarsA very quick session between 10:00 and 11:00, crammed in before leaving for a flight to Toronto. iWindsurf reported winds in the mid-teens and seduced me, but when I arrived they were around 10 and falling. Lots of pumping. Still, "a day on the water. . ." so I worked on jibe technique in the light air.With Laurie helping ferry the gear from car to beach and back, Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-591651757671855152009-07-25T17:00:00.001-04:002009-08-02T11:02:30.288-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey CedarsNice afternoon of decent 12-15ish S winds from about noon to 3pm. A couple 45 minute sessions in the channel and the cove. Tack technique has gone to the dogs. The beach/launch area here has gotten narrower in the last couple years and overgrown with reeds so that I now have to rig to the north of the jet-ski/kayak launch. Still a nice place to rig.Between sailing Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-42992148094591164752009-05-31T17:00:00.001-04:002009-08-02T11:25:24.026-04:00Bayview Park, Long Beach Township, New JerseyNow that this is pretty much the only gathering spot for bay side windsurfers on LBI, thought I would sail out of here for a change. Indeed, a good number of sailors came over an introduced themselves, noticing my unfamiliar face. I'm guessing some of these folks have sailed here for decades. Nice!It was a quite windy afternoon -- in the 20s. Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-5309496739194817592008-06-23T20:00:00.002-04:002008-07-12T06:24:49.603-04:00Bayview Park, Brant Beach, NJOne small shred for boy, one giant leap for windsurfing.Today my son David had his first windsurfing lesson. We tracked down Jack Bushko who of course was terrific.David is 10, so of course I planned to leave them alone for lesson. I figured I'd watch for the first five minutes and then take off, but David wouldn't stop talking to me. So I waved good-bye and went Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-60295711502548184702008-05-25T18:00:00.000-04:002008-05-26T09:47:45.397-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars, New JerseyYes, the first sail of the season. Seems like Little League keeps me away from the shore during prime NJ sailing season . . . oh, well, Little League is pretty great, too.Gorgeous day -- mid-70s, wind 10-12 SSW. There were two other windsurfers today, a couple with small children taking turns between the swings and the wind.After shaking down and cleaning up Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-51688640317288424582007-05-27T21:47:00.000-04:002007-05-27T21:58:58.637-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars1:30-4:30. Opening day for me this season. Once again the lone windsurfer at this site. But not even any kitesurfers at James Street. Plenty of jetskis and powerboaters. Wind was supposed to come up nicely in the afternoon, said iWindsurf, but nooooo. . . . .First session 2:15-3:00 light but steady SW, not bad to tune up and try to remember how to do all this. Tacked Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-9352448321143209282007-02-24T22:04:00.000-05:002007-05-27T22:19:59.908-04:00Ka'anapali Beach, Maui, and Anaehoomalu Bay, Hawai'iBackfill postSo, I went to Hawai'i and didn't windsurf. Didn't even see a windsurfer on this trip. What?? Have I gone mad? Well . . . probably.But, it just didn't happen. We were only on Maui this time for four days. Had to catch up with the mother in law, spent an afternoon with neighbor Rich and his sister at their time-share pool, did the Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1156126829762584042006-08-20T22:11:00.000-04:002006-08-20T22:22:04.350-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars, NJAn hour of sailing. Nothing special, except it was sailing. The wind was kind of steadily dropping all morning -- from 25 down to about 12 and shifting to the west. Again, the only windsurfer at this spot. Three kiteboarders, though. And as is usual on a summer weekend, some guy beached his powerboat on an outgoing tide, and then wonders why he can't get out 20 Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1149298446878564832006-05-28T17:00:00.000-04:002006-06-02T22:37:53.223-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars, NJI did it. I finally got out and sailed. Unbelievable, and wonderful. It was Sunday, May 28, 2006. The basics: got up, checked the wind, packed everything up. Was on the road by 10:00 and on the water at Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars by 11:00. Dad tagged along, probably because sailing alone isn't the best idea. The wind had died down from like 20 knots to about 12 by Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1149300820431248132005-09-30T22:07:00.000-04:002006-06-02T22:35:29.196-04:00Backfill postSunset Park, Harvey Cedars, NJAs I recollect, I sailed 3 times in the 2005 season: in late spring, high summer, and early September. It was a summer I didn't get down the shore much, prioritizing work at my new job at StreamBase fairly high. When we did go to LBI, swimming and bodyboarding in the ocean with 7 year old David took priority -- a blast in itself.All three times were at Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1149301350440476042005-02-22T22:21:00.000-05:002006-06-02T22:33:30.366-04:00Date approximate - backfill postKanaha Beach Park, MauiAn epic day for me. Probably a boring day for real Maui sailors.In the middle of week-long family vacation in Ka'anapali, I snuck off for a day of windsurfing at Kanaha, I believe it was a Tuesday. Of course, this was the only day all week there was not 20 knot winds. More like, say, 7. Sheesh.But, what the heck. I want to sail Maui. I never Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1084370075721797812004-05-12T09:54:00.000-04:002004-05-12T10:17:37.590-04:00I haven't sailed at all this spring, for the same reason as I didn't sail last spring: injury. Last year it was a sprained ankle, this year a right inguinal hernia (yowch!). All is well (now), but it will be at least mid-June before I get back on the board, just in time for the winds to die down for the summer season.
Oh, well. Freestyle, anyone?
Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1069529053692845182003-11-22T14:24:00.000-05:002003-11-22T23:23:07.920-05:00This is the first entry into this journal in Blog form. Earlier entries in this blog were "back-filled" from my notes or my previous journal site, maintained by hand. Blogs are just easier, so perhaps I'll use it more.
After a season of not windsurfing very much, I've been getting several e-mails this week, out of the blue, from people who have read this journal. So I thought it time to both Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6116511.post-1069558105507532462003-07-05T22:04:00.000-04:002006-06-02T22:37:07.413-04:00Sunset Park, Harvey Cedars, NJI missed the entire spring sailing season.First, in April, I sprained my right ankle jumping up from my living room couch. Second, the weather was cold and rainy practically every weekend from April through July. Not a good combination.So, on to summer! Today was a beautiful day and, better, a windy afternoon. West wind, peaking in the high teens. Sailing over the Steve Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09832128998923679212noreply@blogger.com