Sept update

The good news is that a few days completely off has sorted my back. It was the right lower back muscle that was causing all the problems. That now has gone, I have a lower middle ache every now and again but I put that down to many years of abuse. Stretching has never been one of my priorities and it's stating to show. I don't know if it's too late to start but I'll give it a go.

Last Tuesday the 18th I started swimming again with my wrist weights and just using my arms. It works out my arms shoulders, chest and stomach. My legs are usually worked out by running but that won't start again until after Namibia. (too much risk of a back injury again)

Yesterday we had torrential rain, I rigged up in it. A rubbish wind direction for Guernsey, easterly, 10 knots gusting 30. Then when I was going to suit up the thunder arrived closely followed by the lightning, the rain increased and started to have my doubts whether it was worth going out. On seeing another sailor gently float out to see in the water start position, a fading forecast and worse to come on the horizon I knocked it on the head.

Today was better. Westerly 30 knots and rising tide, Strong Westerlies are no good for speed but I checked out the whole coast just in case. As it turned out tide wise Pembroke would have been ok at 8.30 for some speed runs if the wind had been SW or South. Back to Vazon and I rigged up my Firelight 5.5 and Starboard Kode 84, the sail was a bit big but still it was fun riding 8 foot suckies reef and getting the smaller 4 footers close in. Pierre came down to practice with the video camera so that we are set for Namibia.

Tomorrow is back to speed. The forcast is for SW force 6-7, should be good for my GPS 7.3 and Isonic speed W54