You’re rigged and ready to head out on the water when some old dear asks “your not going out in that”. I’m not denying it was cold this weekend, cold enough to wear gloves for windsurfing, but really, don’t we looked better dressed than a lot of other sports. My kids were out on a snow covered football field, and what are they expected to keep warm in the force six gale, shorts.

With the wind directly out of the north and a low tide, Saturday turned out to be a wash out. The better decision would have been to head up to Wells-next-sea in Norfolk where anything from the north is perfect and the tide was at lunchtime. The thought of getting caught in a snowdrift was just enough to keep as at home, but then, don’t the forecasters always go over the top.

We ended up just driving from beach to beach, the combination of out going tide and the north wind made sure every where was closed to us. The wind didn’t turn in our favour till Sunday, another dawn breaker, but worth the wait.

To say it was cold would be an understatement. I don’t normally use gloves for windsurfing, but even with them on I still got that burning hands feeling, doesn’t sound quite right, but it did warm up enough to ditch them by the end, but it has to be the coldest I’ve sailed in awhile.

But while admit that, what about those other sports, the snow was whipping in the air, yet the that’s the moment the brits decide to go for a walk, fishing or just watch the kids play football. They didn’t call off my youngest’s game until the pitch was hidden by a blanket of snow, and at eleven years old, all they have to keep warm is a pair of shorts and long socks, and they think we’re nuts.