Don’t worry - the constant running around the country hasn’t got to me yet, though the amount of time I’ve been on the water this week you’d probably forgive me. This isn’t a feeling but a happening. Harty ran right over me! Obviously he’s not used to us Essex boys’ “it’s never over till it’s over” style, but maybe I left my forward a little late.
History never dies; Pete and I are perfect examples. We’ve competed for years, and while we’ve always been on different teams it’s the banter both on and off the water I miss when we can’t get our calendars to match up.
There’s nothing better than an east wind. We have to run with the leftovers of south westerlies too often, but this year it seems someone is looking down on us, as those easterlies keep on coming. So when Harty said he needed a bunch of new pics I was happy to point out that it was his turn to do the travelling and head up towards me.
Sometimes I hate him - he’s such a lucky git. As everyone knows our waters are anything but pretty, but my hometown of Brightlingsea was showing itself at its best when he arrived (though two hours later and we were round at Frinton where the sea was served up in its normal insipid shade of brown).
Our coming together was just a matter of time as we shadowed each other’s moves. While I kept him at bay on the speed front I hate to admit he’s taking the action to the air... Or at least he was until our last run in. Maybe I had left it a bit late, but as I saw the back of the last bit of chop before the beach I couldn’t help but pull the back hand in.
Shame Harty hadn’t read my mind as I’d left him nowhere to go but through me. If nothing else the picture on his face was worth every bruise as I pulled myself from under his board.
Not sure what it was about this week, but this wasn’t the only day I spent on the water where experience triumphed over youth. I headed down to Hythe in Kent to see if the stories of club life were true. Graeme Fuller loves nothing more than talk up his club - longboard or Team 15, he’s always got an optimistic story to tell.
Here was another sparring partner that was about to put a smile on my face as he passed through the finish line at the blunt end of the fleet, but before I could say a word the kids said that was my fault: “He’s only on that sail because you’re here. That’s his eight knot set-up!”
Just as I get him on the ropes I have to let him off, as I could hardly enjoy the moment having just let the boys off for dropping their gybes under the pressure of my lens. If nothing else it just goes to show it doesn’t matter how experienced you are, pressure can get to the best of us.
