Grants Dawn Patrol, 9/17, 7.0/86L

[kenonstott]

On the water at 7:45 in sweet, smooth Grantsville winds and 74 degrees; don’t remember it being warm enough before for my summer suit in late September. The sun had just come up and it was blinding. I blew the 1st jibe in a panic on the other side as I sailed into the extra-long shadow and realized I was totally sun blind. Made up for it by not going down again. The wind meter was pretty much 20g26 all morning which, for the Grantsville meter and the low water, was half way between my 2 medium sails. The 6.0 would have been fun but the 7.0 allowed me to move down to my favorite board, the little iSonic86. Anyone with a 100L board could have been at least on a 5.7 (Patrick 5.2). With it so warm I wasn’t expecting a smooth thermal but, at least until 9:00, it was the smoothest wind since May. After 9:30 it got more streaky with the occasional 30 yards of wind that picked me up off the water only to have to jibe quick to avoid sailing into the wind shadows by both shores. Quit after 2 ¾ hours without a break (I was thinking it would die early being so warm). Great morning. If 7:30 is dawn patrol the season must be winding down fast.