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Windsurfing GPS tracks
Dates link to aerial photos overlayed with GPS tracks.  These were created using USAphotomaps software.  New 9/5/05:  Google Earth can import GPS data!  From now on, tracks will be done with Gogle Earth with more updated, color aerial photos.

• 4/22/05 In preparation for this weekend's south winds, I did a scouting trip to Messick Point after work.  Poquoson has re-built this area post-Isabel.  Previously, there was a double boat ramp, a small parking lot, and no other shore access.  They have put in a quad boat ramp, built a second parking lot, double the size of the first, and opened up access to the south facing shore of the Back River.  There are even picnic tables along the water.  This looks like a Primo spot for sailing on E, S, and W winds.  There is lots of grassy rigging area, and parking closer to the water than on the South side at Belle Isle Marina.  Aerial photo showing new features.
  
• 4/23/05 Location:  The Back River.  Launched from new access at Messick Point. Time sailed: 1:00 pm to 3:45 pm.  Total distance sailed: 21.8 mi.  Max speed: 29.3 mph. The wind was from the SSW with low tide at 3:07pm.  This new launch is what I've been dreaming of since I moved to this area.   On a SW wind, it blows all the way from Langley AFB.  When I arrived, it was blowing 12-15, at the first break it was 15-20.  I sailed my 6.7 w/ medium downhaul, and the 137L Veloce.  I finally managed to knock off a fin on a shallow gravel bar just to the west of the cove you launch from.  Doh!  My first lost fin in 8 years of windsurfing.  I came back in (the jaggedy looking track back to the launch), and went back out on the 101 L Veloce.  This was good, but the wind was dropping, and I didn't stay out too much longer.  A wonderful first session of the year!
• 4/30/05 Location: The Back River.  Launched from Messick Point.  Time sailed: 1:45 pm to 5:30 pm.  High tide at 2:30.  I was almost to the launch when I realized I forgot my GPS.  So, no data.  It would have been a good one, too.  The wind was 15-20mph, staying near the high end for much of the time.  Rigged up the 6.7 on the 137L Veloce.  After a couple of runs I came back in and derigged, planning to rig the 5.6.  I put the 6.7 in the truck and reached for the 5.6, and it wasn't there.  Not expecting this much wind, I had left it at home.  New lesson, Messick Point can blow 5mph harder than the readings at Langley.  I took a breather, re-rigged the 6.7 with maxed out downhaul, and went back out.  I managed to hold it down for the next half hour, and the wind started tapering off to be just right.  I sure wish I had GPS data for those initial runs, though.  I really want to break the 30mph speed barrier.  Most of the time I was there, a learning kiter was launching from the far shore.  He had a chase boat that would retrieve him when he blew far enough downwind.  About an hour before I left, another guy showed up.  The wind was dropping by this time, and unfortunately he was on a smaller sail, smaller board and was about 50lbs heavier.  He got in a few planing runs, but did a lot of schlogging.  I offered to let him use my stuff for a bit, but this was just as a gust came through, and he was planing on his stuff then.  I felt bad, because I've been in that situation.  Other than that, I was the only one on the water.  I couldn't believe it, as the launch is so great, and the wind was perfect.  On a day like this, there would have been 25 sailors on the water back in Columbus.
• 6/16/05 Location: The Back River.  Launched from Messick Point.  Time sailed: 5:20 pm to 6:30 pm.  Total distance sailed: 12.8 mi.  Max speed: ~27 mph. High tide at 4:36pm.  Completely unpredicted wind after work today.  Rigged the 6.7 on the 137L Veloce.  After a couple of runs I came back in put on a weed fin.  When I was done, I was excited because the GPS said my max speed was 32.3mph, but upon reviewing the tracks in the computer, I found this speed to be an error.  Doh!
• 6/19/05 Location: The Atlantic Ocean.  Launched from Sandbridge Beach in southern VA Beach.  Time sailed: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.  Total distance sailed: 11.4 mi.  Max speed: ~20.5 mph.  Wind ENE.  My first real ocean sailing.  Was supposed to be 15-20mph, so I rigged the 6.7, but it was really ~10-15max.  Would have been great on flatwater, but on the ocean swells, I didn't get to plane much.  I still had a great time, and got lots of practice launching through surf.  This was my biggest worry, but I dealt with it fine, and never really got washed.  I launched from the upper end of the beach, and still was too close to the fishing pier until I took a couple tacks to work upwind.  Got yelled at by the fishermen.  After working up the beach to avoid the pier, I started having fun and got some neat slashes through the breaking waves.  On a couple of times coming in to the beach for rests, I caught waves on the outside and rode them all the way to shore.  Very cool.  After I finished sailing and was playing in the surf, I saw one other windsurfer who must have launched further up the beach.  They must have thought the wind wasn't much, because they didn't stay out long.
• 6/25/05 Location: The Back River.  Launched from Messick Point.  Time sailed: 3:50 pm to 6:00 pm.  Total distance sailed: 26.5 mi.  Max speed: 25 mph. Low tide at 6:40pm. The E wind started off ~12mph and tapered off slowly.  I rigged my 9.5 sail w/ medium downhaul and was slightly overpowered on the first run out.  I beached on the far shore and applied max downhaul and outhaul.  You can see this on the GPS track.  This was good until my hydration break, when I let off the downhaul and outhaul and continued sailing for another 40 minutes.  I seem to be getting the hang of gibing (left) at long last.  I only rarely miss one.  I still can't gibe right, though.  A thoroughly pleasant session.
• 9/4/05 Location: York River.  Launched from beach on the east end of the picnic area in Yorktown.  Time sailed: 1 pm to 3:30 pm.  Total distance sailed: 13.7 mi.  Max speed: 23 mph. Tide outgoing from 10:25am to 4:33pm. Finally!  This is the first time I sailed since getting one afternoon on July 4th in Ohio.  This is officially the least I've sailed during a summer since I started sailing.  There has just been no wind here in months.  At last we got a weekend with wind forcasted.  I drove to factory point yesterday, but there was no wind.  Today I tried Yorktown, and though it was iffy, I rigged the 9.5 and went out anyway.  The NE wind was marginal: ~8-10 with 12-14 gusts.  It was about 50% planing, 50% schlogging.  But, I'm glad I got out on the water at long last.  Tomorrow is supposed to be great, so I'm going to factory point.
• 9/5/05 Location: The Back River.  Launched from Belle Isle Marina.  Time sailed: 11:50 am to 4:25 pm.  Total distance sailed: 33.8 mi.  Max speed: 28 mph. Whoo hoo!  Factory Point rocked today!  Was on the 101 L Veloce and  5.6 World Sail the whole time.  Fantastic time ripping around the inside and then a fantastic time launching from the waves on the outside.  The wind built and built on the outside until I was too powered and headed in.  Definitely the biggest jumps I've ever had, launching off 2-3 foot waves at 20mph.  Whoah, it's scary, but exhilerating.  After a bit of a lull, the wind cranked back up again for some more ripping around on the inside.  Finally the tide got too low for comfort (hit the bar at 20mph and whacked my ankle) and I packed it in.  Lots of chop hopping, great jumps, and decent jibes to the left.  I still can't jibe to the right, though, doggone it.  I have to call this sesson my best ever.
• 9/10/05 Location: The Back River.  Launched from Belle Isle Marina.  Time sailed: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  Total distance sailed: 31.8 mi.  Max speed: 27 mph. 101 L Veloce and  5.6 World Sail again.  Just a little less wind than on Monday.  I was sailing with min downhaul instead of max.  Had a great time, but was almost alone.  Two other sailors, one visiting from out of town.  Gotta love Factory Point.
• 9/11/05 Location: The Back River.  Launched from Belle Isle Marina.  Time sailed: 2:50 pm to 4:50 pm.  Total distance sailed: 24.7 mi.  Max speed: 27 mph. 101 L Veloce and  6.7 World Sail.  Just a little less wind than on yesterday.  I was sailing with max downhaul on the larger sail.  Took a long reach straight to the far shore and did a tack behind the government pier.  Never done that before.  Then headed straight for the waves, on the outside of the island, to play.  Even fully powered up, it was a bit harder to play out there.  I think I needed a slightly larger fin, as I kept spinning out when landing jumps.  Eventually I decided I was just too powered for comfort in the big waves out there.  Most of my runs were 20mph +, and the waves were bigger than yesterday.  That coupled with still being tired from yesterday led me to retreat to the inside for some flat water sailing.  Good thing, too, as I had a major skills breakthrough.  Yesterday I couldn't jibe to the right, today I can.  I decided that rather than just ripping back and forth, I was going to practise jibing and not stop until I got it right.  I would just get up to speed and out to the first channel marker and jibe left.  Then I'd head back to shore and jibe right.  I did this over and over (my tracks show 12 out and back runs) until I was hitting jibes in both directions consistantly.  Very exciting...