Noel

I'm not sure what I think about the National Hurricane Center's new practice of using obscure, politically correct, often gender-ambiguous names for storms. The latest one is particularly confusing; Noel, masculine, pronounced "knoll", not "nowell". Sheesh. Storms are problematic enough for a windsurfer- Does one welcome the wind with excitement, or somberly mourn the destruction and death it may visit upon others?

Noel as a Nor'Easter-

Anyway, as tragic as Noel was for parts of the caribbean, its conversion to a "Nor'Easter" storm off the Virginia coast brought perfect windsurfing breezes to Chesapeake Bay. Yesterday afternoon some other sailors and I scored 25-35 knot NE winds at Factory Point. That meant I got to use my 3.5 sail for the second time ever. Yowza! Today as the storm moved North to New England (sick movie from MA) the wind in our area shifted to NW, favoring my backyard launch; the VIMS beach access at Gloucester Point.

Doug Lord (pictured) drove down from Williamsburg to join me at the launch, and we ran into Mike Shaughnessy on the water, who had launched from the Yorktown side of the river. All of us were on sails around 5.0 in 20-25 knot winds and bright sunshine.

Funny how what was a disaster for some was a miracle for us.