Heavy waves at Flauwe Werk
Good WNW predicted, perfect for the Grevelingendam, but wind seemed to be less at the Grevelingendam than on the coast.
Menno persuaded me not to go to the Brouwersdam, but to Flauwe Werk
It had been almost 20 years since I last tried to sail there. Then it was not a great success, too little wind for too high waves.
There were a lot of surfing budies I know from the Blokkendam, so I did have confidence that today would be a good day.
When I arrived, Menno was rigging a different sail, he had already wrecked a sail. Menno's 2 friends already left, they could not get behind the surf.

I took the JP FSW 84 with 25 cm Freewave and 10 cm thrusters, enough to be able to get upwind really well. 5.3 ice for enough power.
After a short walk to the waterfront, the surf looked impressive: waves between 1 and 2 meters, breaking waves everywhere, certainly the first 200 meters.
Took some time to look at how others got ou, little downwind, then look for an opening in the first row of waves.

Getting on the board was not that easy, strong currents, but I was pretty quickly planing. Searching for a lower point in a wave and over it: Easy. Next wave was very cole behind, no opening. No choice but to go over the white water, that worked. Next wave had not yet broken, a big wall, hit the lip and went down.

When the wave had rolled over, trying to get the sail out of the water. By the time the tip of the sail was out of the water: next wave. Pushed the tip back down underwater, breath in and dive. After the Gulf passed by, sail up, new wave, sail down, breath. Okay, this can be tricky. After a few waves, it became clear that this could be difficult. After some more waves I could finally feel the bottom. But that did not get me out of the water. Current was way too strong and waves still too high. After a few more waves I got into shallower water and was able to walk up the beach. Relax, take a breath. I was very far downwind from the starting point: had to walk back to along the shore. But first rest.
After my heart rate was lower started with walking back. After a while I came to the point where Menno was resting on the shore, he also couldn't get out.

Together we take a break at watched the others. We saw Jurjen very far downwind from us. We went for one more attempt than stop at the place Jurjen was standing a shore.
My plan: go downwind along shore, play with the lower waves in the shallow water. Got up, searched some small waves, bit of wave riding. Went really well, lost a lot of ground, passed Jurjen quickly, gybed, went in, too deep. Could not really beachstart, too strong current. waited until I got closer to shore, in shallower water I could get up and sail to shore. Had to walk back upwind to Jurjen. Together we walked to Menno. We walk to the starting point together.

Jurjen decided to give it another try. I was done with it. Jurjen got far, the 4th wave got him. Kees and Arjan also stop: Impossible, wind is way too much on-shore. These guys are really good, I they even don't think this is possible. Cleary: not a good day for Flauwe Werk. Why am I here? To drown? Lets head to Brouwersdam.
Jurjen arrived when I was already fully packed, he came walking of the top of the dam. Baseplate broken. (again)

Blokkendam
Same set:FSW 84 with 5.3 Ice, same fins.
Full on-shore wind. So launched from within the harbor and then along the dam to the Middle beach. There were no steep waves, nothing to jump. But little cruising in order to have the feeling that I had surfed a bit today instead of only swum. I tiring quickly, so I didn't go for a long session.

What a day. Whew, totally demolished at flauwe Werk, this was certainly not a good wind direction for Flauwe Werk. Very happy that I 'didnt break any of my equipment or myself. The following days it felt as if a truck had driven over me. I'm going to to try Flauwe Werk again, but then with warmer weather and better wind direction.

Flauwe Werk

Present: Jurjen, Menno (flappie)

12:45 1.25 hour Wind: W/NW
Board: JP Freestyle Wave 84 Pro - MFC Freewave 25cm/Makani Walu 2x10cm
Sail: North Ice 5.3 - North Gold(b) 400cm - Aeron V-Grip 160-210
  For safety I picked a larger set of fins. Enough grip, for upwind, but it was just impossible to sail at Flauwe Werk with on-shore wind. Dit more walking on the beach to get upwind, than I sailed.

Blokkendam

15:30 0.5 hour Wind: W/NW
Board: JP Freestyle Wave 84 Pro - MFC Freewave 25cm/Makani Walu 2x10cm
Sail: North Ice 5.3 - North Gold(b) 400cm - Aeron V-Grip 160-210
  Fins on the bit to big, sail was not tuned right, didn't feel stable. The set had control and went upwind well. There was a high swell, to over a meter. But no steep waves nothing to jump or wave riding, so little freeriding.