Close Encounter with a Seal
2nd weekend of the year, 2nd time surfing, year starts well.
Unfortunately, the predicted WNW wind did not come, was WSW, so no Grevelingendam, but Kabbelaarsbank.

Jurjen was already there, he was sailing with 7.8, which seemed a bit big. Others were on 5.5 or 6.0. So wanted to go for the Crossride 6.6, unfortunately it turned out to have a crack.
So had to choose between: 5.9 or 7.3.

iSonic 117 with Daytona 7.3 and Z-Fins 42cm
While walking into the water I doubted about the 7.3. Wind seemed strong. Sailed a bit, more downhaul, more outhaul. That helped, Sail became easier to handle. But the chop was nasty, steep and short.
Even with the Z-Fins it was tough going over the chop. Not that I was going through it slowly. I was the fastest on the water. I could easily keep up with full-slalom sail on the water. Because of the speed of the Z-Fin it becomes more difficult.
In front of the port of Scharendijke there was just a lee behind the dike, there water was flatter, because of the big sail I could make use of it. Smaller sails stopped planing in the lee, but I could jibe in the flatter water.

JP FSW 102 with Duke 5.9 and MFC 29cm
So, that makes a big difference, I should have done this earlier, this speed makes it a lot easier and more relaxed. In the beginning, the board didn't really run loose, not enough pressure in the sail.
Jibes went really sweet. If it was in the chop in front of Scharendijke it took a bit more focus. Little waves to jump, water now seemed flatter than with the iSonic and the 7.3.
The whole afternoon there were occasional seals surfacing, taking a breath above water and looking at the surfers in front of Scharendijke above the deepest part of the Grevelingen.
One was very, very lucky, and so was I. Planing at full speed, a seal surfaced 2 meters in front of me, fortunately half a meter next to my course, so we did not colide, I could never have avoided him: That was scary!
After a while the wind drop and I stopped.

Was a fun day full out slalom, and some freeride.
The seal and I have been very lucky.

Kabbelaarsbank

Present: Jurjen

13:00 1.25 hour Wind: W 18/25 kts
Board: Starboard iSonic 117 - Z-Fins SL S- 42cm
Sail: North Daytona 7.3 - North Platinum(11) 460 - HPL Carbon Race 200-285
  Set was too big, sailing trimmed past max. Sail was not overpowered, but the chop was nasty, and board did not have a lot of control. Maybe I should have tried a smaller fin, or should have tried to change the trim. Set was fast, I could overtake everybody, even the guys with full slalom sails.
14:30 1.25 hour Wind: W 18/26 kts
Board: JP Freestyle Wave 102 Pro - MFC Freewave 29cm
Sail: North Duke 5.9 - North Gold 430cm - Dynafiber Blacklunar 155-205
  In the beginning wind was a little bit less, I could get planing but barely, set not really fast, few knots more and the set was going a lot better. With the lesser wind, getting upwind with the MFC 29cm was more work, bit more wind and the fin worked perfect. Jumps easy. planing gybes are easy, but also possible to make hard carving snappy turns.