JC: While the deluge of winter storms left much of the UK under water following one of the wettest Decembers on record; on the windsurfing frontier, these low pressure systems have lashed our coastline with relentless winds, consistent waves and relatively warm temperatures. As if confirmation were needed, I received a suspicious text from Paul ‘Hunty’ Hunt the day after Boxing Day, claiming he had just scored the second best wave sailing session in the UK! (his words, not mine). Big call and fair enough if he was sending the message from Thurso or the Isle of Lewis but Hunty had been windsurfing at Hayling Island of all places. Surely he was bluffing! I’ll be the first to admit that I remember one famous picture from about 1927 of Peter Hart or some such hero heading out in a force 10 gale but aside from that maybe those Hayling locals must have been keeping their cards pretty close to their chest for the past few decades! Time to investigate if Hunty was just winding me up or was he actually onto a winner; it would not be long before I would
find out.
Timing had not been on my side towards the end of 2015. It seemed whenever the infamous Motley Red phone bleeped its warning signal, then it just happened to coincide with that pre booked family dinner or the day I had to go and watch the school play. Any parents out there will know how it is! New Year’s Eve is another of those dates pencilled into my calendar not to be messed with but for different reasons. I have a tradition to head with the family over to a friend’s house early afternoon, where the men participate in a mega competitive darts, table tennis and indoor tennis challenge and then drink copious amounts of beer before a curry and blurry NYE celebrations. Like I say, you just don’t mess with those sort of commitments!