Wilcox Weather Window

[sub5rider]

Is there a long-range forecast for the WWW ?

It's just that Easter 2003 we were definately in it, even tho' we were utterly ignorant of it's existance then - and at Easter 2004 we most definately missed it - and suffered miserably as a result.

So, if the good doctor could get out the runes, seaweed or whatever else he employs to predict the weather with such good effect and let us know, then this could be of enormous help in our planning processes for Easter '05 .....

;)

PS: Better still tell us where you'll be .....

[Helen M not logged in]

Funny that - Mike and I were just talking about the WWW at the weekend when paddling on Loch Lomond! Douglas definately wasn't around that area as for a scary 15 minutes when trying to get back from the last island to Luss a force 10 (at least) kicked in! Ok - maybe that's a very slight exageration - probably a wee blast of force 7! Still very scary though. Was paddling and gettitng nowhere (and I was in a double with Dave so there were in fact 2 of us paddling and getting nowhere!)

Our Easter plans are at the planning stage so any inside information would be good!


Luv H - x

[CCL]

....I have 4 days off work next week (tuesday onwards).....any idea if the Wilcox weather window can be booked ?

Plan A is St Abbs - Amble area....but I note severe gale force NW forecast for Tuesday in the North Sea!

a not too far north plan B might be worth considering? any ideas?

Claire

[Jim]

Nigel, I understand from the admiral that our plan is to join the usual suspects again this year - are you going on their trip?

If so we need to canvass Douglas to provide that weather window, because my gut feeling is that Easter is early this year and we could really get some weather!

Anyway all this talk of sea paddling reminds me my stove is broke, better take it out to the farm and see if I can weld it :)

JIM

[sub5rider]

Nigel, are you going on their trip?

That's the plan, tho' I'm still in physio with damaged shoulder - so everyone else definately needs to have a towline. ;)

If so we need to canvass Douglas to provide that weather window

You're nearest - go nick his seaweed

The admiral has even signed up to our forum (Mayfly).

Cheers 'n' Beers

[Zoe Newsam]

I'd like to book the above window for the following dates if possible please:

Easter weekend, Anglesey
23rd- 29th April, Jura
30th April- 6th May, Anglesey
9th - 27th August, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Thanks,
Zoe ;0)

[sub5rider]

I'd like to book the above window for the following dates if possible please:
Easter weekend, Anglesey
Zoe

NO chance
;)

[Zoe Newsam]

Awww, spoil sport! Can't there be 2 windows? 1 each? Or maybe you lot could come to Anglesey & we'd all be happy??

[Helen M]

I think .. if I'm not mistaken .. Douglas's ww is available to all - providing - Douglas is around! somewhere! Where are u Douglas? Plans for Easter? OK - will be crowded! ideas? will it help if we tell you we love u? We do - honestly! Is code word the way to go? Used to work in Intellegence - almost started WW3 - I know - scary! East West, right , left got me into loads of trouble! HELP! We need the info ... flat, calm is good .. for me!

Help!

Luv H - and all other sea paddlers!

xx

[Jim]

You're nearest - go nick his seaweed

Yeah we are probably frequently in the same square mile of the city, yet I've never actually met him so don't know whose seaweed it is I'm trying to nick :)

The admiral has even signed up to our forum (Mayfly).

Cheers 'n' Beers

Makes sense, that's what he sails! He probably didn't dare name himself after his kayak, because people might ask what happened to the previous one, and if he's not careful he might get rumbled! I wonder if he has actually sold the old one yet or if he's still sneaking around hoping mum can't tell one boat from another and as long as they are never seen together........

JIM

[RichardCree]

I have kidnapped Douglas, and am holding him to ransom

the weather window is mine, ha ha all mine

[sub5rider]

Hmmmm.. we'll just kidnap Zoe & take her with us, then.....
:)

[RichardCree]

I have paddled with Zoe, her weather window not so good.

[sub5rider]

her weather window not so good.

Who's caring ??
;)

[Zoe Newsam]

Mmmm, as I remember the last time was a 'non-paddle' with Richard due to gale force winds & the WWW clearly being booked somewhere else. Or was it the RichardCree bad weather window? My weather all last summer was particularly fine, if I do say so myself... Yesterday was a bit lacking though- force 8 in Holyhead harbour. Even the coastguard laughed at us!

Sub5rider wrote

Hmmmm.. we'll just kidnap Zoe & take her with us, then.....
:)

Do I get a say in that? ;0)

Z

[Jim]

I think not, hence the word 'kidnap' :D

If I take all my kitesurfing gear it's bound to be flat calm for the whole week, no worries :) Or utterly blown out.

JIM

[Douglas Wilcox]

Hi folks its me again,

I am back and so is my weather window! It was a lovely sunny day today!

I have been under the weather; arthritis pills caused asthma, stopped pills, joints killing me, didn't get out in all that lovely weather last weekend, home computer hard disk crash, too busy to log in at work (exam marking season), kidnapped etc etc. Unfortunate or what!

Anyway, here we are enjoying some spring sunshine. Air temp a lovely 4 deg C (before wind chill). Please excuse photo quality, it was quite difficult taking a hand off the paddle for the photos and I fell in twice.











Didn't do anything for my joints but did a lot more for the spirit than the post kidnapping stress counselling!

Douglas :o)

[RichardCree]

Another fine day on the water, what Douglas doesnt say is that he discolocated my finger when I put him back in his boat.

all good fun thanks to all those who attended

[Douglas Wilcox]

Richard is extremely lucky to have escaped with only a dislocated finger, during the violent struggle to regain my freedom from the completely uncalled for kidnapping (in a vain attempt to hold my weather window to ransom).

The last person to attempt to steal my weather window has had to sell all his kayaking gear on Ebay, he can no longer use it.

But glorious and magnanimous in victory; Richard, if it still hurts I have got a nearly new packet of joint pills, hardly used!

Douglas :o)

[RichardCree]

until next time

[Zoe Newsam]

Ouch!!!
Not too sure I'm keen on the kidnap plan!!!!!!

Good surf photos though!! :0)))
Z

[Jim]

Where was that? Surely not Barrassie on Saturday? (I thought I saw a familiar mark, but actually they all look the same).

I was kitesurfing at Barrassie on Sunday and while there were some big waves (wasting me) I don't recall anything quite that big, but Saturday was probably rougher. I almost wished I'd taken my boat as the wind was difficult and the waves big enough to mess around with (although trashy).

JIM

[RichardCree]

Hi Jim,

it was doonfoot at Ayr on Sunday afternoon

[Jim]

Ah, the next bay south, that could make all the difference! Still it is exceptional surf for the Firth of Clyde.

JIM

[Douglas Wilcox]

Jim>exceptional surf for the Firth of Clyde

Hello Jim, it was not bad considering it was a north wind! We had met up at West Kilbride where the wind was force 6-7, 30 degrees cross off and the the sea close to the shore was flat as a pankake. I got the impression that some of the others were condidering paddling out to the waves but I'm afraid I dug my heels in and suggested looking for more onshore conditions.

Over 26 years I have windsurfed off every beach in the Clyde and I was pretty sure Doonfoot would work. It was high tide and the River Doon was in spate so the waves were jacking up against its outflow. Because of the river, there are sandbars a long way out (2/3 of a km) so we were really paddling in shorebreak all the time. Elswhere on the Clyde, you tend to get through the shorebreak after about 7 waves. Of course its not always like that....


However, the Doonfoot surf is not that exceptional for the Clyde. At Troon south beach in a south westerly, about 1.25km off shore between seal rock and the harbour, you regularly get swells 3 times the size of these ones at Doonfoot, though my tool of choice would be a windsurfer/kitesurfer rather than a kayak.

This shot is taken from the beach at Troon south in a 30 to 47 knot sw wind. Count the battens on the sail on the left to get some idea of the size of the shorebreak, out at the reef it was bigger...

Oh and just to prove I do exist, that's me in the foreground.

Douglas :o)

[Jim]

Yeah, I've found I get tumbled worse at South Beach! With the wind in the North as it was Sunday, Barrassie was just cross-onshore, South Beach would have been just cross-offshore. I guess Doonfoot is the south end of Ayr bay (having crossed the Doon going elsewhere this works in my mind) so again you would have had the curve of the bay to make it slightly onshore.

One of my best sessions learning to kitesurf was up at Stevenston in a northerly(ish). I was nervous about the banking/wall but the wind was truly cross-shore and where I started close into the breakwater it was flat as a pancake which gave me a chance to get going before I had to contend with waves. I'm more confident about starting in waves now! I'm still not up for a 1.25km trek offshore to find them though! That's too far to be swimming back if I screw up big time!

So red fully battened sail, yellow BA, blue gath lid - I'll try and spot you sometime! I fly the not inflatable peter lynn kites, red or yellow, and my board is a sheet of plywood!

JIM

[Douglas Wilcox]

sub5rider>Is there a long-range forecast for the WWW ?

Sorry to keep you in suspense Nigel, I have decided to give the last week in March a miss, it's looking mighty dodgy, much worse than the Doonfoot session above (which, at least, was sunny!).

I am going to the Solway first week in April. (If it turns out windy and wet I'll be off windsurfing, so I will be alright!)


Have a good Easter everyone!

Douglas :o)