On Saturday 29th June, 11 employees from the UK Hydrographic Office ventured down to Teignmouth for a ‘Windsurfing Taster’ session with Seasports Southwest. We were lucky to have a glorious sunny day with light wind which was perfect for beginners! The group was made up of colleagues and CSSC members from across the UK Hydrographic Office and was a wonderful opportunity to meet and socialise with people from across the business that you might not otherwise get to know.
Led by the lovely instructors Paul and Sue, the three-hour session was broken down into small steps that we all practiced before moving onto the next stage. We started by learning how to get on the board, haul the sail, and stabilise ourselves in the ‘Secure’ position (a slightly misleading name I think!). We were then taught how to turn the board 180° using the wind and sail, whilst remaining in the secure position.
Led by the lovely instructors Paul and Sue, the three-hour session was broken down into small steps that we all practiced before moving onto the next stage. We started by learning how to get on the board, haul the sail, and stabilise ourselves in the ‘Secure’ position (a slightly misleading name I think!). We were then taught how to turn the board 180° using the wind and sail, whilst remaining in the secure position.
Next, we learnt how to move into the ‘Sailing’ position, sail in a straight line, turn the board whilst in the sailing position, and finally how to steer whilst sailing. We were also given hints and tips on how to read the water – for example, how to look for fast flowing currents and how to spot incoming gusts of wind. By the end of the lesson, everyone in the group was up and sailing and having a wonderful time on the river, with only a few boat rescues required!
A huge thank you must go out to the CSSC who funded over 40% of the session, making it significantly more affordable for everyone.