Dougie’s Winter Road Trip – Swan Bay 25th July 2015

Well sometimes it takes a long time to recognise something you really miss!
For me it was spinning my wheels waiting 7 months for my shoulder to heal when the light bulb moment occurred that I really missed the road tripping to windsurf. In the early days of the Club every weekend was a road trip to Inverloch. Don’t get me wrong, it still is for me, it is just one by one most of my windsurfing friends have settled in Inverloch and I have no one to enjoy the trip down with, or bump into at the Café in Grantville or text “Where are u” whilst on the road excited by the trees swaying wildly in the breeze.
So, those that know me, I do not spend time crying in my soup! Let’s get out and change this and the Dougie’s Road Trip was born!!
Physio gave me the all clear on the shoulder just as the winter doldrums hit. Every weekend was a big miss in regards to wind – got that desperate that I brought the Uncle Dougie SUP off Warwick and started to SUP at Lysterfield Park Lake. As we got deeper into Winter I thought the northerlies will come and Swan Bay is the place to be. With minimal planning and a few discussions with Red, one of Swan Bay locals, it was on.
It took a few weeks but then the wind gods started to align with forecasts of 15 – 20 kts and fourteen people were on the road heading for the Queenscliff Lonsdale Yacht Club on the edge of Swan Bay. Our breakfast meeting was a shambles as I arrived late just as Pete and Frank were leaving. However, one by one people started rolling into the Yacht Club carpark all with big lip smacking smiles on their dials as they saw the conditions for the first time. A big wide open bay of water, sand bars and weed beds, 15 kts of breeze and lovely flat water. Introductions were made, and out of respect for the locals a nude interpretative dance was done by IWC members. The locals were heard sniggering something about our fins were too upright and the locals had theirs more on an angle??
The Club house is a lovely old sixties weatherboard building right on the water’s edge and thanks to Oscar, one of the local members, it was opened for us to enjoy a hot cuppa – sorely needed with the mercury raising to 12C outside.
As always, sail sizes and fin sizes were discussed as a flurry of activity happened and people launched. A few came back and to change up as the wind was a bit holey but still comfortable to run 6.6 mtr and 7.5 mtr sails. They also reported a viscous two foot Port Jackson shark was seen patrolling the area. Something the locals would pick up and throw at each other. The boat house was opened at lunch time with the BBQ rolled out and a few of us checked out what were in the storage racks. We were surprised to find 4 newish Kona one design boards, some old Bombora’s and a Tri fin of some descript melting away.
After a refuelling stop we all hit the water again a little heavier from the BBQ sausages and Tash’s choc chip muffins. The wind faded around 3 pm which was perfect timing for us all to pack up and head back home. From the conversation and the camaraderie it was a great success and I will not be surprised to hear a few club members sneaking back whenever a decent northerly is forecasted. The question is where will Dougie’s Spring Road trip be to?
Thanks to all who attended and helped to make the day a great success, Red , Oscar, Roh, Ant, Naz, Roy, Dan, Simmo, Postie, Kempsta, Frank, Sea Skip and Ido.  Extra thanks to Roy for bringing the Club gear, Queenscliff Lonsdale Yacht Club for use of facilities, Oscar for opening and closing the facilities and Antman for taking the photos.