Downwind Hanna SUP'ing

45 MPH winds with 50+ gusting!
Let me start out by mentioning that it wasn't a dangerous paddle.
The Back Bay of Sandbridge is shallow. Every time I was blown off the board, I was able to stand up on the bottom. I was wearing a leash. I was never more than a few hundred yards from shore and people knew where I was as noted by the photos. Never paddle out into a situation where you aren't certain if you can get back in!
My only mistake was leaving the 9" race fin on the board when the stock "Shark" fin would have given me much better hold on the short/steep/fast wind-waves.
Once I was moving truly downwind it wasn't a big deal. I had to crab across the waves for the first 15 minutes or so and that was an adventure. During an exceptionally vigorous gust of wind I was blown off the board and as it cart wheeled over my head, it sounded like a helicopter rotor. The board was literally flapping on the surface when I retrieved it...without a leash, I would have been walking/swimming home and someone would have wound up with a 12'6" storm trophy in there yard. Possibly sticking out of their house!
After successive blow-offs and once I cleared the point that would give me a clear shot towards the Mill-pond and home, it was game on. The JL Distance was stable, fast and tracked very well.
it took me less than 20 minutes to travel the 2 miles to the house and that was with a stop to conduct an interview with the local news station. I didn't bring the GPS but I am sure I was moving at speeds approaching ocean SUP surfing for most of the time I was on the water.
Good stuff but near my fun - insanity threshold!
Play-hard but play safe.

Aloha,
Dukey