I used to windsurf.
That was before the advent of kitesurfing, then standup surfing/paddling.
That all changed yesterday...
My scheduled ride (Roger - owner of the 28' Trimaran I've been crewing on) had to cancel because of strong wind. Well - what to do with days filled with strong winds... windsurf of course.
Here's my hierarchy of things to do depending on swell presence and wind strength:
Flat - Dead = SUP Distance Paddling or stay on the beach feeling sorry for myself
Flat - Slight Breeze = Sailing the Weta with the entire family, or SUP Distance paddling
Flat - Breezy = Break out the kites! Rip on the Weta
Flat - Nuking = Windsurf
Surf - Dead = Surf, SUP Surf
Surf - Slight Breeze = Surf, SUP Surf, Kitesurf
Surf - Breezy = Surf, Kitesurf
Surf - Nuking = Judge my windsurfing abilities against the swell size
In all this, discretion is always the better part of valor.
The hard part about living in Gulfport, MS is that the second half of this list doesn't ever get exercised. Without surf (or even surf culture, of which there is none down here either), life is missing spice. Having access to water does have it's benefits (psycologically as well as fitness wise), so I have to be careful of what I say/write. I've been landlocked before (Baghdad, 2005-2006) and let me tell you - I've never been so cranky.
But you have to always try to find the brighter side of things, and in the case I've just presented, at least I get to run through the first half of the list (as well as spend time with La, Big M and Noe the Terrible - she's a really rough wrestler).
Oh - and the pic is of me breaking out the old first generation Starboard HyperSonic (125L). The wind was blowing 17-22 down low where I was (the Gulfport NOAA Station was reading 22-27 up higher) - glad I decided to windsurf instead of launching the small kites.
When you haven't done something in a while, and you're able to pick it right back up, there is always a great sense of satisfaction and an upwelling of long forgotten senses - I think I'll be windsurfing again for a while - as long as I can get the wind to blow at nuking levels...
May the force (of the wind) be with you.
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