Damn those summer doldrums

Yup, it is starting early. The summer doldrums. The endless weeks that go by without a decent session. This weekend is also the first of many hazy, smoggy, and humid periods to come. Synonymous with thermal killing.

Hate to publish negative posts... but sheesh! Give me a good session already! ARGH!!!

Time to brush up the geckos.

Costa Rica

It's booked. We are going. Seven weeks - Dec6 to Jan24. Stoked.

I've got a week-pass to get to Arenal and sail my ass off for 7 days straight. Cheers to honking conditions.

Wymaroo for Yoo!

Man, learning these freestyle tricks seems to take ages! Sure, I can admit I am aging and not quite as aggressive and maleable as I may have once been, but sheesh! Wymaroo's for example. To be honest, this is one trick I have never invested too much into, but one of my good mates in New Zealand was awesome at them - the one and only Gary McCorry - frequent darkhorse to the Wellington Freewave series (actually, dark horse is not the right terminology - there is no question Gary has the goods to win those events, its whether or not he will show up!).


This past monday, I gave a couple more a shot with some decent winds for 5.3 and freestyle board. The problem? Well, take a look at the neat photo sequence that Thomas Dagg put together. I'd say, making a generalization to that sequence - it just looks like I am not investing in the trick, not throwing hard enough. I have compared my position to other pro sailors wymaroo videos care of Continent Seven, take Diony Guadagnino for example. He looks 100% committed through the whole move. In comparison, I look like a 9-5'er stuck at work on a Monday morning - lifeless and half asleep. Brutal. Summary: Kick in the ass: Wake up and give'r 100%, lots of speed and total committment. Next time I will own that trick!! ;)

Grand Finale at Ego Beach

There was a fitting end to our stay in Hatteras.

Thursday was a cruisy 25kts all morning and into early afternoon. Sailed my 4.7 and X1 in the sound, working on flakas and switch stance sailing. Damn those flakas are hard! Seems like as hard as I try, I cannot make any progress. Weird thing is, I even seem to think I know what I am doing wrong - I am just incapable of telling my body what to do differently. DAMN! Sailed with Amine for a while and definitely enjoy the comraderie out there on the water when trying to progress tricks!


Friday was the icing on the cake. Started off ripping winds in the sound. I drove by Jonathan Newmans and Scott MacDonald's house down in the south end of Avon and roused the crew. We were off to Ego Beach, all eager for some wave sailing. First hop over the dunes revealed conditions far far less windy that what was happening on the sound - which was definitely 35kts+, but, a lot more fun! Rigged 4.7 & Wave 76 and sailed some of my first down the line conditions in a long time. I was SO tired from the day before, and it seems Jon and Scott were also getting their strength sapped from donning our rubber suits. The sound is considerably warmer and only on a couple occassions did I wear a shorty. A full suit was definitely the call on the ocean-side - water was reportedly sub 60°F.


What can I say other than an awesome session! Scored some of my best wave rides there ever! Had a few where I managed to connect 4-5turns and even pop the odd aerial! It was excellent. The wind later would notch up 5kts and also turn side-off. I feasted for a while on that with my 4.1 but was ultimately out of gas. Where is a Red Bull when you need it?!

Photos all courtesy of Steve Slaby. Thanks Steve!

Hatteras

Definitely having a great time in Cape Hatteras. Winds have been good from my point of view. Lots of 5.3 freestyle on the sound, many times well into the dark. Cheryl has been awesome in letting me get my fill. Saying that, I've also had some equally awesome times on the beach with the family. Bradley is totally into the water and waves running up the beach. Jalen is still a wee bit freaked by it all. They love playing in the sand which makes me a proud daddy. Nothing better than getting the lads hooked on the beach!

Today is damn windy. Well, damn windy in that it is to blow all day. I've already sailed my 4.7 for 3hrs straight this morning, now taking a rest for the late arvo session. Scott has lined up a photoshoot with the Windsurfing Mag guys, so I am hoping to join in for that later on today. Scott and I did a couple of photoshoots over our two weeks here. One at the Canadian Hole and one off the Big Island near our place here in Avon. Check out Scott's Blog for some samples.

Tomorrow, our last day, is also looking primo with near gale force winds forecasted for the day. Should be good. Unfortunately, no swell is forecast along with it, but still might be worth one go on the ocean-side. We're heading back on Saturday, and it will be back to work. ARGH!

First big car trip with the lads.

This is going to be interesting. 14 hour drive down to the Cape, 1 fully overloaded car, 2 x 15month old boys. I reckon we'll be doing a lot of stopping to let the boys vent their frustration from being strapped down. They don't handle restraint very well.

As long as I can remember, arrival in Hatteras was immediately followed by a good session, regardless of the wind. This will be the first time a grocery trip takes precedence. ARGH!

Sounds like some Ottawa sailing buddies will be down at the sametime, including up'n'coming action photographer Scott MacDonald. Hopefully we have some time to collaborate on some projects together. Strong SW is forecast for later next week (how do they forecast that far ahead? i.e. how on earth do they expect to get that right when they can't get tomorrow right). Looking forward to getting thrashed at Ego Beach.

I hope I don't forget to pickup my gear on the way past Watertown. That would suck. ;)

Hatteras

Counting down: 17 days til departure.
Yeah baby.

I like it. I like it alot...

The '08 Quatro 76. Looking forward to stepping on this one in some Hatteras waves.

'08 Goya W3D's, 6.2, 5.3, 4.7, 4.1. Can't wait.

All of it stuck in a storage lock-up in Watertown til Hatteras. So, if it blows in Kingston before April 26, it better blow 3.7 since that is all I have left in Kingston.

Costa Rica next winter... SHWEET!!

Well, this can't quite compare to the CrankyWindsurfer's recent revelation and movements towards personal fulfilment, but I'm working on it. Having just signed on a permanent basis at work, which was a difficult thing to do, with that 4wk vacation limitation - Ericks comments definitely ring home.

Life is short and you gotta enjoy it. That was certainly a factor contributing to our 2 years in New Zealand. Anyway, a request upon contract signing was the go ahead to take two months off next winter to explore Costa Rica with my family. And the go ahead I did indeed receive. It's on!! Let the planning begin...

No doubt it will not be a pure windsurfing trip, but more of a family immersion into Costa Rican culture, lifestyle and language. The boys will just be turning two after our return home, so no better time to capitalize on their cheap airfare than to escape the onset of winter in Canada. We will hit Lago Arenal for a couple weeks in December, but aside from that, we'll be immersed in various places, learning spanish, exploring the lush forests and lounging on the beaches, exposing our wee lads to a new amazing place, not to mention catching the odd wave on a surf board.

Stoked.

New kit on the way!

Yeah! A big fat Fedex shipment is on its way with a new Quatro wave stick and a few new '08 Goya W3D's, plus a new make boom to test. Stoked!

Here's a photo of Mr. Goya himself showing how these sails are meant to be ridden.

Support!

Check out this new video from Canadian windsurfer Phil Soltysiak training in El Yaque. Best of luck to Phil on the 2008 PWA Freestyle tour!

For Sale...

I've got a few bits and pieces for sale. Here's the start of the list:

2007 Quatro Wave 76 - $1075. This stick is a sweet ride and in near mint condition. Buy me!

2007 Goya Wave 5.3 - $450. A nice grunty wave sail with full X-ply. Rigs on a 400 (rec'd) or 430 (with some turban). Red/Black. Good condition.

What else...
Hm, might have a couple nice Streamlined standard diameter extensions for sale, maybe a smaller MFC USbox wave fin... small junk North Comp boom. I have accumulated a few bits and pieces. If you are looking for something in particular, just ask.

Goals for 2008.

It's winter, there is nothing to do but dream of tricks. What are your goals for the year?

For me, the goals are the same as they have been for the last 3 years. I failed miserably to learn these in NZ, so I have no idea how I will find the time here in North America.

Flakas. Shakas. Pushloops. Big forwards.

That's all. I'm not asking much eh?

Flaka attempts messed up my shoulder in the fall and it is still in bad shape. Amazing how switching to an underhand grip with the front hand would have prevented it all. Wierd anatomics.

Shakas - I don't think they are as hard as they look. I made one in NZ, but haven't had much luck since. They are SO cool looking. I'm all over them this year, in fact, I'll take them happily over flakas...

Pushloops. Just needs some conditions to try them, which seem to alude us here in Canada all the time.

BIG forwards. Yes, I became a wimp after dinging my MCL in the Gorge on a flat landing. Stalled big forwards. Yup.

What are your goals? Have a great 2008 where ever you are with lots of wind and waves!

Grubby in the Gorge

My buddy Greg got this short Grubby clip from a trip to the Gorge in 2004. I just started nailing them that year and utter bewilderment usually set-in after realizing I finally landed another one.

MFC Fins!

Looks like Pio will be hooking me up with MFC! Thanks Pio!
Now all I need is for all this damn snow and ice to melt...

Off-Topic: Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is some neat stuff. While in NZ, I spent five weeks 'interning' at EcoInnovation in Taranaki. It was very interesting and has stoked my fire to get into the industry in the long run. Not sure how it will be done, but it will be done.

Anyway, just trying to keep abreast of developments. My good buddy Craig emailed me a few links. As someone who likes to be well informed, Craig does a lot of reading and is probably my best portal to neat projects like these.

Take a look at them if you are interested.
- NanoSolar - Huge potential in the field of photovoltaics.
- Magenn - A pretty innovative wind turbine idea.
- ThermoEnergy - Clean coal burning?!?! OK, it's not renewable, but very pertinent!

Ahh winter...

For sure, winter is a period of adjustment, and a period of relaxation.

The transition into winter is definitely a challenging time - hanging up the water toys for the ice tools and skates. For a few months, its a challenge to get into the different forms of substandard activities. On the other hand, the stress levels drop massively.

And why? All of a sudden, the anxiety of chasing the sporadic wind forcasts, rescheduling this and that, and racing home to rack up has all of a sudden vanished. The water is rock hard, the snow has fallen and one must give into the white stuff, and re-focus on the more important things.

No doubt it's a time design by mother nature to rack up the brownie points with the wife for stockpiling next summers day passes.

Hatteras trip planned

Stoked that the family and I are heading down to the Outer Banks in late April for a couple of weeks! I've got my fingers crossed that we score a solid combo of nice weather with lighter winds for puttering with the boys, and some nasty fronts pushing in the heavy winds and swell. We shall see!

Ice climbing time is here...

Well, with the decline of the windsurf season comes the start of ice climbing season... SWEET!! Hooking up with an old buddy from Uni, Paul, to hit the ice in Gananoque. Hopefully she'll be in by the 26th!! Yeah baby... can't wait to swing those tools.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays everyone! To whomever may be looking anyway...