Windsurfing - FINALLY!!! First day out...

24 December 2006

The Superfly has landed!

It's been a few months in the making, but I've finally gotten a basic windsurfing rig together! I have to tell you all that there's a bit of history here. When I arrived in New Zealand just over 7 months ago I was invited to a product launch at a prospective employer. One of the attendees, a aging fellow, enquired as to why I would ever want to live in Wellington.

(A little later I came to understand that there is a "friendly" animosity between Auckland and Wellington. Auckland being the financial hub and largest city in New Zealand but Wellington being the prettier of the two sisters, and the govermental capital at that!) Anyway, this Aucklander seemed close to being offended that I, a fresh immigrant dared to pick Wellington over Auckland. For lack of a response I told him as tactfully as humanly possible... "Well sir, I'm quite an adventurous person and love windsufing... It would make sense to live in a windy city if I was planning on doing lots of windsurfing, doesn't it?"

From the articles I've posted on this site you'll know that there were a million other reasons I could have given as to why I would like to live in Wellington, but none of those came to mind as I haven't even seen the city at the time of this conversation! The old man wasn't tactfull in his response at all. He just threw it out there, "Well that is no reason to move to Wellington" I guess he hasn't clung to a sail for dear life yet. Only a windsurfer would know the feeling!

And so here I am, I've been in Wellington for 6 of the last 7 months and all that time I spent my savings on residency applications, a vacation in South Africa and loads of other entertainment, but for a few months the windsurfing kit wasn't in the runnings. A little over 5 months ago I realised that I worked with a fellow windsurfer. While I am still in my baby shoes with the sport he has spent many hours in the water and is quite an expert at wave sailing. After a few conversations with him I was as motivated to save for gear as ever, and that is exactly what I did. Painstakingly, bit by bit, I bought every little piece as I tracked them down in the limited second had market. I was surprised at how difficult it was to find cheap secondhand gear in a place as windy as Wellington. One would have thought that there would be thousands of windsurfing fanatics just dying to get rid of old gear but this is unfortunately not the case. Maybe the windsurfing revival that has hit Europe will spill over to New Zealand soon!

So over the last 2 months I've collected the pieces of equipment like clues to a puzzle and yesterday, I finally got to put it all together for the first time. After weeks of looking at a rigless board, missing the old days at Bronkies in South Africa and praying hopefully for many windy days to come, the day finally came! I ended up with a Hifly 145l free-ride board, easy planing, fast and maneuverable it promised much but all that is yet to see. I have only one size sail which will prove a bit limiting in Wellinton's normal wind range of 25-40 knots but will be fine in anything from 14-25... I hope! It's a Tushingham 6.5 sq slalom sail and complements the board beautifully! Yet again the windsurfing community has proven itself to be more hospitable and generous than any other! My windsurfing buddy at work gave me his old boom and mast extention, saving me $600!!! I bought my sail from antoher sailor who promptly invited me along to the next day out, which in Wellington translates to tomorrow! hehe

In South Africa I would have to wait weeks and sometimes months before getting a chance to go sailing in proper wind. In Wellington I can go sailaing literally every second day after work (sun only sets at 9:30 pm) with plenty of lagoons, inlets and beaches to choose from. This place really is awesome if you can appreciate wind. And you wouldn't believe it but om my first day out it just happened to be the ONLY NON WINDY day in the last 2 weeks!!! NOOOOooooooooooooo!!! Hehehe. It did give me a good chance to set the gear up properly without getting thrown around too much but with the wind hardly reaching 12 knots it was a pretty boring ride. Just watch this space, tomorrow is another windy day in Wellington!

Just a week ago I went out to Evans bay, aka "The Ditch" and watched 7 or so windsurfers play around in 35 knot winds on 3.7 sq sails and threatening to break the sound barrier!!! Was totally awesome, but not as awesome as seeing those guys play around in Lyall bay (wave surfing spot) with nice swells and a 30 knot southerly. All I can say is freaking awesome... And soooo here are the much anticipated pics...

Oh yes, just to put my old windsurfing buddies in South Africa at ease. I've gotten a propper wetsuit and solemnly swear to leave my booties-and-speedo fashion statements in the past... where it belongs! hehe I suppose I have to clarify that a little. A year or so ago, I went sailing at our beloved bronkies and it was one of those precious (and scarce) days of goood wind. Constant 20 odd knots and we were all out there. Pieter (the coach!) , Malcolm the Speed freak, Gabbi the Master of hungarian pop, Phillip the great, Colin the Savage and I were out sailing for the day. Somewhere along the line the wind really picked up and I got stuck with way too big a sail and battled to get back to shore. After a hour of muscle tearing work I managed to get back but had quite a walk back to our lauch area and so did the hike of shame. The guys weren't too hard on me as I'm sure they know the pain of being out on the wrong size sail and not getting to use the wind while it is there! Then came the critical mistake! I rigged a smaller sail and got out of my wetsuit (was way too warm out of the water) and was too lazy to get back into the wet thing when I had finished... Soooo I went out for the next session wearing a speedo, gloves, booties and a harness... Yes, in retrospect I hang my head in shame. :o) hehe luckily that is all in the past. To the guys credit they made me promise to never ever go sailing like that while in New Zealand... South African sailors still have their pride! Anyhow, you guys best save up and come visit me for some good sailing hey! I miss you all! What is a day of sailing without some beer, choclates, hungarian music and laughs with you guys anyway? Well then, here's some pics. In a few months time I post some as I near the speed of light on a 80liter board in 35 knot winds :o)

John was my partner in crime for the day, it was a good one! Thx Jo!

New board - she's a beauty!

Look - proper wetsuit hehe

Using what little wind I had... Watch this space... (Good form hey!)

Oh yea, you'll notice that I was the only idiot out there... The locals don't even bother to go out if it ain't blowing over 20 knots. Most of them use 4.7 sq as a stock sail... Scary hey! That's all for now then, will be back soon!

Superfly out... :o)