Windsurfing

Windsurfing,  it found me again.   I spent 6 yrs on a Caribbean island named Bonaire.  The island is a windsurfing paradise and has produced some of the top freestyle champions in the world.   I was no champion,  I was on old clapped out gear racing guys on the newest, lightest and best.  The life of a poor missionary kid I suppose.  I earned the respect of my peers and the race promoters though.  One race director told me that if I had modern equipment, I would do quite well. 

After a regatta one year, some Americans offered me a killer deal on a sweet windsurf package.  Board, sails and everything.  For reasons beyond my control, I could not take them up on that offer. 

Fast forward a couple of years and at 16yrs old in the 11th grade, I was plopped down in Charlotte.  This was late 80's, around 1988.  I found the International Board Sailing Club of Charlotte and joined.  I was able to purchase a windsurf package and get out to Lake Norman quite a bit. 

Then I went to college in Toccoa GA and there was nowhere close to sail, and the board and gear took up too much space in my dorm room.  I gave up and sold my gear.

20 yrs later, I got a killer deal on another complete windsurf rig.   I'm thrilled to be back into the sport. 

There is nothing like it, and I have tried a lot of different sports in the past 30 yrs.   When the wind is up,  hooking into the harness,  sliding into the footstraps,  leaning back on the sail...... the board planes and skips along the water at 25 mph.  

The wind in my hair, the sun in my eyes, the only thing that matters is that I'm flying,  free and unfettered.  Love it.