The Peconic Puffin Windsurfing Blog

Hail Caesar...He Is Coming

The master of jawdropping lightwind freestyle magic, Bonaire's Caesar Finies, will be competing at the second annual East Coast Windsurfing Festival at Hecksher State Park, June 6-7.   The bar has just been raised Big Time!  Of course Long Island counters with the reigning King of the East Mike Burns, along with LI expat Chachi Sassone.   Come check out the action (and compete yourself...there will be casual competition classes in both freestyle and racing for the fun-inclined)...sign up now at the East Coast Windsurfing Festival website.  

If you've never seen Caesar do his thing, check out the video below and find out what all the fuss is about.  

Windsurfing from Bonaire to Curacao for a Cause

 Bonaire’s Taty Frans (ranked 7th in the world) and former Olympian Constantin “Patun” Sargoza are going to windsurf from Bonaire to Curacao on March 8th as part of a fundraiser to help support a stricken local hero. Ann Phelan tells us more:

The event is a fundraiser for Erwin Muller.  Erwin, a dive master and former windsurf hero on Bonaire suffered a serious stroke in January. He is recuperating in Curacao and has a long rehabilitation ahead. Erwin is well known in the community for being a man who loves adventure whether it’s riding his quad or delivering a yacht across the Caribbean.  Locals and tourists are rallying to support Erwin and his family, Ellen and Jason. The March 8 race is dedicated to Erwin, one of the original founders of windsurfing on Bonaire.  

Helicopters and chase boats will accompany the two sailors across the passage. The record set back in the 80’s by Erwin is 4 hours. Donations for this fundraiser may be contributed via Paypal to Erwin2CanDive@gmail.com   To follow Erwin’s recovery please see erwinmuller.blogspot.com

We wish Erwin well, and good sailing to Taty and Patun.  

I myself have done this crossing….by plane.

(Photo of Taty borrowed from Ann's website.)

Let's Watch Caesar Spin

I haven't played with nonplaning freestyle since the East Coast Windsurfing Festival, but on Saturday I decided that I was going to flip a sail whether there was wind or not, and got out into Davis Creek, imagining myself to be the mighty Caesar Finies.   

The video above is an encore presentation of a clip I shot last November in Bonaire. 

P.S.  Number of emails I've received from Peconic Jeff since the last time we had planing conditions, identifying potential good days that have failed to appear?   Five.   It's not Jeff's fault...we're just all desperate.  

Caesar Wants To Teach You How To Freestyle Like He Does

Hail Caesar...the magician of light wind freestyle.      You've seen his jaw-dropping sail play (if you haven't, take a look above) and now he's wondering if you'd like to learn from him. Specifically, Caesar sent the following comment to the Peconic Puffin:

What do you guys think if i put a lightwind clinic teaching my tricks...would you join? Let me know... my email is cfinies@gmail.com.

This man is incredibly talented. I've never seen him teach freestyle, but I've seen him assist windsurfers on the beach at Bonaire, and he was quite friendly and personable. This could be quite the opportunity if you want to learn some mad windsurfing tricks!

Board Rack of the Stars

Imagine if there was a board rack at Hookipa where Jason Polokow, Kauli Seadi, Nik Baker, the Moreno twins, the Sivers, Robby etc all kept there boards, and you could walk up to it and check out (without touching) what the Greats were riding.

In Bonaire, not only is there such a rack (with Taty/Tonky/Choco Frans', and Kiri Thode's planks) but you get to walk by it every day for inspiration when you get to Lac Bay. I like to think that the instruments of great performers (guitars, baseball bats, windsurfing boards, whatever) reverberate with past virtuoso performances.

Then of course there's practical information, too. My sailing buddy Peconic Jeff is obsessed with getting the right freestyle fin (he likes mine and certainly has more sailing time on it than I do.) I snapped a photo of Kiri Thode's fin of the day, which turned out to be a GSport T1, originally 21 cm, though it looks like Kiri has had at it with a grinding wheel.

Freestyle Video: Back In Black...Caesar, Part Two

During a trip to Bonaire in late November I was able to tape several practice sessions of the brilliant Caesar Finies.    A video of his first session was shown here back in December.  Now we present a second video, taped on a day when the wind was a little lighter, and during which he showed us at least one new way to throw a sail around.    If you're not familiar with the windsurfing of this incredible nonplaning freestyle genius, buckle your seatbelt and click on the video!

More magic from the crucible of freestyle windsurfing in Bonaire...

Freestyle Video: Caesar in Bonaire

The freestyle you can see from the beach at Bonaire's Lac Bay is astonishing.   Not only can you watch Kiri Thode, Tonky, Taty, and Choco Frans, but also the extraordinary nonplaning specialist Caesar Finies.   On a recent trip to Bonaire I taped several of Caesar's practice sessions.   He told me that the wind (which was averaging 16-18 knots) was a bit strong for his style of sail handling and that he would not have his best control, but that I was welcome to shoot anyway.

Check out what Caesar can do with a 5.0, as his practice session lights up the beach in front of Jibe City.

Bonaire Windsurfing Vacation Synopsis

A great trip!

How much we windsurfed: Twelve sessions in six days.

How was the wind: I sailed 5.9 and 6.6 sails the entire week (should have been on a 4.7 during the storm but that's another story.)

How many jibes did Surfergirl777 hit during the week: Fifteen (twelve on starboard, three on port.)

Favorite restaurants: Cappricio, Mona Lisa, Bistro de Paris, Casablanca.

Best equipment rental: Windsurf Place. We have had good experiences with both Windsurf Place and Jibe City, but Windsurf Place is really stepping it up with the rigs, boards and fins.

Did we meet great people? Yes.

Did we see world class freestyle right in front of our noses performed by world champions? Almost every day. In the clip below, Kiri Thode (PWA ranked #3 in the world) practices next to Sally while she adjusts her rig.

Storm Session in Bonaire

As black clouds hung over a substantial rainstorm just a couple of miles upwind, a few windsurfers stayed out on the bay reaching and jibing, while others began to drift towards shore. Elvis and Roger of The Windsurf Place were discussing the oncoming storm in a language other than English, so I couldn’t eavesdrop…I had to ask: Is the rain going to kill the wind or (please let it be so) is it going to really blow?

“I’m not sure,” Elvis said, “but if it blows it will be strong but brief…maybe ten minutes.”

There was going to be no time to gauge the wind and select gear. I needed to make a decision about board and sail size now, and live with it. I had about a minute to sort it out.

No I didn’t.

WHAM came the pouring rain in what the meter later confirmed to be 30+ knots of wind. While everyone on the water was getting flattened I grabbed the first smallish stuff I saw…a 100 liter board and a 5.9 sail. I hit the water and took off like a bat out of hell, of course immediately overpowered. I’d have been blind as well, but sunglasses prevented the 30 knot power wash from shutting me down. Lac Bay is so flat that keeping the board on the water wasn’t a problem, but with visibility only about 70 yards things were well past exciting.

After about five minutes of tearing around, the wind dropped and the rain subsided. I headed in, but Elvis waved me off. “It’s going to come again!” Bless his local knowledge…

WHAM

By now my harness lines are adjusted and I’m as dialed in as I’m going to get. And as the first blast cleared the bay of sane people, the second five minute session saw the water sailed only by Kiri Thode, Cesar, me, and one other vacationing lunatic (he never even rigged down.)

(photo: The storm, ten minutes before it hit.)

Surfergirl777 Hits Her First Jibe

And her second, third and fourth. But we came to Bonaire so she could get her first, so let’s talk about that one.

Sally and I were supposed to be spending this week on a more traditional Wedding Anniversary vacation (something not centered around windsurfing) and we’d spent the better part of a year planning said vacation at a suitably fancy location.. One week before our departure, my wife grabs her superhero windsurfing outfit (in which she is Surfergirl777) from the closet and proclaims “Let’s skip the carefully planned fancy vacation. I want to go to Bonaire and hit my first jibe!”

She really knows how to twist my arm. Seven days later we were on the water in Bonaire.

My bride got bit with the jibing thing back in September, and the ABK clinic that month really got her going. But Long Island conditions since have rarely been suitable since (too much wind or not enough) and then drysuit season broke out…not her thing. Hence Bonaire.

Sunday was warm-up day (we arrived on the red-eye from Newark, and were not our best.) But out on the water Monday Sally was looking good. It seemed like it might happen. And then it did! Planing on starboard she carved into the jibe, flipped the sail and switched her feet…and then sailed away with a big beautiful grin on. What did it feel like?

“You know that tingling you get when you hear a great piece of music or try on a great pair of shoes? I felt like that all the way back crossing the bay.”

With her groove on, Sally hit her second jibe. Then her third and fourth.

If I remember correctly, it was about a month between my first and second jibes.

Classic Freestyle at Pro Kids Bonaire Event

Reading through the results of the 2007 Pro Kids freestyle competition in Bonaire, I was happy to see a listing for "Classic Freestyle." I love watching and trying the new school moves, but in truth I'm probably more stoked about nonplaning freestyle..."classic" as some of this stuff dates to the days before planing, and if it's possible to get radical in 8 knots, count me in!

I was also happy to see the winners list:

1st Place: Caesar Finies
2nd Place Andy Brandt
3rd Place: Brian Talma

Caeser Finies is a common site to visitors to Bonaire's Lac Bay, and he's also been popping up on YouTube in some tremendous nonplaning freestyle clips. My two favorites are below.

Andy Brandt is not only chief instructor/guru/master of ceremonies/owner of ABK Boardsports windsurfing clinics, but he's also been enthusiastically turning people on to nonplaning freestyle for over a decade, both as an enjoyable windsurfing activity for its own sake, as well as an invaluable way to hone technique and instincts needed to rip when it's blowing 25. I'm particularly glad he came in second place. Andy takes great personal pleasure in tormenting me at clinics, and I know he really wanted to win. So: great job, Andy...you almost did it!

You already know who Brian Talma is. I got to meet him when he MC'd the 2001 King of the Cape Freestyle Pro-Am. This guy can generate more enthusiasm for falling off of a board than the rest of us can about nailing a quadruple loop. He's a gift to windsurfing (as are all these guys.)

Come learn classic and new-school freestyle on Long Island at the September 21st ABK Clinic at Napeague. Special added bonus for Puffin detractors: See me get tortured by Andy for my second place wishes!)

(Photo: Andy works with a student on "sail chi". If you can control the rig from behind the clew, you're on your way to duck tacking. Photo by Jeff.)

My Fuertaventura/Bonaire Connection

Kiri Thode, dropping jaws mid-move. So what else is new? Currently the young star from Bonaire is doing his thing at the PWA Freestyle event in Fuertaventura (check out more amazing photos from the event on the PWA website.) I once had the priviledge of some on-the-water interaction with him, as a very young Kiri asked me to get out of his way during the warm-up session for the 2001 King of the Cape Pro-Am (Kiri competed brilliantly in the junior division. My star did not shine as brightly in the novice class.) These days I watch him sail in Bonaire whenever I'm there.

Here's Tyson Poor putting on a show for the crowd at Fuertaventura. In 2005 when my wife Sally and I went to Bonaire with windsurfing friends Massimo and Karin for an ABK windsurfing clinic we were lucky enough to have Tyson as one of our instructors. Tyson did help me with my push tack, though I can not say my improvements since have been as spectacular as his (that would be my fault...Tyson is a fine instructor...work with him if you get the chance.)

One of the special things about windsurfing in Bonaire is that the superstars manage to practice very close to the beach, and yet do not disturb the beginners and intermediates sailing just a few yards away. On our most recent trip in 2006, I decided to follow Tonky Frans outbound as he sailed across Lac Bay towards the mangrove forests. He didn't do anything as spectacular as his move above; instead he quite maddeningly just shot across the bay on a full plane, while lazily spinning the sail in endless 360's. Clew first, mast first, clew first, mast first, with the board maintaining perfect trim and him losing not a drop of speed. I shouted in confusion, outrage, and joy.

(Photos: John Carter/PWA)

Freestyle: Slow Dancing with Sail

We return to Bonaire, the incubator of so much great freestyle...planing and nonplaning...and catch up with a windsurfer named Ceasar (who is identified as "Nero" in this video), previously featured in the Peconic Puffin in   Freestyle:  Take it Easy.   Here he goes again, better than ever:

A note about the move when he stands on the foot of the sail and spins around with it.   The "Matrix" is fairly easy to do...for one spin (multiples take practice).   Try it on land or on a huge board on the water:   The board should be at about 10 or 2 o'clock.   Pull the rig forward and into the wind as if you were going to bear off backwinded.   Step onto the foot of the sail with your front foot and push a bit with your clew hand, like you're flipping the sail in a helitack, while pulling with the front hand.   ABK teaches this move...they'll be back on on Long Island September 14-16, and 21-23, with the 21st-23rd clinic including an all-freestyle group (along with groups for complete beginners, intermediates, folks working on jibes etc.)

Midnight Freestyle Expression Session

This is an excerpt from the ProKids DVD. There's another clip (and more info about the DVD) in this post.

Bonaire...freestyle heaven!

Tricks Are For Kids

Elvis is in Bonaire. And Elvis has a message for us: Tricks are for Kids! Three-year-olds can windsurf. Eight-year-olds can do a world of moves. Twelve-year-olds will blow your minds. Fifteen and sixteen-year-olds rule! (Check out this excerpt from "ProKids")

Anybody who follows freestyle knows about Bonaire as a capital of the discipline. Tonky and Taty Frans have dominated enough competitions in enough venues around the world, and Kiri Thode...young Kiri was brilliant BEFORE the day he raised the bar for the entire windsurfing world by introducing nonplaning loops (the Gekko Flaka) leaving every freestyler on the planet in slack-jawed WTF-ment, and he's only gotten better since. But perhaps not everybody knows that an instructor named Elvis Martinus has been nurturing windsurfing culture for local kids on Bonaire for well over a decade, and freestyle has been a big part of it. Dasher has been videotaping that remarkable scene for nearly as long, island hopping from his teaching gig in Aruba back in the 90's to capture some of the early days of this unique culture. So in 2006 when an all-kid freestyle windsurfing event was announced for Bonaire, Dasher was there, and earlier this year released "ProKids," featuring way-hot sailing from the littlest of sailors up the amazing talent of windsurfers like Sarah-Quita Offringa, Jaeger Sint Jago, Arturo Soliano, Kiri Thode, and of course Tonky, Choco and Taty Frans. But it's not a straight portrayal of competition; instead it's more of a celebration of freestyle windsurfing and kids on boards in Bonaire. It's a great DVD to get your own stoke going, and if you want to get the attention of someone who thinks windsurfing is for mom and dad, this is the ticket. There's also a bonus "movie" called Just Tricks, which includes more sailing, a great night freestyle session, bloopers and such. Much windsurfing fun. You can buy the DVD and get more information on the ProKids website. As Dasher says, Bonaire rules, and these kids rule! For fun I'm including some stills taken from a video Dasher made of "The Bonaire Kids" back in 1997. Somebody is working on something like a Grubby before Grubbys were invented. And look at those Disney kiddie sails...if they put Goofy on adult sails, I'd buy one.