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.)
I love when this happens..and love watching all the locals jump on their sails and go...excellent Michael...
Posted by: annie your travel agent | November 26, 2007 at 06:58 AM