Brag Sesh, Bonaire

One of the great truths of windsurfing is that nobody sees your best moments.  It’s very rare.   Even rarer if you’re me, with so few bests to witness!   This day was to be an exception.   Day Two of our Bonaire vacation had me out on a 6.5 with about thirty other windsurfers when a squall came through, knocking half the sailors down into the water while the other half raced to shore to gear down fast.   I grabbed a 5.0/85 liter FSW and took off like a shot (4.5 would have been more than enough.) 

Tearing across the wide-open bay, focused primarily on keeping the board in the water I found myself bearing down fast on the reef that separates the main sailing bay from the blue water, and I was out of position to shoot one of the channels.    Full bat out of hell mode, but I’d only been on the gear for a minute, so I was uncomfortable yet needed to rip a hellacious carve jibe, or more likely explode in the process.   This was going to be intense…

I tore into a major G-force jibe, threw up a wall of water, came flying out (luck, luck, and luck) and then I heard a howl of approval.  It’s Caesar Finies, one of Bonaire’s greats,  cheering my hero jibe!  Yes!   I wave, thrilled, then watch him throw a Culo  (planning duck to switchstance backwinded loopy thing, and then I don’t know what.)  Then he was back up and sailing along side me, both of us lit, when a perfect ramp presented itself.   Nobody goes to Bonaire for the jumping, but I popped up and put what I thought was five feet of air beneath the tail on pure flatwater, probably my biggest jump in such conditions ever.  Caesar whoops again!   We sail around together for about five more minutes (yeah that’s right…me and Caesar tearing it up) before the squall passed and we shlogged back to shore.

I’m thrilled…my jibe and my jump both witnessed and cheered by a great sailor.  But it’s not over.  Five minutes later on shore Caesar waves me over.  “We had a really good sesh out there,” he says.   Yes, I said, thinking “I’m part of his we?”   Then he said “your jump, man, the bottom of your fin was like here” as he indicates neck high.     “Wow thanks,” I tell him, and ask some questions about the impossible moves he was throwing.

Me and Caesar, tearing up Lac Bay.  I can call it a trip already.

(Photo:  A lone windsurfer on the water after the squall winds subsided.  There was a rainbow but I didn't have the camera ready.)

Comments

[cheryl abbott]

Hi Just came back from Bonaire. I'm a member of the Rhode Island Ct,group. Love that island and all it has to offer us windsurfers. Hope you enjoy your stay there. We had great winds for two weeks straight. Returned on Feb 6th. Keep posting those Bonaire photos I miss it already! Caesar is great isn't he?
-kudos to you for getting a session in with him.

[Bunty Cachia]

What a great blog post Mike. What a special ''moment'' for you - something you will look back on for the rest of your life for sure. One of those rare moments where everything kind of falls into place if you know what I mean. Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

[phil]

Yes, great stuff … no one ever sees those "bests". Kudos to Cesar for giving you props. Does windsurfing have the nicest Pros in sports, especially these recent generations of pros — in terms of their more humble connection with the general windsurfing population or what?

I think I can say in an entire two decades may be the only ones to witness my best-evers were Lenny (rocket air to back loop attempt Hurricane Floyd) and Frank (unnamed CIB storm up up and away) and Charlie Kim (back loop attempt). Because of neck discs I don't attempt those any more, at least not intentionally.

[CdnGuy]

Great post - I love that feeling, and Caesar is such a nice guy!