A Year (Windsurfing) en Provence: First wingfoil in Bonaire

Thursday, March 21, 2024

First wingfoil in Bonaire - amazing photos!

Last time we were in Bonaire in 2019 wingfoiling hadn’t really been invented. Sure wind foiling was just starting and we talked about it at our ABK clinic and watched Balz Mueller for the first time doing windfoil freestyle.

I didn’t ever imagine that I’d be foiling in the shallow waters of Lac Bay! But they are doing it here now and when the tide is high it is actually a good place to learn or get better.

Caesar at Jibe City hooked me up with a Duotone 5m Slick wing and Fanatic Sky 105 board with the 1750 foil and 45 cm mast. I’d never used a mast that short for foiling, although I did use a slingshot 24 inch mast when learning to windfoil.

I’d also never used a foilboard that small. I walked upwind wondering if I’d oversold my abilities when describing my wingfoiling experience to the team a Jibe… Well, I didn’t need to worry. After just a few pumps of the wing I was up and going. And then just a couple of falls from overfoiling on the super short mast. Eventually I would remember to keep the board low and once I was in the footstraps I had even more control.

I was motivated quite a bit by having Marc Van Swool out taking photos. Wow, I’m pretty happy with these shots!

GPS foil trail

Got my heart racing!

As it got closer to lunch time, I realized my right foot would have benefited from some booties. It was actually quite painful and the staff at the Beach Bar came to take a look with their first aid kit. Luckily it seems to just be scratches and not a full sea urchin.

Jen in our favourite corner at the Hangout Bar for lunch

Yoga, then Wingfoil then Windsurf after lunch

My afternoon session was on a Blast 115 and an S-Type 6.6 cambered sail. The red part of the GPS trail way upwind in the water with the smallest waves was my fastest speed in a few years I think - 26.1 knots or 48.3 km/h.