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| Spoiler alert - Boujmaa Guilloul announcing that I came in 1st out of 4 old guys |
I arrived at Marrakesh airport feeling a bit nervous. What am I doing alone in Africa leaving a stressful time at work and going to windsurf where I don't know the conditions? But world famous professional windsurfer Boujmaa had personally invited me and my good memories of Morocco from a visit 19 years ago were strong.
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| Diony and Boujmaa picking me up at Marrakesh airport |
We stopped for gas and later a roadside snack eaten the traditional way - by hand. The early evening roadside police check was uneventful. We arrived at Boujx sports new guest house in Moulay Bouzerktoun and settled in.
Tuesday May 10
I woke up to a wonderful breakfast spread set out by Ahmed, the kind innkeeper. It looked good for windsurfing and the Russians left for the beach early but soon it was raining. Rain happens here around 15 times a year I was told. Between rainstorms I walked with Diony and Edvan down to the beach to check out the shops. Bouj's shop is nicely stocked and Soufian greeted us warmly.
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| The view from Boujx Sports shop in Moulay |
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| The view from Boujx Sports guest house |
A quick visit back in Moulay to Fettah Lawama's beachside cafe and guest house. He's been running that place since 2000. Fettah was also the star of Atlantic the movie. We reminisced about having met during his visit to TIFF in Toronto in 2014.
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| Fettah remembered meeting me in Toronto in 2014 |
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| The view from Lawama cafe/restaurant and guest house |
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| The Boujx Sports house |
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| Our common room in the great Boujx Sports house |
We awoke to South (wrong direction) wind again but headed to the beach for a morning session. I used a 5.5 Severne gator sail and 110 Severne wave board. It was enough to get out into the waves but there wasn't much planing going on. The Jem Hall clinic doubled the number of sailors on the water from 10 to 20 as they came in and out for their lessons.
After lunch Bouj drove us into Essouira to meet up with Russ, K-Mac, Morgan and Ruben. They were booked into a small Riad in town. We had a great walking tour of the Medina (old walled city). Boujmaa is pretty well known in town and there were posters advertising the event in some storefronts. Colourful shops selling clothes, olives, leather goods etc. line the narrow streets. The harbour is exactly as I remember it from 19 years ago with bright blue fishing boats ready for their next day on the ocean.
Thursday May 12
I didn't leave the house all day. Our international group of 12 house guests (Brazilian, Venezuelan, Russian, Sicilian, American) came and went but the Canadian stayed home and used the newly available but slow Internet. It was good to catch up on a family photo project that I could work on off-line. Dinner was nice local fish with an amazing onion raisin garnish.
There was a music festival in Essouaria that apparently had the city packed. I was happy for the quiet in Moulay but had a hard time falling asleep.
Friday May 13
Lucky day. The wind slowly built and after some more photo work and a nice mergez sausage lunch I headed to the beach. I took the same 110l Severne board and 5.5 gator sail. There was much more wind and I was feeling great out on the ocean sailing.
The best part of the trip so far was being out on the water in a strange new place but knowing so many of the windsurfers. Everyone was smiling. The pros were warming up and throwing loops everywhere. I caught a few small waves and managed 2 nice turns on each.
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| The pros heading back with their gear |
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| My road home was temporarily blocked by cute goats |
After my session I walked over to Fettah Lawama's place and watched the action from up high. Everyone was gathering there with a great post session vibe. I showed Fettah the photo from the TIFF event which was a nice moment.
Dinner at the house was two huge tajines of couscous and vegetables. I'm guessing I'll sleep better tonight. Tomorrow should have more wind!
Saturday May 14,
Do my arms look longer in this wind? That's what many of the windsurfers were saying as we got off the water.
As predicted, the wind did build. I started on a 5.0 and an 88l twin fin Starboard wave board.
That was too big a sail and it felt like survival sailing. So I went down to a 4.2 which was perfect but the smallest sail I've used in a long time. The waves were small so it was easier getting used to the strong wind. I'm still not a fan of the multi fin boards but that is what everyone is using these days in the waves... at least I was able to get and stay upwind easily.
I had a few short sessions and got used to going in and out of the sandy / rocky / weedy shore where the waves break gently. One time a fisherman coming in on his inner tube indicated to me exactly when it was safe to go and not scratch my fin. Did I mention the locals are all really nice?
I got a few jumps but landed one nose first and bruised my thigh on the catapult landing. Ouch. But I got enough comfort in the waves and felt that I wouldn't be nervous the way I was last year heading into a few of the competitions.
I then headed to Lawama's for a Coke and a delicious Moroccan salad. The place was humming. I met some tourists from Benin who go to Essouaria every year for the music, not the wind. I'm using up almost all of the few French words I know!
Then back to our place for dinner of sardine balls. Not something I would order on a menu but I couldn't stop eating them. We added guests Olivier from France and Chris from Britain to the house and enjoyed memories of San Carlos last summer. It felt like a reunion!
My thighs were killing me as I walked up and down the stairs. My bed was welcome.
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| I should have taken a donkey ride |
Game day. The call was for a 9am beach meeting. We headed over and saw that the tents, judging stand, porta-potties and flags were all set up!
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| Flying the Canadian Flag! |
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| Skippers meeting |
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| Traditional musicians greeted us |
The local Moroccan 'amateurs' were landing clean front loops and back loops in the opening heats. Wow.
I sailed OK and managed to get through to the 3rd round of amateurs. They also put me in with the 3 grandmasters as I'm the only one in the 45-55 masters bracket and called us all masters.
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| A jump that likely counted, but wasn't my best... Thanks Edvan for the photos! |
I had a quick shower at the house and I managed to get a photo of me in the same T-shirt and belt as 19 years ago. The location is slightly different but the pose and emotion are the same. I'm loving Morocco.
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| Me, my wife and mother in law in Morocco in 1997 |
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| Me re-enacting my pose in Morocco in 2016 |
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| One of the many event posters in Essaouira |
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| The official greeting |
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| The view from the private party above the music festival |
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| Lemon chicken with olives - I love Moroccan food |
Monday May 16
Colby and I as the old guys each had 5 heats the day before and woke up sore. There was great laughter from downstairs where younger guys already enjoying breakfast.
Edvan had captured a bit of my windsurfing on video and kindly dropped those photos on my USB key.
I met a nice kid nameed Rida Aadi on the beach who wanted to connect on Facebook. He of course sold me a hat!
The notice board indicated that heat 12 will be re-run. Oh well more work to do!
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| The notice board |
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| Morning meeting |
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| The gear storage |
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| Government officials came to visit |
Then the four old guys (of which at age 51 I was the youngest) headed out for our heat. I felt more comfortable. But on my best wave I did two nice bottom turns that felt great, and then I realized I was heading right into my friend Colby who was heading out and had right of way. We both fell and I apologized as the waves rolled over us. Luckily we didn't hurt ourselves and he wasn't mad and got going quickly.
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| The old guys getting ready to rock it! |
As the pros headed out for their heats. The level of action on the water increased. The jet ski was out with photographers taking turns capturing the action.
During one heat the jet ski stopped working and KP was waving for help as it drifted downwind and slowly away from shore. Boujmaa hopped on his board, sailed downwind and pushed the ski to shore with his windsurfer. He then sailed back up wind in time for his heat. Unbelievable.
We watched the pros and then I did some hat shopping from the local kids. I said goodbye to Colby's good friend Mitchell who was heading to visit points south.
After the pros were done a bunch of us wound up at Lawama. Fettah offered us some Rose wine which turned out to have a photo of Boujmaa on it and the AWT logo. Very nice.
I headed back for dinner and we added a professional photographer to our house. It felt great going to bed and I was excited that we were going to hear the results at the skippers meeting the next morning.
Tuesday May 17
This was my day to leave Moulay. I had woken up at 4am and managed to get an hour of slow internet access and connect to work. Then off to bed for a bit more sleep but I was excited to get to the beach for a last session.
After breakfast I got my gear selected and went to the beach for the skippers meeting. They pulled the 4 masters to the event poster and announce the winners. Gerhardt from Austria in 4th, Chris from England in 3rd, and Colby from the US in 2nd. I'd won my first ever windsurfing event.
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| My first ever windsurfing contest win! |
I walked back with my gear, said some goodbyes and went to the house to pack. One last delicious meal from Ahmed, (the coriander in the salad was great) and my transfer came to take me to Marrakesh. It was fun being able to phone my mother from the van as we drove into better cell service and give her my result.
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| The road out of Moulay |
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| Headed for Marrakesh Airport |
I really appreciate that Boujmaa organized the event. And the volunteer judges from the AWT perform a really tough job very well. The media coverage that the AWT gets is spectacular and makes it really fun to have a visual record of what happened. I also have the awesome trophy to remind me of the event!
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| What a great trophy! Made of wood unique to the Essaouira region. |
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| Leaving Morocco feeling good! |
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