Sharing a Canada day / night session

What a way to celebrate Canada day!

First, I started by teaching 4 beginners to windsurf. The  were all guests of my sons and were enjoying staying in the island. I gave the standard introductory lesson on the simulator that I built last year.

The first two students were naturals and easily stayed upwind and stayed fairly dry on their tacks. The other two did very well once they got going in each direction on my 37 year old YPSI Wayler and 25 year old BIC Veloce boards with 3.5 and 4.2m sails. I really should get a better board for the beginners to learn to tack on.

Then after a big steak BBQ dinner we joined our local association’s annual boat parade. After all 17 red and white festooned boats headed out to the bay, Vanessa, Phillip and I went to the island to get on our windsurfers.

Canada Day boat parade. A 460cm mast makes a good flagpole!

Three windsurfers after the sun set.

I was on the Techno and the foil and got it going a few times though the flotilla of Canada day boats. It was already 9pm.

Foiling through the boat parade!

We sailed back and forth a bit and then sat on our boards watching the fireworks! Vanessa said the vibe was just like Bonaire, just the water was colder! I couldn't believe how wonderful it was to be out sailing with my son and niece, and having friends and family all out in the bay too.

Then the wind kept building to 15+ knots and Phillip asked to use the Techno with a normal fin and my 6.5. Sure enough he got it planing in the near dark. I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear as he got his front foot in the strap pumped a bit and started planing and pinching upwind steadily. He did a few full planing runs in each direction with both feet in the footstraps. No photos but that image will be burned into my mind for years to come. It was 9:45 as we headed back to store the gear for the evening. Likely my latest evening windsurfing session ever at the cottage!