That's fishy

I saw a bear swimming between islands a few years ago while out windsurfing on Georgian Bay and also a snake swimming in the water many years before that.

Today I saw what I first thought was another snake, but in hindsight am pretty sure was a fish. The body was small, cylindrical, and around 6cm in diameter so I thought it was a snake due to a dotted / diamond like pattern on its skin. But it jerked out of my way as the tip of my board went over it and it was shiny, reflected the sun back at me and so it must have been a small northern pike. It certainly surprised me as I zoomed over it at likely 35 km/h, but I'm sure I scared it even more.

Heading out and about to windsurf over a very surprised fish!

I'm pretty sure what I saw shining under surface the was the middle of a small pike..

The rest of my 1st session was fun, 5.4 on the Skate 108 mainly blasting but with a few wave rides, carving 360s and a vulcan attempt. The wind started at 22 knots from the SSW under sunny skies.

Heading into a smooth jibe

I had some German family friends sitting on the island where I launched from. They've never been to North America let alone the 30,000 islands, so they really enjoyed being out in the 22c weather even if it was blustery. The wind eventually died as it clouded over, just as my buddy Scott came out to see me on his SeaDoo. (I still have some video he shot from earlier this year on my edit to do list.)

Thanks Scott for giving our tourists a ride!

We all headed up to Scott and OJ's island, where my German guests were treated to a tour and wonderful hospitality. I rigged up the 6.2 and had a quick second session while they chatted. I attempted 3 vulcans, but had much more success with duck, donkey and jump jibes. Overall a better day than anyone (except the fish) likely expected.

Session 1 speed chart, a lot of slogging at the end.
Fastest moment 47.45 km/h at 11:55

Session 1 map, the fastest moment is heading downwind at 11:55

Same map but viewed in Google earth

Session 2 speeds, fastest point again going downwind 46 km/h at 20:13

Session 2 map - a lot of jibing and tacking

Any given Sunday

It is great when someone wants to come hang out on a tiny island in Georgian Bay. My cousin was happy to sit on the small rock I launch from and bask in the sun and warm west wind.

She got some photos and was super patient while I windsurfed for 2.5 hours. I covered 36 kms but was not fully powered for around 1/3 of the time. The 5.4 was a bit small with only around 18 knots of wind so I only hit 43 km/h. The Freewave 116 was nice and comfy though.

After my session I went to visit my friend Bill to say goodbye - he's heading back to the States for the winter. I'll keep an eye on his island in the interim.

A nice west wind Bay Day.

My GPS trail looking west into the wind.

Thanks for the beer Bill!

Nice Island Bill!

The view from Bill's island out to the windsurfing...

Wind archive - I caught it when it was nice and westerly.

Unusual Wednesday Night Race Visitor

I've been making it to the occasional Wednesday night race at the Toronto Windsurfing Club.

This evening was unusual. The wind was fairly strong and the course was laid very close to the shore of Cherry Beach. So we were waiting on shore between races right near the main public beach.

And then I heard someone calling my name from shore. My cousin from Germany was down swimming at the lake and had been tipped that I might be there.

Pretty wild to have someone from Europe who I haven't seen in 5 years waving to me from shore!

The TWC Wednesday race series

There were only a few Kona racers but I was doing better in keeping up with the fleet than a year ago...

Quick Bay Day

I wasn't really expecting wind, but it was wafting from the SW around 17-22 knots. So I went out and rigged up the 6.2 with the Skate 108.

The wind was nice but a bit more gusty than a normal SW. The ups and downs reminded me of the post frontal north winds we get. But it was so warm I didn't mind the odd slogging periods.

I tried two Vulcan attempts, one had a good slide. Many chuckles as I did planing jibes and some speed runs. I hit 44.5 km/h which is pretty good for a mildly powered day - and on the Freestyle Skate which isn't a speed board.

I started thinking that I'm going to be windsurfing out here for many years to come. And smiling about that.

Overall 29.5 km over 1.5 hours.

View of the session looking SW into the wind.

Speed chart shows some longer slogging periods.

The best day I've ever missed?

I knew that I was going to miss the strong warm west wind predicted for Sunday Aug 21st. All of SW Ontario was going to get sun and wind. In fact the windstorm blew 1,500 Americans across the St. Clair river into Canada.

And I was missing it. But then I got a text message with a picture that was even better than being on the water myself. My wonderful wife had snapped shots of my son Phillip blasting right in front of our cottage.

He'd rigged my 5.4 perfectly (even strung the downhaul lines elegantly without any crossing) and was enjoying the JP Young Gun. I think it was the first time he rigged and sailed without me and I'm so happy he had a good time, even if I wasn't there.

Phillip dialed in during a gust while his buddies watch from shore

Phillip making nice ground upwind

Ready to tack in the narrow channel

The wind I missed - Georgian Bay buoy data

My first drone footage - perfect waves

At the AWT event in Baja there were several cameras running during our heats. Getting some nice windsurfing photos is always bonus of going to an AWT competition.

But this was the first time I've had footage taken of me windsurfing by a drone. I can't stop watching these 3 wave rides and remembering all the other nice long rides I got.



Carl Baja Drone Waves from Canadian Guy on Vimeo.

The waves at Punta San Carlos are world famous for being long, slow, gentle and consistent. I can't wait to get on some more.

Thanks Joey Sanchez for the footage, and Clark Merritt, Solosports, Dawn Pooley, the AWT and my wife for coming along with me!

Le windsurf, c'est relaxe... Longer blog post with results and photos is here.

2016 AWT Baja Desert Showdown!

Here's my long blog entry from the 2016 American Windsurfing Tour contest at Solosports in Baja. Highlights were time spent with my wife, my first ever drone wave footage of my heats, and sailing with Kevin Pritchard in the Pro/Am.

A trip highlight: Windsurfing with Kevin Pritchard in the Pro/Am

Friday July 29
Jennifer and I woke up too early to catch our direct flight down to San Diego. After settling into our hotel we headed to Balboa Park for lunch and to check out a few of the museums. I hadn't been to that famous park in my 5 past visits to San Diego. It is very cool. And wow the city has changed since my first visit in 2006. A quick afternoon refesh in the hotel and we walked to Spike Africa's for a fresh fish dinner.

Enjoying San Diego

Saturday July 30
Jose picked us up from our hotel in the Gaslamp district and took us to brown Field for our small aircraft flight to Baja. Jen even got to take the controls for part of the flight which was a first. We landed in time for lunch and Jen got the Solosports camp tour. I did a short SUP session in the unusually calm afternoon wind - which was actually wafting in from the south at times. We had delicious seafood tacos for dinner and headed to our 'luxurious' two person tent.

Ready to fly!

Good times on the plane

Approaching Solosports camp

Sunday July 31
Our first full day in camp and it was pretty mellow. After the first skippers meeting and introductions, the fleet was put on hold. Jen and I went for a 4.5 km hike before lunch. In the afternoon we SUPped and got to know more of our fellow guests. An international crowd was in camp as usual. Dinner was roast pork which made for a full pork day with bacon with eggs for breakfast and hot dogs for lunch.

Monday Aug 1
While the event was on hold for the morning, Jen and I went for a quick 7.5km bike ride up Dad's trail to the badlands. After lunch the first heats were called for 3:30. We rigged and slogged down to the point. I actually sailed a SUP‎ down in the light wind but then used the RRD Free Wave 108 that I sailed so often last year.

I was against JP in my first masters heat. I caught the first wave just as my new watch beeped to say the heat was starting. I rode it pretty well and did 6-10 turns deep into the Chili Bowl. I think Joey caught that ride with the drone. Nice to have one of my two waves already on the scoreboard, but it took me around 5 minutes to get out of the breaking waves.

Finding the waves!

The judges' tent

Action!

Down the line!

After a few futile small waves I caught my second good long wave close to the end of the heat and rode it satisfyingly to score my second of two waves. We all slogged ‎back upwind and bruised a few ankles landing in the powerful shore break and reflecting waves during high tide. Sadly Jeff lost his gear at the point and while he salvaged the board the rig wasn't claimed till the next day. It was all a little intense but not as intimidating as I remember.

Jeff's broken gear!

Joey's drone catching the action from above

Joey had his drone out and caught some great footage of my waves. Here's the footage:

Carl Baja Drone Waves from Canadian Guy on Vimeo.

Camp had quite a bit more energy as people were talking about their first rides. I checked the rankings and JP had beat me but I still felt good about how I had sailed, especially my first wave. It's clear in the video I was having fun. We had delicious steak for dinner and headed to the tent.

Seeing the photos from the AWT Blog, it is evident from the photos why JP won!
http://americanwindsurfingtour.com/day-two-contest-up-and-running/

‎Tuesday Aug 2
After a hearty pancake breakfast the skippers meeting predicted a solid day for the amateurs and masters. Indeed I sailed three heats. I was on the 5.7 Elite and RRD 108.

I caught a good number of waves in each 18 minute heat and rode a few deep into the Chili Bowl. My transitions were pretty solid including a planing tack. I didn't win any of the heats, coming in 2nd or 3rd each time. So I was satisfied with how I sailed but didn't advance into any finals.

After a delicious fish dinner and nice conversations we headed to bed early again.

Here's the Day 3 AWT blog post
http://americanwindsurfingtour.com/another-day-at-the-punta/

Wednesday Aug 3
Mmm, omelets with salsa. And then off to the water for a SUP session with my wife. ‎Jen used the whopper XL 10ft, 36in 208l and I was on a starboard  9ft 33in 149l which I found easier than I expected.

Jen caught ‎her first SUP wave ever and had a great smile as she tried for a few more. I caught 4 waves and felt more confident than I've ever been on a SUP.

Then it was time for lunch and down to the contest area. ‎We watched the amateur and master finals and the first pro heats. Jen and I worked the flags and got to overhear what the judges were looking for. We had been sheltered by the wind in the judges tent but it got chilly by the end of the session and on our walk back to camp.

I went for a late afternoon mountain bike ride to get warm and then enjoyed getting the dust off my skin in the 1 gallon shower we are allocated. Delicious salmon was on call for dinner.

Thursday August 4
Jen and I started the day with a nice 8.5 km hike. The best trail was Dammit Jim, which definitely looked like a location from a Star Trek episode.

After lunch I had a great SUP sailing session.  ‎I had the waves all to myself as everyone else was down at the point. I didn't even fall in for 40 minutes. The SUP heads out through the breaking waves very well. Jen was on shore reading and keeping an eye on my smiles every time I rode a wave into shore.

Around 4pm we headed down to watch the final ‎heats of the event. The pros, grandmasters, youth and women were putting on a great show whenever a set of waves came through.

The camp was the most lively it's been all week. Ribs for dinner and then some Fußball ‎with Joey and Quinn showing me and Jeff how to win. Off to bed feeling happy for the AWT getting another event scored.

Friday August 5
Jen and I had a quick morning SUP session. I got 6 nice waves and then missed around a dozen which was frustrating. But real fun was just around the corner after lunch.

The Pro-Am part of the event was announced with 9 Amateurs being paired with 9 Pros. The names were drawn and I ‎was to sail with Kevin Pritchard! We talked a bit of strategy while rigging virtually identical looking gear. We were in the third heat of 3 pairs of sailors.

Getting ready for my Pro/Am heat with Kevin Pritchard

The goal of the Pro-Am was ‎for the best shared waves. Same 18 minute heat duration. We headed out and I just tried to shadow World Champion KP. He was in charge of wave selection, so I turned and started heading back in whenever he gave the signal that he liked the wave coming to us from the outside.

As planned‎, on the first wave KP followed me and tried to mimic my rhythm. On‎ the second wave he and I alternated top and bottom turns. And on our third wave I sailed left while KP came close and put his foot on the front of my board and he 'waterskied' the two boards. We cheered, waved and then went on to slash the rest of the wave. What an absolute riot!

The crowd watching the Pro/Am from the cliff

Kevin waterskiing on the front of my board

I was also making all my transitions and sailing the waves pretty well. Apparently the crowd loved it as we got to the beach and heard we'd made it to the final. (I hadn't reached a final in this event !) I'll note that I did have the advantage of having shared a wave here in 2014 with Kevin's brother Matt during a wave sailing camp.


Sharing Waves with a Pro from Canadian Guy on Vimeo.

I wasn't as solid in the second heat and got crushed by two really big waves. We tried the same trick riding each other's boards but it didn't work as well as the first heat. Oh well, we had fun.

Kevin and me celebrating our great rides!

After that I free sailed for 2 hours and definitely got the most out of my last full day.

The awards ceremony after dinner was fun and Jeff wowed the crowd by winning both the masters and amateur. His age was just one year larger than the 3 other amateur finalists combined.

Fireworks and a bonfire capped off a super fun day and excellent competition week.

Saturday Aug 6
Right after breakfast Jen and I headed out for a SUP sailing session. But the wind was offshore and light and neither of us got going. Jen made the most of it by using the SUP as a surfboard and grinned as she got up a couple of times. ‎I went for a last mountain bike ride before our delicious chicken soup lunch.

Then we said our good-byes to all our new friends and boarded the small plan‎e for San Diego. I really don't know why it took so long to suggest that my wife come with me, it was a great week to share together.

Ready for the ride home after a great week in Baja.