Never Bored (on a Board): Cabarate

After Aruba I wanted to go back somewhere, preferably with waves. I saw a post from Wyatt Miller on the iWindsurf Eastern forum. So I called Vela and signed up for the CabareteProClinics.

Just me this time as it was during school. Tyson was out of the Country so Bryan Metcalf-Perez offered to help Wyatt with the clinic. I looked up Brian - he knows how to ride waves so I was in the right place.

The island is beautiful and for a dollar or two you could catch a motor cycle ride though I didn't go far.

Vela had lots of gear.

I had a day before the clinic so I got a 95l Starboard Kode and headed out towards the waves about 4-5 feet they said - small. Not me in the picture but you can see the waves well. I should have know small it relative.

I made it out past the waves, it's a reef so they break a ways out from shore then it's swell after that.

I rode a big roller, not too steep but breaking. It was amazing. I missed my gybe on the inside but luckily I had sailed past the impact zone so it was just big chop. I went back out a few times and rode some more. Sailing out past through the waves then gybe beyond the breaks since I was only making 3/4 of my gybes. Then going back out a wave rose up about to break on me so I point upwind to to straight up it. I made it over but then fell forward sail on the leeward side. I fumbled to move the sail around quickly but the next wave came. I just barely held on. I got into waterstart position but there wasn't enough wind. My calf started to cramp holding that position (had been out a couple of hours already getting up courage to go to the waves). A larger wave came and pulled the board from my hands and it was over 50 feet away. I began to swim towards with with waves crashing on my and trying to body surf but the harness is not very good for that. Each time the board would get pulled further. It finally got past the impact zone and after what seemed a long time I caught up to it. I pulled my self over the board and rested - I was exhausted. I was way down wind. I sailed to shore but was too tired to sail upwind so I did a long walk of shame (actually two - the sail then the board).

The hot tub with a view then a nice dinner washed that away and I was ready for the clinic the next day.

The clinic went well and we did follow the leader on the water and through the waves. Wyatt and Brian showed me how get through (I should have bared off and sailed in front the whitewater if the wave was too steep). No pictures of me again on the water - they are hard to come by!

We had a no wind day so went inner tubing on a river. He we are getting lunch and getting ready at a farm inland.