Puerto Madryn

My brother Carly is a windsurfer. He is actually the one who introduced me to windsurfing. As many of us, life took him to a bunch of different places, but ironically never close to the ocean. He would drive 8 hours from Madrid to Tarifa to score a weekend of good conditions, and also as many of us, he became addicted to weather forecasts. Finally, last year he decided to fulfill his dream and live close to the sea, so he moved to Puerto Madryn, in the Argentinean Patagonia. He quickly found a group of windsurfers, who apparently rip, and he is now one happy dude.
So if you're thinking about going South, go knock on his door, tell him you know me, tell him that you're a windsurfer, he'll show you around.

Off shore wind, and some flat water. You gotta be careful though, the place is a whale sanctuary

Sunset in the Patagonia

Simplify

I once read an editorial in a kitesurfing magazine about some dude who started using the motto "simplify" to guide his kitesurfing lifestyle. Less gear, less over reading forecasts, less trying to get to the perfect spot, and more about enjoying what he had at hand at that moment. The piece was nicely written, but to me, at that time, it sounded like a bunch of self sufficient crap.

The forecast for this weekend was 17 to 20 mph from the NNE and I, as usual, spent hours trying to figure out things. After much deliberation I decided to go for the simplest option, good ol' windsurfing at Montrose, in front of my house. Simple plan. What followed was one of the best sessions I had since I moved to Chicago.  The wind kept building all day, it was sunny and warm, and the beach was packed with kitesurfers and windsurfers with big smiles and tired arms. 

Crib run from Montrose beach

By the end of the day, we decided to do a crib run, about 2.5 miles out and back. Three windsurfers, two kiteboarders, out there, in the bluest water I've ever seen. Simplify, I'm not going to tell you that it always works, nor that I live by it, but occasionally it may be worth trying. 

Montrose wind swell will make you a better human being

12th Street Beach

12th Street Beach 

There is always something unsettling about launching at a new spot. Yet there are a few things that excite us more than throwing ourselves into uncharted waters. I don't know why this happens. Maybe we do this because we want to see how things look from the other side. 

12th Street Beach is not the easiest launch, especially when it's blowing SSW. But once you get out the wind gets clean and the water gets blue, and things begin to fall into place. The real treat though comes after jibing outside. Then, you are standing on Lake Michigan, on your 8 feet bard, facing the Chicago skyline. 

Seeing things from the other side, yeah that's what throws us into uncharted waters.  

Going back to shore, making the most of a puff of wind

Heading out

Lake Huron

Just came back from a three-day kitesurfing road trip to Tawas, Michigan. We had all sorts of different conditions, from barely keeping the kites in the air to 100% overpowered. As of me, I was just fine kooking it out and walking upwind. We also made some good friends, had barbecues and bonfires by the beach, and learned that kitesurfing is, as I suspected, also addictive. Good times.

Maurice throwing some spray 

Warm waters

In order to sail in the Midwest in the summer you have to be prepared. Prepared to drop anything you are doing and hit the water in 45 minutes. The funny thing is that there is a bunch of folks who seem to be always ready: the Wolf Lake crowd. I sometimes wish the forecast was as reliable as these dudes. Anyway, today was another great day at the dirty pond.
GoPro notes: As you can see, the GoPro is back, but I got this one for cheap on Ebay, and the pictures are kinda blurry... Well, I'll have to live with it...

Chop hop... enough for a forward? We'll see...

Two in a row

We had two days of SSE wind in the Chicago area. Today in the afternoon every Chicago windsurfer I know was at Wolf having some... The launch was packed with boards, kites, harnesses, and tired yet smiling riders. Once again Wolf delivered a ton of fun to its loyal crowd, which does not ask for much, just for some wind.

Wolf's new launch

Memorial day and the beginning of summer

Memorial day is a date to commemorate the heroes who gave their lives for this country. It also marks, for 98% of people, the beginning of summer. For the weekend warrior, who has been wearing neoprene and going to the beach since the lakes melted, these are some not-so-awesome news (what do you mean parking fee?).
So let's say hi to the dog days of summer my friends, and as every year, everywhere from May to September, let's pray for thermals.

PS: I lost my GoPro Hero today. It went down the way it should, smashed against a buoy on a hero jibe. Don't worry, I'll try to replace it, because I know that I'm not Hemingway and this blog without pictures will get a little dull...