Tenerife Day Five - Light Winds

As the day dawned there was not a breath of wind, nothing nada not even a slight puff. The fishing boats in the harbour were meandering a their moorings and I’d resigned myself to what was inevitably going to be my first windless day ever in the Canaries. As I started to settle down and read a book I occasioned to glance up at the fishing boats, they had all turned to face the same direction, but apart from that there was noting more than the slightest drift of wind. Back to the book, half an hour later I looked up and noticed that the fronds of the Phoenix Canariensis were twitching ever so slightly like the eyebrows of KO’d boxer coming round. Was I in for a session after all? Was my 100% wind record for the Canaries to remain unbroken? Well in a word yes, but in a way no. I popped down to the OTC and sorted myself out with some big kit, a 6.0m Gaastra and a 95l Fanatic Freewave. This was ok but was all in all it was a little dull, but at least it was about 30degsC and the water was warm. Then I struck upon an idea, why not scare` myself stupid and get myself a slalom board and a 7.5m? That I did and proceeded to plane off the beach past all the other saps who were struggling to plane on their 6.0’s. The board was not in fact a full on slalom board but a 111l Starboard Futura and a 7.5 no-cam Severne (effectively the same gear as we’ll be using in the 2011 Island Games in the IOW) but even so the guys weren’t wrong when they said it was super quick. I blasted up the coast to Cabezo and then some more before turning round to complete what could only be described as a super scary down winder during which I reckon did not drop below 30knts; bearing in mind that this is in effect open ocean with a good 2-3m occasionally breaking swell!! There was a good bit back leg burn as I held the tail down and I learnt that I’ve got loads of training to do if I’m to be even remotely successful at the Games!!