Storm Photos

Some photos of Jeoffrey on Bald Head Island

From the roof of his house

Jeoffrey's back yard

The golf course

The street in front of his house

What Happened Yesterday?

My blog traffic went through the roof.  700 page views on Tuesday! Someone must have linked something on my site to a heavy traffic web site. Anybody know what site was driving traffic to me Tuesday? What brought you here yesterday?

A Letter from Grand Bend

Hi Dwight – love the blog!

I am looking for some advice if you don’t mind giving it.

I am a windsurfer who sails Lake Huron, Ontario side (Grand Bend) – big messy waves with the prevailing nw wind. We have just bought a cottage here last year so I have had a year to windsurf. It is great sailing on the sw flatter water (perpetual intermediate sailor - I have many newer boards and sails (Hot Sails SF’s like you) ) but on a nw (onshore) or w the waves make it very difficult to enjoy or even get out. Your location looks similar conditions to your site from your pic’s. I have read or your blog that you used to windsurf, the kitesurf, then windsurf and now it looks like you are back to kitesurf.

My question is: Should I try kitesurfing?? At my spot there are many kitesurfers who seem to have no problem getting out through the waves and actually make sailing look somewhat effortless.

What are your pro / cons of windsurfing vs kitesurfing?

Please post on your blog if you would like – I’m sure there are others out there looking for similar information.

Thanks and good waves!

Joe Looby

Grand Bend, On Canada

Ps I sup too and love it.

Joe,

Kitesurfing is easy compared to windsurfing, now. During the early years of the sport that was not true. Kite design has advanced tremendously in the last 12 years, surpassing sail design in range. One kite is all you need. 

The pros and cons and when I prefer one over the other.....

Pros and Cons of Kitesurfing-

1) People are still getting killed doing it. Just last month a guy died on the Canadian side near Buffalo.

2) You should never kite alone, especially during your first 2 years. You need to be around more experienced kitesurfers every time you go out. Learn from them. Take a lesson. It looks easy, but can kill you in an instant.
3) It's so easy to get out through big waves, it's like cheating to the extreme.

Pros and Cons of windsurfing-

1) It takes a lot of gear and money to cover the full range of conditions.

2) It's very challenging in waves and takes years to master.
3) Speed is more fun with a sail.
4) It feels more akin to SUP. 

When conditions are best for just cruising on the water, I enjoy the pure soul of windsurfing.

When the waves are huge, I prefer kitesurfing with my Firewire.

If you can devote the time to learn kitesurfing safely, and with other kiters, then go for it. If you're only able to kitesurf when on vacation at the lake, then it might not be a good idea. It takes some consistant time on the water to break past the stage where you're a danger to yourself. The guy who kites 3 times a year is a danger to himself. It's like the skier who pulls his skis out of the closet once a winter and then ends up riding the ski patrol sled down the mountain all busted up.

Nice 9'0 Mana Review from Andrew

Click here to read it on the Zone

Here are photos he sent me of his vacation

Bonus Photos

Just in, some bonus photos shot by Jeoffrey from the boat. Way better than shooting into the sun from the beach!

Cat loving her new 9'0 Mana.  She's surfing waves!

The girls and some dope in a red shirt

The Morning Crew

CB Inlet this morning

What you missed this morning....

 It was a Coastal Urge girls (mostly) surf outing, with tips by Jacky this morning at CB Inlet.

Jacky
Kathy
Hannah
Cat

The girls were loving the Mana's this morning. 3 of the 4 girls now own the 9'0 Mana, with the 4th likely soon. The guys snuck a few rides too. I wish we all had one. I'm starting to feel like a board pig.

Sorry about the lack of good photos. I was busy helping others learn to surf.

Jacky and Cat, with Jeoffrey getting towed back to the boat

Coastal Urge crew heading home to Bald Head

Even CB1 snuck a ride on the 9'0 Mana

Jacky and Kathy

CB1 with Jacky's Mana

Hannah, Coastal Urge Wilmington Store Manager trying the 9'0 Mana

Another Hurricane Igor Sequence

Wow, that wave would have me crapping my pants. Check out Bobby on his 9'5 Mana at Topsail!

Bobby ripping on his 9'5 Mana

Hatteras Igor Surf

The windsurfers held their yearly contest on the Outer Banks this weekend. Lucky them, they scored once in lifetime conditions. The CORRECT wind direction and HURRICANE swell. That never happens during a planned event. Several of the CB north end windsurfers were in the event.

Hurricane Igor Video

The morning started out with light off shore wind. Clean, pretty, easy, and big waves. Around 11:30 (at low tide) the wind came up and the waves started breaking harder. About that time the lineup emptied out and only our crew was left surfing.

Jacky and I surfed our Hokua's early, then I went back to the truck and got Jacky's 9'0 Mana to compare. The 9'0 Mana was way more fun for me and for Jacky. I think the 9'0 Mana is the most fun board in our quiver. Jacky agrees. It's one sick fun board. I wish we had two of them.

Hurricane Igor Sunday Session

Also check out Surf Machine's photos on his blog here. His photos show it way better than mine.

Surf Machine

Sam

Surf Machine 8'0 PSH WR

Z on his 8'6 PSH WR

Dwight on the 9'0 Mana trying to fight the head wind of 20 knots

Sam on his 9'2 PSH AA

Surf Machine

and we did some of this too

6 miles of endless waves, downwind to the house.

Dwight

Z and Dwight

9'0 Mana tearing it up on the other coast

From the pacific northwest, Andrew (alap on the zone) ripping on his Naish 9'0 Mana. Andrew's having an awesome time on his new board.

Andrew ripping on his 9'0 Mana

Hurricane Igor Surf at CB Inlet

Craig and Jacky are the movie stars today

Swell is Showing - Wind go Away

Z testing my Firewire

Z loves my Firewire

Wind is marginal for kitesurfing. Hard to rip it up

Surprise Surf Today - and Fun!

Dwight and Jacky, Mana versus Mana

Dwight 

Dwight trying to reach the nose, 9'5 Mana

Andy 8'10 Hokua

Surf Machine Turning Nothing into Magic 8'0 PSH WR

Surf Machine

Machine Jr. 8'6 PSH WR

9'0 Mana Day 2

Jacky's review -  So fast she flew off the back. Big smiles. She said "easy peeze". Fun, fun, fun in nothing surf. She made fun of Z saying it was glassy calm out there. Really it was psycho chop from on shore wind, but the board made it feel like glass.

My review - not ideal for my weight in mushy weak surf and psycho chop. The 9'5 Mana was actually faster, looser, and more fun for me. Strictly because I overweight the 9'0 in these weak conditions. In better surf the 9'0 would win, but then I'd probably be on my Hokua.

The 9'0 does exactly what we wanted. A board for Jacky that would do the job the 9'5 Mana does for me. It turns crap surf into fun. The Mana's fly in weak surf and feel loosey goosey. In powerful surf and steeper waves, they feel slower because the extra width limits high speed potential. But width is your friend and fun when the wave is weak. The right tool for the job is key for maximizing fun.

Jacky 9'0 Mana

Jacky 9'0 Mana

Dwight, all 3 photos are the same wave. Long mushy rides!

Dwight 9'0 Mana

Dwight the 9'0 Mana