LAC BAY
This stunning bay nestled on the tiny Caribbean Island has been their playground ever since they were kids. They know every inch of the water like the back of their hands and it’s been the platform that’s provided the conditions that’ve enabled them to train day in, day out and become the best in the world. Without windsurfing here, who knows what would have become of Kiri and Taty? Most likely they would have still made a living from the ocean, but as fishermen rather than professional athletes. Back in 2002, Bonaire hosted its first PWA freestyle World Cup and Lac Bay was suddenly on the map as one of the best freestyle locations on the planet. The efforts of Elvis Martinez, from the Bonaire windsurf place, help secure two more PWA World Cups, which has paid off in terms of increased tourism and the islands recognition of windsurfing. The success of Kiri and the Frans brothers has inspired hundreds of other kids to follow in their footsteps and take up windsurfing on Bonaire. When Kiri won the World Title back in October in Sylt, half of the island were on hand at the airport to greet him when he arrived back in Bonaire. A huge street party ensued, where the people celebrated their champion into the night with Kiri even carried around on a makeshift throne by his friends and compatriots. Like I mentioned at the beginning, windsurfing is kind of big in Bonaire!
Nowadays the Island has an established clientele of windsurfers from all over Europe and the US, who come here for its incredible conditions. This year’s PWA event in June further endorsed this islands commitment to promoting their premiere asset. Bonaire is one of those places people fall in love with and end up coming back year after year, many for months rather than weeks! If you’re happy blasting around in a flat water paradise, or a young gun freestyler who wants to improve through time on the water, alongside quality accomplices, then it’s a pretty laidback place to hang out and enjoy the conditions.
Out in front of the Sorobon Resort, the wind is predominantly onshore, but the beauty of this arena is that you can simply head off and explore any given spot in this huge windsurfing playground. To the left of the Sorobon Resort and two windsurf centres, the headland juts out and then wraps around in a semicircle, where the wind blows almost dead offshore and is mirror flat. This is one of the favourite spots for the freestylers evening session, plus the crowds can also watch the action as the sailors slip and slide in this freestyle heaven.
