ARUBA
Words Philip Soltysiak // Photos Armando Goedgedrag
I remember the moment vividly, it was late May 2011, and I sat in the pristine white sand of “Fisherman’s Huts”, overlooking layers of turquoise as the sun set into the Caribbean Sea. I sat facing the dying rays, alone, feeling blue and oblivious to the beauty around me. My heart had already sunk somewhere deep inside me. I felt hunger, exhaustion, and yes I’ll admit it, I even felt cold. It was the end of a long succession of PWA World Tour competitions, and this last one in Aruba got to me. I windsurfed terribly, had one of my worst results, and I couldn’t recall a minute I enjoyed from the entire week. My confidence and motivation were trampled upon like never before. Not only did I hope to never compete in Aruba again, I also vowed to never return.
