WILL YOU, WON’T YOU?
The preparation for windsurfing massive Cloudbreak is essential to the success of the experience. It should include vigorous training, careful monitoring of the charts, cunning selection of equipment, the correct diet and a hell of a lot of luck.
I have to admit I was largely reliant on the last of the list as part of my preparation for windsurfing Cloudbreak in May 2013. In fact I was only two days from leaving when my brother rang me and insisted that I take my windsurfing equipment instead of my surfboard.
His constant ribbing of me as a ‘gunna’ (The Australian vernacular for someone who constantly tells people that he is “going to” do something but never does) forced me to pack it. I’m not sure that I really wanted to. The hassle of transporting all that gear, plus two small children and a long-suffering wife who wanted a nice relaxing family beach holiday just didn’t seem worth it.
A surfboard under one arm seemed much more reasonable. I mean, I didn’t even intend to do much surfing. I just needed to step out of the rat race for a week so, when I booked the holiday two months in advance, sailing Cloudbreak was the furthest thing from my mind.
We arrived at Plantation Island on the Tuesday afternoon and were warmly greeted by a pretty consistent 20 knots and a 15-second period swell. Suddenly the world started to take on new meaning. Maybe I’d get some windsurfing in even though I thought the surf might be a little big? Maybe even as large as 8-foot. In fact I thought I might be not be able to sail in surf that big. I’d probably only windsurfed in 6-7 foot swell at the biggest. Oh well, I’d committed to windsurfing. The look on my wife’s face after lugging all the kit would not have been pleasant if I didn’t try.