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MARIA ANDRES: LIFE ON THE ROAD

For Maria Andres, windsurfing is the sport that has shaped her entire existence. Rarely tied to one place and never short on curiosity to explore, Maria has spent most of her life following wind, waves and experiencing cultures across the globe. From camping in remote coastlines to working at wave events on the world wave tour, her journey is driven by a deep connection to the ocean and an unshakable desire to experience places and cultures beyond their conditions.

Life on the road…it’s a way of life for Maria. A life lived between cultures, swells and seasons, where home is wherever her harness hangs and the next session is never far away. We caught up with Maria to talk about travelling without a base, chasing waves instead of routines and why the pull adventure and exploration keep her on the move!

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WINDSURF: How long have you been living the lifestyle of travelling and being on the road and how did you get into it all?

MARIA ANDRES: “Yeah, since I got my driving license, I have been travelling and windsurfing. At the beginning maybe it was just a few months a year and now it’s more. Some years I stay at my home in Spain two or three months in total.”

WINDSURF: How does it all work?

MARIA ANDRES: “There’s nothing fixed. Some years I was focusing on competition, some years I wasn’t. I love travelling and I love wave sailing in as many good waves as I can and also I’m super curious about cultures of the countries I am visiting. I love the beauty and the landscapes. I’m sailing and sometimes I’m enjoying more the view of the surroundings than the conditions! I enjoy the places through my eyes a lot”

WINDSURF: So you don’t just visit a country just for the windsurfing?

MARIA ANDRES: “No, for sure not. You need a combination. At the beginning, if I go to the very beginning of why I windsurf or why I travel: I started sailing very early, when I was around eight years old. In Cádiz Bay there was a lot of windsurfing activity and youth teams. We were training and competing, and I realized if I was doing well, I could be in the team and if I was in the team they would take me to places to compete. I realized that that was a way to not only have fun doing what I like the most but also my way to be able to travel! And somehow, over the years it became my way of life.

I always try to make my trips my job. It started there. I realized early that I  had a strong desire for travelling and huge curiosity to see new things..  and the more I trained and enjoy windsurfing, the more I could travel, so it was win win! The more I got immersed in windsurfing, the more I could live from it, in one way or another. It doesn’t need to be from competition or sponsors…it could be promoting places, brands or whatever. For me, it’s all linked. These are my two passions in life: windsurfing and travelling.”

WINDSURF: What do you love about windsurfing?

MARIA ANDRES: “What can I not love about it? (Laughs) It’s my life! I can’t imagine my life without it! When I’m on my board, that’s me. Other than that, I’m just doing things…but on the water, that’s my essence, my truest self. I love all kinds of windsurfing, but waves are what I enjoy the most. Riding a nice peeling, clean, long wave…that makes my soul so happy.”

WINDSURF: When you go on a trip, you don’t usually go somewhere just for a week?

MARIA ANDRES: “No, I hate that. Too much hassle for nothing. When I travel, I like to live the place…meet people, follow their rhythm, try food and make friends. That keeps me on the road all the time. I like to live life the way the locals do. It is a constant change, which takes a lot of energy because you’re always adjusting and learning. Sometimes it’s not easy, but for now I’ve never seen my life any other way. I could not stay in one place.

Budget is another reason. You can’t fly in and out all the time and have a base at home and pay rent while traveling. My only way to travel the whole time was connecting places and not having a base. My base is pretty much where my harness is. I don’t really have a base.”

WINDSURF: So…you are used to camping and living in vans?

MARIA ANDRES: “I adapt to make it happen. Of course, I’d be more comfortable in a beautiful house in front of the beach, but if it needs to be a van with nothing, I’ll take it. Happily. I actually love creating projects where I can involve  different brands to make a trip possible. If it is a place I am really looking forward to going to, I will try to make it happen one way or another. That’s how I’ve been able to go to so many places… Adapting and getting creative, haha.”

WINDSURF: Don’t you ever feel like you need more stable base at home?

MARIA ANDRES: “Yeah, but two months later I want to leave. I get itchy feet…or an itchy board. Home is amazing, but it can be cold and not consistent. If I want waves at home, that is only in winter. I’d rather be somewhere I can be in the water more. I like to go back because it is beautiful and I have my family there”

WINDSURF: So, how do you fund this lifestyle?

MARIA ANDRES: “I’ve done everything. I always say there are only two jobs I haven’t done…one I won’t say (laughs), and the other is selling drugs. Everything else I’ve done. Now I am working for the WWT events and socials.

At the beginning of my trips I washed dishes, took care of kids, taught Spanish and cleaned houses. Later, when I started to collaborate with Windsurf and SUP Mags and got better in producing articles, I did promotions for tourism agencies, events, hotels and products. Sometimes I got paid, sometimes just covered costs or got paid with valuable products I could sell later. Communication is key…you have to put in the work to get the deals and be active. These deals are not coming from the sky.

I was sponsored for a while, I also had a magazine and worked online. The money didn’t cover everything but made life easier so I could choose better jobs. Now I do the social media for the WWT, which is amazing because it allows me to have a job in places I love. I work online, and so if I can, I stay longer in the ones I like. This job gives me a creative angle too. You get to know the riders better, from a different side, let’s say… I try to give voice to everyone, to be fair and to show the backstage and emotions, as well as to put a face to those sails with numbers, so that followers get to know the riders behind the sails. I enjoy having the possibility to make an impact on how the sport is perceived… Besides the high performance, competitive tour content, I like to show the young, happy, friendly, fun and accessible side of it. I like to think that the what and how is shown is a powerful tool to help the sport (I love) grow… ”

WINDSURF: Once the event is over, it’s your turn to windsurf more?

MARIA ANDRES: “That’s the hardest part. Seeing good conditions and having to work, especially if I’m competing too. Sometimes I don’t even know what’s happening on the water, because I’m doing interviews and posts. It’s hard, but so far it works for now. But after working at the events, I get the freedom to sail myself and enjoy the location more!”

WINDSURF: Do you enjoy competing?

MARIA ANDRES: “I used to compete in racing and slalom, where all is clear, you finish the position you cross the line and that was a good thing, but even though I had fun I didn’t find it very exciting. There was a point I felt it was more stress than joy.  In waves, in places I like – down-the-line beautiful waves – , with good conditions and fair heats (long enough), yes, I like it! When you get the chance with a heat long enough in fair conditions (sets rolling) to do your best, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose the heat as long as you are happy with your performance. Having the spot firing for just 4 friends and pushing your limits is pretty awesome! I like the feeling of being focused in the heat, it’s very intense but fun! When bad conditions or heats are being forced to just be running the event quickly, no, that’s not fun!”

WINDSURF: You’ve just come to Australia what are you hoping to get out of the trip?

MARIA ANDRES: “Australia is a dream. It’s my second time, but the first was Sydney and I wasn’t wave sailing yet. Now I’m making a dream come true. Australia is huge, not crowded, wild and well preserved. I don’t like crowds or cities. People are relaxed and friendly. I feel like it is a land of windsurf-unexplored kilometers, and say no more, that translate to me as paradise! haha nothing more exciting than . It is raw beauty, wild nature, waves non stop… after this first time in Western Australia I can’t wait to be back again…

WINDSURF: What are your plans for the future?

MARIA ANDRES: “I’ve been thinking for years that I can’t live like this much longer, haha… it is already ten or fifteen years I was thinking this and here I am, still doing it. But to be honest, as long as I have the energy and the opportunity, I’ll keep going! You never know if health, pandemic, wars(!?) or something will stop you travelling”

WINDSURF: And your own sailing…do you feel like you are still improving?

MARIA ANDRES: “Always, I think that is the same for all windsurfers. That does not change for anybody at any age, windsurfing is endless. Every session is a chance to learn. That’s what keeps us hooked to the sport with everybody at their own level and bigger or smaller goals.”

WINDSURF: Do you feel happy being a part of the windsurf community?

MARIA ANDRES: “Of course. This is part of what keeps me travelling and going to events. That connection is deep between windsurfers. It does not matter where you are from or what your views are. On our boards, that’s who we are, and that’s where we connect. Maybe we don’t need to have other things in common. It doesn’t matter where you’re from… we always support each other too… you have friends everywhere in the world and what unites us is stronger than any differences. It’s very especial”

WINDSURF: Do you enjoy seeing kids learning the sport?

MARIA ANDRES: “I love it. Every time there is a kids camp or kids competing it makes me smile the whole time. Their genuine happiness is contagious. It’s so beautiful to see and it makes me so happy to see the sport going somewhere. I have been doing social media for the Youth World Championship and I love seeing those young kids getting hooked on the sport and making friendships for life!”

WINDSURF: Any low points in this lifestyle?

MARIA ANDRES: “Uncertainty. Not knowing what next month looks like. Some years I have everything planned and I book all the flights. But some years I like to keep it open and let the universe surprise me. This year I am doing it like that. Sometimes it’s scary and sometimes it is super exciting. I’m working on being comfortable with that… it’s a decision I’ve made. It can be more expensive when it’s open and you can pay a lot more for flights but at the same time you can improvise. You are then open to more opportunities and you can flow. I know it takes my energy and I worry about how it is going to work, but positivity and flow are things you can work on when you live like this.”

WINDSURF: What are your favourite places you have experienced?

MARIA ANDRES: “New Caledonia, Tahiti, Baja California, Peru, Maui and Madagascar. Stunning places, not just for conditions but for beauty and feeling. New Caledonia and Tahiti could be at the top because of the waters and landscapes as well as the culture. Tahiti is the most stunning location on the planet I think. As for memorable trips… Baja California was such a cool one to do. There was a lot of preparation but it was really cool to be camped there. Peru is the most enjoyable friendly wave in the world. Maui is busy but I still love it. Everything else in Maui balances out the crowds. Madagascar was also marvellous! like unreal almost! And now I really loved Western Australia! I need a bit of beauty. If it is an ugly place, I don’t want to be there, there are too many beautiful ones to choose to be in one that does not  make your soul sing! haha”

WINDSURF: Are there many places left on your bucket list to visit?

MARIA ANDRES: “Western Australia was one of them but I am here now… Indonesia and a lot of places in Africa for sure… and many islands in the Pacific… Too many places for only one life! Hey, but if a ticket to Tahiti fell from the sky for next week, of course I’d go again! haha… And that is why I keep my plans open, hahaha”