So I've been putting this off primarily because I'm swamped with work and moving preparations. I was in the OBX from May 2nd through May 10th. I've been to the OBX at least 10 times, but I've never been blessed with such awesome wind for such a sustained period. It blew 20+ on 7 out of the 8 days I was there. I had 2 sessions with planing almost every day. It was incredible. I was staying in a BABA house which was really cool and laid back. I hung out with a few people that work in the windsurfing "biz", namely Josh Sampeiro, Andy McKinney, and Stu Proctor. Sailing around better sailors really makes a huge difference. I listen to any and all tips given to me by better windsurfers. A lot are given with the preface of "I'm no expert", but actually, it usually IS coming from an expert windsurfer. Thanks to those dudes for the advice! Here are a few pics I snapped on Friday. The conditions that day were SSW sustaining around 30 and gusting over 40. I was hanging on for dear life when I got out. As a photographer, I'm horrible and impatient, and I haven't spent any (necessary) time fixing the horizons or colors with photoshop...
Some guy disintegrating in a high-speed crash.
Standing on the beach was painful! Incredible sand-blasting feel...
The waves were junky, but that didn't stop local hero Andy from carving some pretty sweet lines on them. You gotta admit those orange RRD boards are beauties.
Stu in the background as a gust rips the water off the wave peak.
I took this shot for perspective. While 3-4 foot surf looks small when you're up on the dune seeing guys bump through it... when you actually sit right in front of the shorebreak, it can be pretty intimidating...
Andy, beginning rotation on a forward. He must have thrown 15 forwards in the 30 minutes I was out there, plus a couple backloop attempts. Awesome to see someone charging hard.
Stu, launching off a wave...
Stu was working on his ocean loops. He pulls the flatwater loop with ease, but I think they're more difficult in steep bumps because you have to rotate further?
Andy gets intimate with a closing wave.
Stu rips through a bottom turn.
Andy gets big air and delays the forward.
Olaf gets ready to chargeThat's all for now - thanks for reading!
6 comments:
great Pics-wish i could of been there!
Nice pics dude, and thanks for all the mad props! You were sailing great last week, I'm sure within this summer in San Fran you'll be chucking loops too!
Nice recap Aaron....you had an awesome week out there. May seems to be a great month in the OBX.
What a week! You scored big time...well done (I am jealous!)
Eeooowww! Nice Pics, Aaron. My switch from wave surfing to windsurfing has given me a new respect and disposition with ocean surf. I fear that I'm far off from sailing in such conditions. But you guys are badass! Rock on!
Paul,
Let me clarify that I didn't sail in the ocean that day, so I would not be a part of that "you guys" demographic. Anyway, I hooked VIMS up with my freeride board, make sure Jimbo lets you ride it...
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