Windsurfing Magazine

kristin
2001-12-31 14:00:00 | 91 views | 0 Comments

People always ask me where they should go for windsurfing vacations. Always. Most of them want guaranteed wind, warm water, guaranteed sunshine, no big fish (except on the dinner table), a beach, good equipment for rent, nightlife as an option, reasonable accommodations and a price which won't break the bank. Without reservation I always recommend Margarita.

For the intermediate level sailor (from working on water starts to just getting in the straps to perfecting jibes), this place rules. I've been there 4 times and have never been skunked.

But what makes it special for me is the adventure factor. I have taken off in the afternoon, fully powered on a 5.0m sail and 260cm board, and sailed up and down the Magarita coast, stopping at tiny fishing villages to splash with the children and smile at the locals.

I sailed across the channel to the West End Coche all by myself back in 1989 before anyone really went there. As I rounded the point and discovered the mile long beach with 12'' deep dead flat water my smile could have reached the moon.

Another time I sailed all along the towering chalk cliffs of the west end to the southern tip of Coche. And the last time I was there I sailed past Coche, all the way to the Venezuelan mainland. All by myself. Well, almost.

I was joined half way by a school of a dozen dolphins, splashing and jumping and chattering all around me for ten minutes as I went screaming across the ocean. The biggest one-easily 10' long-came right up along side me, casually keeping up with my 20+knots, rolled over so he could get a better look at this strange skimming creature, took a long look at me with his round, black eye, gave a shrill screech (undoubtedly saying to the others, ''Hey you guys! Come look at this! What a kook! You won't believe it!''), gave a sudden jump across the nose of my board, and disappeared.

This, of course, was one of the highlights of my 20+ years of windsurfing, and just one more reason I love Margarita. The Island has grown up quite a bit since I first went there, but it still maintains it's sleepy local charm despite the abundance of windsurfing hotels and schools. I try to get back there every 2-3 years to see old friends and look for yet another adventure.