Windsurfing Magazine

kristin
2009-02-18 14:00:00 | 1106 views | 5 Comments

It’s the time of year when we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. The storms are lightening up, the sun is showing it’s face a little more frequently, and once again we are checking online to see if it’s warm and windy enough to finally break out the gear and hit the water again. With better days in sight, you might be asking yourself where you want to spend your precious vacation days this season: Maui? Bonaire? Aruba? solid ideas no doubt. But if you’re thinking of being a little adventurous and trying something new, perhaps you might consider Dahab, EGYPT!

See the highlights of a week of windsurfing in Dahab by Cambridge University and Oxford sailors:

Located on the eastern side of Sinai and an hour away from Sharm El Sheik, Dahab has become renowned amongst European windsurfers’ as a vacation paradise. Popular during the 80’s as a backpacking destination, Dahab has grown from a Bedouin village into a tourist town lined with restaurants, hotels, and shops while still being able to maintain a traditional Egyptian feel. A wide range of accommodations is offered at very affordable prices. For example, $40/night can get you a bed and breakfast on the beach at the Ganet Sinai hotel.

As the prevailing NW thermal passes over the desert heat, a venturi effect accelerates the wind and shifts it to the NE, providing consistent wind all year. The summer and fall can see winds blowing typically all day, whereas in the winter and spring it tends to kick in around mid-day, and could also be a bit cooler. Crystal-clear, warm, turquoise water in the main lagoon with three distinct sailing sites; the lagoon itself, speedy/baby bay, and Kamikaze, provide epic conditions for all windsurfers. Once clear of the beach’s wind-shadow, the offshore winds’ become steady at the upper end of the lagoon, where shallow waters make it a great place for all levels, especially beginners-intermediates. Speedy/Baby bay is located just around a sand-spit and through a beautiful coral reef channel. The reef and sand spit combine to create a perfect flat water run, ideal for speed-nuts and freestylers alike. The Kamikaze reef, which separates the Gulf of Aquba from the windsurfing area, is located at the top of speedy/baby bay, and from here, one can pass through the reef with little difficulty and enter the main gulf, where long rolling ocean swells offer excellent bump & jump conditions.

Check out some helmet-cam footage:

Windsurfing centers line the beach amongst the hotels, providing the latest gear from a variety of manufacturers. The currency in Dahab is LE- Egyptian pounds, and cash machines located throughout the town make it very easy to exchange US dollars or Euros. Be sure to look into Dahab as your next vacation destination!

Many thanks to UK’s windsurfer of the year Andy “Bubble” Chambers for providing information on the sailing conditions and accommodations in Dahab, Egypt. Bubble is currently in Dahab with UK pro-windsurfers Colin Dixon and Ollie Scott. All three are not only pushing the limits of freestyle sailing, but are also veteran instructors. Be sure to check back to windsurfingmag.com to catch the latest updates as they put together what is set to be one of the most informative freestyle instructional videos to date, from the very basics to the most advanced moves done today!

Check out these sites for accommodations/rentals:
Windsurf rentals, Club Vass: http://www.clubvass.com/locations/club-dahab
Ganet Sinai Hotel: http://www.ganetsinai.com/home.htm
Hilton Dahab: http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/DHBHITW-Hilton-Dahab/index.do