1. You will always rig faster than me, even if I start 10 minutes before you. Its just the way it is. So you can feel really good about your rigging skills if you rig with me.
2. I will make you feel really smart, because no matter who you are or what skill level you are at, I will always ask if you think I have enough downhall. You would think I have it figured out by now..but no... I always need a second opinion no matter what the conditions.
3. I will taunt you while we rig, telling you how you should watch out because I will be ripping on the waves, or tell you to watch out for my spray when I fly past you fully powered, or tell you to stay out of my way when I go for my double forward loop. I will get you all pumped up to go out and have the best session of your life. This leads into number 4.
4. I am a pretty poor windsurfer, so you'll feel really good about yourself when you sail with me. Especially after I taunt you on the beach. You'll think I am doing pretty good, and then you will see me do something totally ridiculous and eat it on the water. That should put a smile on your face, especially when you see the look on my face, which brings us to number 5.
5. The looks on my face must be amazing. I usually am grinning (like an idiot), but on some days I am sure I have that "mama!" I'm scared look on my face. No matter what though, I seem to always have a good time, smiling and laughing.
6. Some of my catapults are pretty unbeatable. Even ask Nick, the last one he saw me do he claimed was top 3 for sure. He was laughing pretty hard at me, and I laughed until I cried and my ribs hurt.
7. I make bad windsurfing look good. Or at least I think I do. Sometimes my bikini bottoms slip off my cheeks, and I am too overpowered to pull them back up. This is a little more pesonal though, so you'll have to decide if this is good, funny, or just plain wrong. Its up for debate for sure. Hopefully it makes you laugh at least.
8. My favorite reason for you to windsurf with me is my friend Laura! She is almost waterstarting now and she is amazing. She is beautiful and looks better on a board and sail than I do without a doubt. Her grin is even bigger than mine, and she laughs more than I do. She is going to be my sailing buddy and its almost impossible to not have a good time with her around. And, she is Colombian. You will love her.
The last two days were ridiculously windy. I'm talking about the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-bikini hoping-it-stays-tied kind of windy. The kind that makes you think getting drug tied up behind a pickup truck going 60 mph might be a little easier on your body. And, I had a blast sailing in it.
Monday I had 2 hours between my two jobs and I went to Lowers to get a quick session in. Where was my brain when I check the wind forecast?!?! Why didn't I bring my 3.2 sail down from the house?!?! Why do I believe in torturing myself?? Well 3.8 was my smallest sail and I rigged anyways. I admit that I thought twice about it when I saw full grown men going out on 3.8 sails, but stubborness and maybe a little bit of stupidity won out. I suddenly forgot where I was. Wait...am I back at Ram Tap Championships 3 years ago, leading Corona (my horse) to the warm-up arena? Because that is the one thing that stuck out in my mind as I struggled out over the Kanaha Reef. As I tried to waterstart my sail pulled hard on my hands. My board and sail fought me violently as held tight to the boom. Flashbacks of Corona dancing on the end of his line ran through my head. It amazes me that two completely different sports can feel so similar at such an intense moment. I remember Coronas athletic, lean, muscular body dancing alongside me. I remember him half-rearing and pulling at the leadrope in my hands to release his energy.
What makes me laugh is remembering seeing people walk by, staring with huge eyes at the massive animal parading along side me. Im sure they thought I was crazy, but there I was, grinning. Yes, like an idiot. I stayed calm and kept smiling, optimistic that he would soon put his energy to good use.
So here I was two days ago at Kanaha, still smiling to myself, optimistic that the wind would mellow out just enough for me to waterstart and cruise back in to the beach. It took time, and patience, but eventually I was back on my rig and flying across the water. I kept telling myself "just one more run"...and I eventually sailed the entire time, grinning like an idiot, making a fool of myself getting catapulted around. Some things never change.
Yesterday was a sweet day too. I know this is a really really long post (wait, aren't all my posts really long?) but I have to share it with you. I was on a 4.8 and I needed it to make it out. There was NOOOO wind on the inside and I almost swam out. I could see the windline clearly...and after a good slog, I reached it. Holy smokes, I needed a 3.8. My sail was waaay to big, but I stayed out anyways. As the sun slowly moved down, the wind shifted to a perfectly powered 4.8. For about 15 minutes I was cruising along, totally relaxed. In and out I went through the waves. Perfectly small, shoulder or head high at the most I think? I caught a perfect one, and I think I even rode it properly!! I unhooked my harness and slogged... waiting for the wave to push me. At last it caught up with me and I almost missed it. A bit of pumping and I suddenly glided down the face. I slid my back hand towards the clue and imagined an inside jibe. I carved down and then back to the top , still waiting for it to break. My sail felt so light in my hands, and my board felt so smooth and sensitive. Down again I went, carving along, pushing my toeside rail in. Really? Is this how its supposed to feel? This nice? I got in 3 turns like this before the wave broke. I came back up to the white water and went over it, and back down to ride straight in.
I did it :-D
I got three waves in that felt like that. And then the wind turned to overpowering gusty crap again. I got washed for a while and spent what felt like 30 minutes trying to get upwind again to where I launched. But it was all worth it for those three little waves I took, and I have been smiling ever since.
Aloha, and everyone have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow. I am thankful for so much and I hope you are too.
Here are a few pictures of Corona. Most people here on Maui don't realize how important horses were (and still are) to me. Imagine how much time you put into water sports, how much thought and energy. Insert horsebackriding and competing horses there, and you can understand how dedicated I was to it.
Corona is for sale in California now, so that I can pay for my college tuition. So lame.
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