I set up my video camera on the dash of my van and just let it run. This is what I came up with. I was the only windsurfer for the fist part of the session. A bunch of other windsurfers showed up after I was done filming.
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I set up my video camera on the dash of my van and just let it run. This is what I came up with. I was the only windsurfer for the fist part of the session. A bunch of other windsurfers showed up after I was done filming.
Went to Block Island ( Small Island off the East Coast) For 5 days in October. Killer 5 days! Had some good wind and waves to ride, good friends, a few beers and some great weather!! We did not get some great pictures because no one wanted to sit on the beach with a camera.
Here is a shot of one ride but we had much better rides than this.

Down the line in side-off wind.
Check out this new idea that came a reality in New Zealand. My boyfriend and his friend came up the idea of having the first ever surf wax vending machine. Click here to read more about it on The Dominion Post (New Zealand Newspaper).

夏のトレイルの虫よけ対策として、今のところ一番よさそうなのが、携帯式の蚊取り線香をバックパックに取り付ける方法です。
長所は、液体の虫よけスプレーのように、汗で流れたりしない。電池式のベープに比べて、煙やにおいで効いているのが分かる。1巻きで1日程度は十分持つことなど。短所は、取り付け位置に工夫が必要で、トレッキングなど、歩きの場合は、ズボンのベルトに取り付けたりできますが、自転車用のウェアや自転車には、直接取り付けづらいです。

Issue 3 of the new blank">Windsurfer International is out, and the online wind zine includes killer Hatteras coverage of the 2009 wavesailing season! George Markopoulos at Live2Sail wrote an excellent feature about his Hatteras experience along with a piece I put together on the Hatteras wavesailing safari.
I pulled up at Ho’okipa just like every day for a windsurf session. As I arrived and start rigging, the lifeguards launched the jetski into the water and stabbed this sign in front of the beach(sign featured below!)…yikes! I then started thinking to myself that I should not go out, but than I thought again that sharks are always out there. I was just hesitant because some one saw it and there was a sign now on the beach. Crazy what the mind does. I decided to go out anyways after 20 minutes of debating on the beach. I can say my hair stayed dry the longest ever! I fell once and swam the fastest I could. I tried to stay calm but the thought of a shark was definitely in my mind.

Thanks to the guys from quatro my new board is almost finished. It just needs the footpads, texture and its done. Looking forward to get it saturday morning.
Philippe did already the paintjob and before he does the texture, he puts the sticker my windsurfingfriend Michael from speedygrafx has made. If you ever need a sticker, whatever size and design, he is the guy to talk too.
Additionally, the Island Free Press reports that the Nights in Rodanthe house, Serendipity must go! Dare County will declare the property a public nuisance with choice for the owners to either move it or remove it. Excellent news to help save more construction debris from endangering our beaches and inshore waters. Hopefully, this is only the beginning and all "lost cause" ocean front properties will be "forced" to take action to prevent more property waste from polluting our beaches and coastal waters.







Ok..here we go. I have promised some pictures I took at honolua bay some days ago. I had plan with some sequences but I rather put out some of the highlights. First of all from a definitive non Honolua bay skilled surfer perspective that I am, I think the conditions that day was not epic at all. I have seen the waves there much much more cleaner and mush more in system. It had probable something to do with the direction of the swell? But the waves who was there was in what I could judge wery fast, and there was a loot of current in the water. And about epicness there was really some clean clean glassy waves there, as you can see from some of the pix it looks like the rider probable could check his hair style before the ride was over :-) There was only few paddle surfers in the water. If that was because of the messy waves or because of the current I don’t know. We sow a surfer paddling out at the point outside the last parking spot, and when he was in the water I think he mowed about 0,5 meter/min in paddling. When he finally got a ride, as he afterword called a shitty wave, I think he got a long one completely past the cave, and was driven back again by a car..and was going out again.. And about the tow in at Honolua bay this day, I think the few paddle surfers out there gave the opportunity to do some rides with the tow in. And again I don’t know why they did the tow in there, maybe because of a nice day to practice tow in and really tune in the communication between the surfer and the jetski driver, and then be prepared for bigger waves later. And I must admit I was impressed about their timing and communication for safe rides. About Jetski, I don’t know if I like them around. For me as a now in the start of being a real surfer I really have started to like the purity of it. For sure the trip here to Maui for me is mainly windsurf, but I most admit that after a surf session and when you have had a couple of nice rides, in small waves for me, you are in a state of mind with balance and calmness after a kind of clean communication with mother earth and the nature. But anyway, I must admit, if someone asked med, would you like to do some tow in? I will probable had said yes. But such an offer would have been unthinkable anyway, so I'm spared the dilemma, and I can keep myself on my 9" Kazuma performance board in small gentle waves and be a happy surfer in that way :-)
I know about the potential surfer windsurfer, and the windsurfer kite surfer conflict, but I don’t know about there is a potential conflict between tow in and paddle in surfers. But as you can see from pictures below I don’t think there was any grounds for conflict there. Everybody help out each other in the strong current.














Sunday I sailed the first time this winter at Kuau. Somehow I am always a bit nervous sailing there. The parking is limited and if you come late, you have to carry your gear for quit a distance. Once you are at the shore it’s a rocky beach (specialy going in and out of the ocean with your gear is a challenge) and then continues with the small channel to go in and out. Still I like to go there sometimes. If there is no wave at Lower Kanaha, up there you find always some to play and because it is close to the shore it’s nice for pictures too.
The waves were quit small and with the east wind it was really light inside. Going out is no problem, the current takes you right out. When I decided to stop the wind inside got even lighter and I had trouble to make it inside the channel. At my second attempt I ended up in the rocks. I was not so worried about myself, but about my gear. Thanks to my shoes my feet are ok, only a few scratches on my legs. Unfortunately the board and the 4.7 sail ended with minor damages.
Just a little cut in the sail, but it still hurts when you damage something new….
The little crack on the board I fixed myself. Good I did not have my new board yet…
For a little while I will stay down in Kanaha, much safer and easier. For sure one day I will return to Kuau.
Because of my back issue I mostly not jump but sometimes I just can’t say no not getting some airtime….




Para los que siguen este blog, no es ningún secreto que la que para mi es la mejor ola de Canarias es El Frontón, pero lo del domingo es algo que todavía no he podido asimilar, un auténtico espectáculo de la naturaleza, nadie entró al agua (lo comprendo perfectamente) pero no por ello dejé de hacer fotos, de hecho hice unas 600 fotos en un par de horas y al verlas ahora, las odio y me encantan; me encanta la ola y cada imagen que me la recuerda, pero por otro lado, ninguna de las fotos hace justicia a las sensaciones que esa ola provoca al verla al natural y es por eso (y por la cantidad de fotos) que me está costando hacer una selección y decidir cuales voy a editar.
これで、ようやくGEMINIをフォークダウンタイプのサイクルキャリアで、自動車に外積みできるようになった。


pritchardimaging.com
Ex-Ida Windsurf HQ from Andy McKinney on Vimeo.
Ex-Ida Surf HQ from Andy McKinney on Vimeo.








The windforecast was not quit right for today. Very light, not at all as predicted. Well lets hope for tomorrow. As I drove around today I saw quit a few real Maui cars.
Maui/Hawaii is the land of pickup trucks. Big engine with fat tires. On the other hand you see some just like the movie “fast and furious”.
Also no matter how rusty, how many dents or crashed, as long as the engine starts you can drive. And it is no problem to pass the yearly safety check. You just have to pay 20$, they don’t look at your car and you are all set. What a difference to the german tüv or the swiss inspection. There your car gets lifted and they check with flashlight everything, even do a testdrive.
How do they say here? Have a safe drive…..
I hardly ever surf here, but with this big swell it was actually kind of fun!
Thanks for he pics Shaun Stodder!








Finaly time for some new post. I have not had time to post for a while, so much to do: “Sleep, eat, drive to Kanaha, rig up the gear in time before 11, windsurf , brake with food and water, windsurf, break with food and water, even more windsurf sessions, talk to all the nice people at Kanaha about the perfect ride you had on a shoulder on a wave, about a wave you missed because somebody dropped in on, about a kite who was weary close, about a nice kiter who helped you in to the shore, talk about windsurfing gear, and talk about how nice these days have been, then rig down the gear drive home make some food with lots of proteins, go to sleep dream about windsurf, and the same all over again next day”





Vana - the Hawaiian sea urchin… don’t step on these when you’re out in the water!







Very light wind today, even too light for kiters! This morning I went to the cannery to check on my new board.
Two weeks ago I ordered a custom quatro quad fins 100Lt for all those light wind days wavesailing sessions coming up. They were out of foam, so it took a while until they got started. Now shaper Keith Teboul and his team are working every day to get the board finished by the end of next week.
The first shape was made by a machine. And then Keith started with the finish. Here are some pics, where he is shaping the upperdeck.

Kevin Pritchard capturing a fun moment of mine in the Ho’okipa winter waves! Thanks Kevin!




4.7 Windsurfing in Fort Pierce, FL from James Douglass on Vimeo.
Today on the water I had my best day so far. All week I have been windsurfing and because I stay out there only a short time, I am doing ok with my troubled back. The time on the water I don’t feel my back as much, but when I stop, thats when I notice its not 100%.
All week we had wind and waves, usually about headhigh but sometimes a set as big as masthigh. A lot of time the wavezone was way too crowded. I don’t like it, instead of focusing your waveride you have to watch all those others. Not to mention all those “angry”-ones, it’s like on the road, no respect and wreckless.
One thing I dont understand clearly is why do some kiters need to be in the middle of 100 windsurfers. Specially when its crowded it should be separated. There is a gentleman agreement, but some just don’t give a …..
And even as I have seen today, one kiter did a big jump, then crashed and the kite smashing down in front of windsurfers. Not very safe. And this in the land where safety is the most important thing! So dangerous with those lines.
Today was mostly relaxed. Except a few “angry” windsurfers, we all shared the waves. Which makes your session a lot easier and happier. I don’t like to fight, after all its just a wave and it suppose to be fun. There are some rules, unfortunately not everybody follows and then things get messy. Thats when I stop or go windsurfing somewhere else.
Thank you Alex, Chico, Petra, Jim, Tormod (thehappysurfertormod.blogspot.com), Blackfeet-Andrea, Gary (Kramer) and many I dont know the name for the good time. I wish to have more days like this Sunday.







先週、GEMINIで走った際に、下りで跳ねるような感じがあったので、リア・サスのセッティングを変えてみた。GEMINIのフレームは、リア・サスの取り付け位置を変えることで、トラベル量を、140mm、150mm、170mmに変えられるようになっていて、オールマウンテン的な登りも行けるかなと思い、140mmで乗っていたが、下りで、もう少し安定感があったほうが良いので150mmにして、リアサスのFOX VANILLAのサグも再調整した。スプリングのトラベル量が2.39in(60.7mm)なので、FOXのマニュアルにより、25%の15mmとして、プリロードを調整したが、今日は、一人で、脚立に足をつきながらMTBに乗って、コンベックス・メジャーで計測したので、大体15mm程度である。リバウンドは、とりあえず全開放にして、繖山に行ってみた。
走ってみた感じでは、下りでしっとりと安定して、路面をトレースする感じになり、当分の間は、150mmで乗ってみようと思う。トレッキングタイプのSPDシューズも、歩きやすかった。

最近、SPDペタルにも慣れてきて、MTBには、SPDが欠かせなくなってきたが、今、履いているM182のようなXCレーシング用のSPDシューズは、ベルクロとバックル留めで、ホールド感が良く、ソールも固めで、漕ぎやすく、乗車率が高い林道などでは問題無いが、担ぎや押しが続く山道では、逆に非常に歩きにくいので、トレッキング・タイプのSPDシューズも購入した。靴底のカバーを外すと、クリートナットは、前後に2箇所、ソールに埋め込まれている。足の親指の母子球の位置から、後ろ側の位置にすることにして、クリートは、シングルモードのSH51を取り付けた。MTBに乗ってみた感じでは、M770とM545のどちらのペダルでも特に問題は無く、MTBトレッキング(山サイ)など、SPDでも行動範囲が広がると思う。






Believe it or not, my back feels better and I am able to windsurf. It feels so good just to be out there in the ocean, even my skill is not 100%. I am going slowly, doing no stupid or crazy things, no jumping and so on.
After about one hour I start to feel my back, so I take a break and then go for a second hour. Anyway it is great to be out there, feeling the wind and also knowing it is a lot colder back home in Switzerland. Life is good, specially when you are healthy.
There is enough wind to get me going with my new 4.7.
About the sails, Jeff from HotSails will fix the empty side, hopefully it’s all done by the end of this month.
Clew-Mount Camera Windsurfing in Florida from James Douglass on Vimeo.


Windsurfing Ft. Pierce, FL on 3 Nov 2009 from James Douglass on Vimeo.


Por fin he terminado de editar las fotos de El Lloret del viernes pasado, las podéis ver todas AQUÍ.



STREAMLINEDのRDM用のジョイントを探していたところ、ちょうどカーボンのニューモデルが入荷したところであったので購入した。外観的には、ノーマルカップが入る部分から、径が細くなっていく部分の形状が変わっているのと、表面はクリアの光沢仕上げとなり、カーボン・パイプの厚さも増しているなど、以前のモデルに比べて、改善されているようだ。
今回、ニューモデルを購入して気づいたのだが、エクステンションの長さの目盛りの位置が、新旧では全く違っていた。旧モデルは、カップが入るジョイントの一番下側からの長さになっているが、新モデルはクリートの位置からの長さが表示されているようだ。セイルのラフ長からすると、クリートの位置からの長さを表示する方が、正確だと思うが、今使っているEZZY SAILは、セイルのリーチの目印を目安に張ると、旧ジョイントで、ほぼセイルの表示どおりであったので、どうもよく分からない。
実際の違いについては、旧ジョイントで+12cmは、新ジョイントで+10cmと+8cmの間の位置になる。


Photo session at big ho'okipa today, before I went Lover K in descent maybe around logo sets, with my 80 liter quad board and 4,7m2 sail. Somone told me that some of the waves was mast high at lover Kanaha, but the waves I found was not that big (maybe they have a shorter mast than my 4 m mast) :-).




Well today the first big swell came to Maui with strong wind. Beautiful sunny day.
My lower back is still not feeling good, so I decided not to go. After watching my friends having fun I had to leave the beach, before I got to grumpy!
Tonight Gary from Boston, is joining for a real Swiss Raclette. He likes that smelly cheese. Still got 4Kg left.
今日は、GEMNIのタイヤを、KENDA NEVEGAL 2.35に交換してから、奥島山へ行った。奥島山林道の終点の広場から南側斜面の方に行く新しい林道は、今年2月に行った時は、まだ工事中だったが、今日は工事が終わっているようで、先に行ってみたが、途中で行き止まりになっていた。2万5千分の1の地図には、奥島山の南側斜面に、ほぼ等高線上に長命寺の方に行く歩道の線があるので、新しい林道の終点付近を、探してみたが、全く分からず、来た道を引き返し、林道を一気に下って帰った。
今日は、ドライで締まったダートから、ウェットでルーズな粘土系の路面まであったが、タイヤについては、NEVEGALでバッチリだった。



Today we had really good conditions for windsurfing. The past couple days have been super calm or gusty offshore winds, but today was great! I loved it! The waves were a good size, the wind was steady, and the sun was shining.


