Fantastic trip to France, with an incredible crescendo of emotions and conditions, and with the finale of a memorable windsurfing session at the Carro.

Windsurfing, report: Hyeres, and Carro (France): 31/3-2/4/2023

 

Attention: article written and thought for advanced readers and to be read calmly .... All those who have an attention span of only a few seconds, or who have never read a book, immediately return to social networks, before suffer irreparable damage!

 

I still find it hard to believe how well this trip to France went. The adrenaline for what I've experienced, even now that I'm writing, is strong, and almost erases the tiredness.

Due to various commitments, which did not allow us to organize a group trip, on Friday morning I left alone for France. But Maywald from Bergamo, together with Alberto and Marco, then caught me, once again, on Saturday and Sunday.

Once the possibility of a session with Libeccio in Liguria vanished away, I kept on driving to Hyeres, where the wind forecast was certain.

Around 16.00, I arrived at La Madrague, which welcomed me with a nice westerly/south-westerly wind, around 25 knots. This spot always gives me good feelings, and wonderful memories. It's incredible how the spot is always frequented by so many windsurfers of all ages and all levels, coming from all over Europe. There is always a small community of camped or passing riders on site, generally very nice and sociable.

I traveled around the world for windsurfing, but this is where it all started..... Here, I learned to glide ten years ago. The view is always enchanting, and here sometimes I still manage to have fun sessions. And Friday afternoon was one such occasion. The hard and pure of the waveriding will turn up their noses. But fuck them.... Friday afternoon, the wind was pretty constant, and the water level regular and with little chop, also due to the fact that we were few in the water (and perhaps also for the wind direction: the Giens peninsula avoided the entry of the waves into the bay). I rigged the Ezzy Elite 4.2 2019 and the Tabou Pocket 94 2019, set as single fin (MFC freewave 23), and at about 5.30 pm I entered the water, in the wonderful natural setting of the Almanarre bay.

I did an hour of pure enjoyment in relaxation, in which I closed many maneuvers in a row, and I experimented a lot to better understand how to perfect myself. Then, that envious Maywald sent me a nasty clouds upon my head, which made the wind drop a little, and also brought in a few drops of rain.

I got out of the water, derigged calmly, while, after the rain, the sun reappeared and gave us a fabulous sunset. I tidied up the car (I have to convince the wife to let me buy a van!), and left for the Carro, Martigues, given the west/mistral forecast for the weekend.

 

 

 

I found myself going down some really big waves at exaggerated speed, having a lot of trouble keeping the sail, especially when I was on the lip of the wave. I wish I had my Tabou Da Curve 80 with me, and the 3.7 (or maybe a Quad). Less is more is nonsense, and, if possible, it's better to have a little more equipment than less..... It has become, for me, difficult, even going out to sea and going upwind to gain water lost when surfing, because, offshore, the wind was photonic.....

Despite the less than ideal equipment, I had a good time. I took some good wipe-outs, like everyone else, and I've always managed to manage all the most insidious situations without any particular problems. These conditions, however, require experience. In some wipe-outs, with big waves that broke upon my head, I had to throw the the sail top (and myself) under the breaking wave. I also enjoyed doing some nice fluid jibes, on the flat water, coming out at the end of the surfing.

 

 

After an hour, both for family commitments in the afternoon and because keeping the sail became increasingly tiring, I started thinking about returning. And just when I had decided to go back I found myself behind a really big, wonderful wave, which I hadn't even noticed, because I hadn't thought of surfing anymore. It gave me a beautiful last .... wipe out.

Once out of the water, I derigged calmly, enjoying the beautiful sunny day (warmer than Saturday, even if the air was still crisp). I chatted with friends, admiring the exploits and wipe-outs of the others in the water, among which the stainless Alessio from Turin, and I still took some photos and some videos for you (enjoy the full slidegallery of 2nd april at Carro). Marco (Maywald), seeing that he was tired ...., rigged the 3.7 and returned to the water with his Pyramid for a few more hours.

At 11.40, reluctantly, I left the spot, but not before having bought a nice baguette, and a flan cake, which I am fond of, for lunch at the Boulangerie on the spot.

A trip we will remember for a long time.

Hang loose. Fabio

Enjoy the full slidegallery of 1st april at Carro  

Enjoy the full slidegallery of 2nd april at Carro

 

 

Video of 1 april session

 

Video of 2 april session