Thursday, July 14, 2011

Windsurfing IS a drug!

It's not so easy to have a drug addiction. Sure it ruins lives, and could cost the user their family, friends and even their own lives. Not so different from windsurfing really. Without wind, the windsurfer will get cranky, fidgety, and start lashing out at friends and family, kinda like a crackhead that hasn't had his fix. But, at least the local crackhead can go get his fix at will, provided he hasn't spent all his money on heroin.

The past month has been rehab for all the windsurfers in New England. At first, the lack of wind this spring/summer had all the local bloggers whining and crying. I could have sworn I drove past Michael Alex (Peconic Puffin) on a street corner with his hand reaching out, trying to feel the breeze coming off of the passing cars. Yes indeed, we were all in some serious need of a taste of our preferred substance, wind. But as the weeks of no wind went on, the whining started to stop. The complaining started dying down and we started to set into the reality that there just isn't any more wind. Our bodies got used to not windsurfing, not feeling the spray from the water splashing against our ankles while speeding across the water. We were finally free of the NEED to sail. The Need to fly through the air. The Need to be truly free by throwing all of our cares into the wind and not worrying about anything other than the moment we were in. Windsurfers all over New England overcame their addiction and triumphed from the forced rehabilitation that mother nature forced on us.

Until Monday and Tuesday. Like the most masterful drug dealer in the land, Aeolus (greek wind god) knew exactly who to pray on, and what to deal out to make the most impact to get people back using again. Not only was Aeolus dealing some wind, but it was in it's most potent form. It was between 20 and 30 mph! Now just after one taste, Windurfers in New york, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, are back off the wagon and waiting for the next fix, which looks to be on Sunday. So when, you're windurfing friend blows off the BBQ on Sunday, or suddenly becomes ill and can't make it to work on Monday, it was because they needed the next fix. Yes sir, we are using again, and it's never felt so good.


Guilty as charged.


Look out Johnny, that's my wind!


Flying high!

4 comments:

  1. So very true. I was amazed to see windsurfers from the North flock in from such great distance.

    BTW, I have found a way to get a occasional fixes during the wind droughts, a way to speed across the water, feel spray on the ankles, and even maybe a little air: paddleboarding! Do you feel no pull to grab your Pacifico and a paddle when there is swell on the ocean? I'm gonna start bugging you the next time there is good swell and no wind...

    Signed,
    local SUP pusher

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  2. Yes, supping!!! I do, but for me its much more trouble to get out the paddle board and travel to some waves. It would be like you guys coming all the way to Heck to sail every time. Breaking waves are at a minimum 45 minutes away, unless they are breaking on the north shore. But then if they're breaking on the north shore, its windy, so who would want to paddle when they could windsurf! I started mountainbiking to hold me over, which seems to work pretty well.

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  3. Good Post. Very emotional and breathtaking....I want to windsurf right now...

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