Robby Fame

I put that short clip of some guy with a pink sail on youtube a couple of days ago, and it has already had over 2,000 views. Wow! So how come I've only had 43 views of me spocking at Bird? Especially when at least 38 of those views were me.

Fingers crossed for a bit of Bird Island Freestyle this weekend. Gotta watch it.

Home Time

Lets see Mikes stats:

• 8 out of 8 days using 4.2 and/or 4.7, except really needed 5.3 Monday/Tuesday
• 6 out of 8 with waves, at least head to mast
• Sailed Lower Kanaha, Spreks and Hookipa. They are all awesome spots in different ways
• 1 back loop - BOO YAH!
• Some forwards
• About 5 push loop attempts...scary!
• Quite a few aerials
• Lots of local beer and fish

Alex and the Girardins were perfect hosts, sorting us out with gear and digs.

Driving to the airport, we stopped at Hookipa about 4pm. It was raining and there were only four guys still out slogging and riding. It looked really nice, super clean. There was a guy with a pink sail ripping it up, so I took a little bit of video of him. Check it out, he really should consider going pro.

Kanaha

Double session at Kanaha. Session #1 was nice, well powered 4.2. Apparently the board I am riding is pretty much what Levi was riding last year. I had a couple of hero turns where I swear I was sailing just like him...

Session #2 was just too windy for me but Guillaume had a good time on the KT 76 and 4.1. I said I would film him for a bit. First run out, he busts a forward, I stop the camera, suddenly a perfect set appears and BAM he busts a big back loop on the same run. Did I get it? Did I? Did I?

Nope. Sorry mate. 

What a day!

Early session at Hookipa, followed by late session at Kanaha. What a day! Did I say that already?

Hookipa was big. According to Alex it was head high :) Me I had it closer to mast. This looks big right? It's me by the way, photos by Jimmie Hepp.

Guillaume went on the rocks. Watch this and you will see how it enfolded.

Guillaume Rocks Hookipa from Mike Campbell on Vimeo.

I was watching from the beach and Josh Stone was like "Dude, he went on the rocks!". I was like, "OMG, Josh Stone just talked to me..!!" temporarily forgetting about Guillaume getting pounded.

Rock rescue

Kanaha was a walk in the park in comparison. But I was chuffed, because I landed a back loop. Boo yah!!

I lied

Morning SUP session at Uppers. Teeny weeny waves.

Guillaume. Shredding

Handsome chap

The wind kicked in at noon contrary to the forecast I had looked at. Pootled about on 4.7 in the afternoon. Suprisingly, custom quad wave boards designed for mast high Hookipa aren't actually that fun for underpowered bump and jump.

No Wind or Waves till Wednesday

But that's OK, we are surviving...

Maui is a special place. I love how all the different water users exist in relative harmony, sharing the Aloha.

First day

Woke up to this, Chez Plunketts, who were fabulous hosts for the night by the way.

Headed over to Alexs place and he sorted us out with a quiver of Goya sails and his two custom quatros...oh baby. Swung by the quatro shop, picked up more gear, chit chatted, drank some coffee, until it was time for Hookipa. Decent first day. I always feel like such a beginner here. But Jimmy Hepps photos made me look better than I felt. Woo hoo!

Spray!! Do ya see it??

Setting up for the arial? :)

Kevin Pritchard did this on pretty much every wave

Boys Trip

I'm off to windsurfers paradise in the morning with a jumping meastro. The guantlet has been thrown down. First person to push loop is the winner! Jumping is cool but I also want to sail Hookipa and actually catch some waves. I'm gonna work on speed down the line, timing (the waves break so much faster than at Port A!) and hitting every fat lip I see. It's gonna be awesome. Dunno if I'll have time or tools to blog.

Quintana Short Clip

Julie kindly took a little bit of video yesterday. OK I begged her...! Considering it's taken from the truck, with dirty windows, with two kids in tow, half a mile upwind, filming through the bushes, it could have been worse! Anyway, it shows the fun-ness.


Windsurfing Quintana, March 2012 from Mike Campbell on Vimeo.

Quintana Carnage

Great day. The fun level was good and high until I put a little hole in my sail. Think Bob T can fix it?

Levee Windboarding

Squeezed in a short windboarding sesh at Texas City. I was pleasantly surprised to see a kiter out in just a bikini, I guess spring has sprung. Overpowered 5.6 and Rodeo. Threw down one speed loop in knee deep water, but apart from that couldn't do nothing.

Worst Day Ever?

I had a super fun morning session at East Beach today, well powered on 5.3 with nice ramps.

Today was nothing like the last time I sailed there during Hurricane Irene. That day I got off work at 4pm and wrestled with the traffic for two hours, finally rolling up to the beach at 6. There was no-one else in sight, the wind was howling side shore, the current was ripping and the waves were breaking a long way out, much further than I had ever seen before.

Erring on the 'safe' side I rigged 5.3 to help me with the current. First run out and totally overpowered I made it past the first two sandbars. The second break the wave was breaking top to bottom and pretty heavy. It was exciting, but the logical part of my brain told me I shouldn't be out here on my own.

Left side of brain - I really do not want to fall out here. I'm gonna wait for a nice swell to carefully gybe on
Right side of brain - Sure, if I must...
Left - There is one. Gently does it
Right - Check out that ramp!!
Left - Whaa...?
Right - Bear away!
Left - Are you mad?
Right - LOOP!!
Left - oh not again...
Right - WOO HOO!!!!

CRACK!! My boom head broke on landing. A LONG way out, unable to fix my boom and still in the breaking waves I decided to swim in with my gear rigged. It was going OK until the second sandbar where I got sucked into a meaty one and lost my gear. When I found it again my mast was broken and sail in tatters. As I got close to the beach I could see the beach houses speeding past as the current ripped me downwind. 20ft from the beach I touched bottom but couldn't stand up the current was so strong. Finally... I dragged myself and destroyed kit onto the beach at least a mile downwind of my launch. By the time I got back to the truck it was almost dark.

Worst Day Ever?
Left hand side of brain - $1000 in equipment breakage for 3 minutes of sailing, of course...
Right interrupting - ...not! That loop was sick.

RRD Undercarriage

Whenever I have a windsurfing drought, almost 3 weeks in this case, I start to shop. Worldwinds are carrying RRD now. So whilst perusing the RRD range on-line I came across this photo on the RRD website.

I really want to keep this blog clean...but...you know those psychometric tests where they show you an image and you say the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it me or does the bottom graphic remind you of anything..? Seriously?

It's a VAGINA!!!!