Report of the windsurfing session in Bordighera (Liguria, Italy), with North-East/East wind, and good waves. Many hours in the water, and as always a lot of people in the spot.

 

Windsurfing, session report: Bordighera (Liguria, Italy), 12 March 2022

This report undoubtedly has been written with a particular mood. It seems that we have entered a new era. When we thought we had almost got rid of the problems related to Covid pandemia, here is a new event (the war in Ukraine) to make our lives more and more complicated ....

This trip, in addition to the usual family commitments, was also conditioned by a new factor, linked to the current international scenario: the price of diesel fuel went from 1.8 to 2.2 euros in a week, in Italy! Few years ago, with 200 euros, you could drive to Hyeres (South France) from Milan, and come back. Now, with 150 euros you can only get to the state border .... So, the choice of the spot also depends on the search for a fair compromise in the cost-benefit ratio.

But let's move on to the chronicle of the day.

 

 

Having only one day available, due to family commitments, I made an agreement with my friend Marco from Bergamo, with the idea of ​​heading to Cannes, where I have not made a session for a long time .... But, already the evening before, closer destinations were also evaluated.

Along the way to sea shore, we decided to play our cards in Bordighera, which with Cannes seemed to guarantee a more consistent wind. And all in all, it went pretty well. Probably, Cannes worked also very well. But, as mentioned, Cannes is now starting to be expensive, for a day trip, only in two.

We arrived around 11.00, finding 14 degrees, and a wind already strong, even near the shore. Cloudy sky.

We both opted for 4.2 sails and 94 liter boards. Me with Ezzy Elite 4.2 2019 and Tabou Pocket 94, set as thruster with K4 fins; Marco with Goya Guru 4.2, and Quatro Super Mini 94, also set as a thruster.

Shortly after 11.30, we entered the water. In the first part of the day, the wind was strong, and oriented from NE (Side / Side off on the spot). A little gusty (as always in Bordighera). But what was immediately more interesting was the water level, which, in the first part of the day, was rather tidy, and above all with beautiful smooth and tidy waves, and good to be surfed, starting from about 150 meters from the beach.

In the first rides in the water, I was a bit overpowered, and also with a board that was too big and too fast on the wave. I must also say that, having slept too badly, due to a Friday too full of things to do ....., I entered the water with not much energies, and not full charged, as on other occasions.

After half an hour, a little magic happened. The wind dropped slightly, keeping the same direction. In combination with the water plane described above, the overall result has become really pleasant. There was a moment, in the middle of the day, when it got really nice to throw yourself and surf the waves. In short, nothing comparable with the sessions in Sardinia a few weeks ago (read report), but a little healthy waveriding to have fun and keep fit. With Marco we had fun doing some shots with an action camera, attached to the harness.

 

 

We had good surfing rides, returning to the beach every now and then, to have some rest, and take some photos (click here, for the complete slidegallery of the day).

Suddenly, the wind veered from the East (therefore, coming more from the sea) and strengthened. I found myself going down the big waves (2-3 meters), under some gusts, with too much speed, without being able to set the bottom, with the 94. I changed the board, and moved on to Tabou Da Curve 80 2016; Marco changed sail, switching to a Guru 3.7. Unfortunately, just the time to get back in the water, and the wind blast was over. This rotation, however, managed to mess up the sea, which became annoyingly crossed and chopped offshore, while the waves were less beautiful.

We both ended the day, returning to the original equipment.

After 14.30-15.00, the wind gradually dropped and turned definitively from the North East; a classic end of the day for Bordighera.

We got out of the water between 3.30 pm and 4.00 pm, we calmly unrigged, and fed ourselves properly, to recover the energy spent, before getting back into the car.

The east wind will continue for several days, in Liguria and Southern France . We will see what we can organize. Probably, we will have to think about more and more numerous groups for the next windsurfing trips.

With the fuel price increases and international tensions we are facing, windsurfing certainly remains a minor problem .... But for us, it is a great passion, which helps us to balance the stress deriving from daily commitments... We need normality.

Let's hope this obscene spectacle of the war in Ukraine ends as soon as possible.

Ciao. Fabio

Click here, for the complete slidegallery of the day.

 

Video taken during the session