On Friday and Saturday I returned to two spots where I hadn't ridden in a while: Andora and Cannes Palm Beach. The windsurfing session in Andora was short, but very pleasant, and above all it was a dive into the past, full of emotions....

Windsurfing, report: Andora and Cannes, 1-2/12/2023

It was another weekend during which a significant Atlantic disturbance gave a lot of wind in many spots.

On Friday 1 December, in western Liguria, the forecast predicted a Libeccio (SW), with a fair southern component. Looking at the latest map updates, it was clear that Andora and Albenga would have worked better than Imperia. I left the office around 11.00, from Monza, and I decided to head for Marina di Andora, where an old Waterwind friend was waiting for me: Andrea, the legendary doctor!

It was a truly pleasant afternoon, from many points of view. Once I arrived in Andora, I parked easily, near the exit point (there were about ten riders in the spot). The car thermometer ended up reading 21 °C.... After the cold last sessions at the lake Como, going out without shoes and gloves, with a 5/4 wetsuit (but the 4/3 also could have been right) and with a neoprene hat just for safety, was really pleasant. I entered the water at 2.30pm and went out at 4.30pm, enjoying it for 1 hour and a half, before a rain shower made the wind turn more to the west and make it drop. But before that, the wind was really good. I had the opportunity to try the Ga Sails Manic 4.2 2022, which I really liked (rather similar to the Goya Guru, which I recently bought): powerful, but without pulling brutally, and comfortable (light) in maneuver. The Tabou 3S Plus 96, this time too, did its job excellently.

Small waves (maximum around one metre), but I also managed to do some easy and fun waveriding. In the middle of the sea, looking at the coast, and riding, a world of memories came back to me.... In Andora, I learned to windsurf in the sea with a roughed water surface, and I learned from many mistakes. And I also remember the many friends with whom I shared wonderful days here. I have to go back more often, even if it has been confirmed as a potentially more insidious spot than the Spiaggia d'Oro in Imperia, due to the instability of the wind near the shore, and the many breakwaters on the shore. It's a shame I didn't arrive at the spot earlier, because those riders present when I arrived told me they had fun even before I entered the water. Unfortunately, I didn't take photos of the session due to lack of time.

In the evening, I was a guest in Noli at Andrea's house. The pizza enjoyed at the "Ponte Antico" Pizzera Restaurant was excellent.

On Saturday, a powerful mistral was expected to descend from the Rhone valley to the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy with a westerly rotation. Unfortunately, as written in the forecast here on Waterwind, very low temperatures were also expected in the first spots reached (Carro and Coudou): it was 6 degrees in Carro.... Probably, the best choice would have been to go to Almanarre, in Hyeres, where I did beautiful wave rides, with strong NW winds.

We, for distance reasons too, were content to ride at Cannes Palm Beach, where in the past I have had good sessions with a westerly wind. Honestly, I have to say that I didn't have much fun this time though. The wind came in, even too strong. I went out with the Ezzy Elite 3.7, and again with the Tabou 3S 96 LTD 2019. At the end of the session, the wind was almost right for 3.4.... But when the wind is so strong on Palm beach (and with some changes in direction ), the water surface becomes decidedly too choppy for my tastes, making it tiring to maneuver, and try new maneuvers (which I am interested in more than riding back and forth). Furthermore, although not very cold (the car thermometer fluctuated between 11 and 14 degrees), the wind was fresh, as expected, and taking off the wetsuit at the end of the session was tough. I have to get a Van! Panoramatically, nothing to say: beautiful sunny day, and the Ile de Saint Marguerite in the background is always beautiful to see. The slideagallery proves it.

In the water, many tough local riders, without shoes, gloves and hats/hoods. And some sailors (kids in Optmist, Catamarans) with a knife between their teeth: the French are great navigators.

Next weekend it seems that another disturbance is coming.... We'll see.

Aloha. Fabio

Click here, for Cannes slidegallery