Another great trip to Sardinia..... 11 hours of windsurfing in three days, in the best spots on the island, which offered wonderful conditions for waveriding!

 

Windsurfing, report: another incredible trip to Sardinia, 16-18 April 2024

 

Use it or lose it, and there are certain opportunities that are better not to be missed.

On Sunday evening, April 14, I notice that Windy highlights a wind and wave alert for Cabras..... I have already noticed that mistral will blow for a few days in Southern France, but I haven't yet properly assessed the prediction in Sardinia. I study the forecast and I realize that there will be three consecutive days of mistral with even significant swell..... I talk to my wife......, and on the evening of the 16th, after work, I leave from Milan to Livorno to take the ferry. Alberto joins me, but then on the ferry I realize that there are several familiar faces ....

Tuesday morning. April 16th, after speaking with others, I take my own decision...., and, after a good breakfast in Olbia, I cross the wonderful countryside of Sardinia, arriving shortly after 9.00 in Cala Pischina. I score a great morning.

 

 

 

 

 

The legendary waveriding spot offers progressively increasing wind and waves. I'm the first to enter the water at around 10.30, with Goya Guru X 4.7 and Tabou Da Curve 88. Being in the water in Pischina arouses pure emotion..... due to the conditions, the beauty and wilderness of the place.

The 4.7, however, is already too big in the gusts, and I return to shore soon, to switch to the Ezzy Elite 4.2, a sail that has fought some battles (some signs of wear: in Pischina it is better not to risk stuff that is too new, at least for me).

With the 4.2 I sail better, and I enjoy Pischina and its waves. Some other riders arrive, including some Germans, but there are only a few of us to enjoy this amazing spot. Big waves are starting to arrive, tidy and clean bars, on which it is possible to set more bottoms. A Tuscan boy with a yellow Challenger sail really demonstrates a fluid style (see video and photos). I catch some really nice waves, without taking too many risks. On a nice vertical lip, I drop one of these waves, because I don't know where I ended up, in my waveriding, and I am scared of sailing straight to rocks after the cut back. Ah, ah, ah!

When the 4.2 becomes too full, around 12.30, I get out of the water and start taking photos and videos. Here comes my friend Alessio (Goya Banzai 3.7 and Pyramid 78), Gianmario Pischedda (Severne), and Matteo Testa (Neil Pryde, We One), and others. Conditions are starting to get tough (even mast high waves). Just before 2.00 pm, I decide to leave the spot, because in the afternoon very strong winds and very rough sea are predicted. Too much for me. And then I decide to go and enjoy a beautiful sunset at ..... Capo Mannu. 

Click here, for the slidegallery of Cala Pischina, dated 16 April.

 

I drive for almost three hours. Sardinia in spring offers wonderful green panoramas, especially under the blue Mistral sky. I arrive just before 5.00 pm at Putzu Idu, and after having gathered some information from friends present at Capo Mannu and in Funtana Meiga, I rig the Ezzy Elite 4.2 again, match it with the Tabou Da Curve 88, and leave from Putzu Idu beach comfortably, towards the waves of Capo Mannu. And I enjoy two wonderful hours. For the first time I launch myself into the waves, and I go down these beautiful smooth walls of the Cape. Of course, looking at the Capo cliff in front while going down the wave has a certain effect on my mind.... With the 4.2 I'm well powered, and I can catch the waves quite well. Just before 7.00 pm, having noticed some drop in the wind, I decide to return, and in 5 minutes I sail back to Putzu Idu. Everything is too beautiful. 

 

Wednesday 17th, Funtana Meiga promises.... a big Wednesday. And so it is! The Sinis spot offers wind and waves all day long. The best part of the day are the early morning and around the sunset. When Filippo sends me the video of the spot at 8.30, I understand that it is better to rush even if I have to do some things first.

I arrive at 9.30. Some lucky riders, including Luigi and Gigi, are enjoying wonderful conditions: bars of 2-3 meters, and wind for 4.2, with the spot still not too crowded.... I enter the water at 10.00, and I do 3 superlative hours, with Ga Sails Manic 4.2 and Tabou Da Curve 88. I catch wave after wave, and I lose count. The spot is truly good to improve. I have time to correctly set the movements of the body and of the hands on the boom, in waveriding. And I do huge jumps, and almost some table tops, and a back loop (with a nice back kick....). However, the spot is very crowded and you have to pay attention, even if giving up this wonderful waves, to give right of way to others, is difficult. In the early afternoon, I'm out of the water, and I even have time to take a nap.... How nice to enjoy these days when the wind lasts all day, and there's no rush about being in the water.

I return into the water at 5.00pm. I'm tired, but you can't waste this beauty.... After some hesitation, I rig the 4.2 again, but switch to the Da Curve 80. In retrospect, I can say that the 3.7 would have been better. The wind, however, turns side off, and the sea flattens out between the waves. Perfect conditions. There are only a few of us left in the water (besides me, Alessio and Filippo), and we enjoy a memorable sunset session....

 

 

Click here, for the full slidgallery of Funtana Meiga

 

Thursday 18th, last day of the trip. The forecast calls for decreasing wind and less rough seas. I wake up feeling sore and tired, after 9 hours of windsurfing (or better, of waveriding....) in two days.

I decide to play my cards at Capo Mannu, and for the first time I leave and return from the fearsome little spot beach.... surrounded by submerged and emerged rocks, everywhere. When I arrive, the waves are beautiful, and the wind is light. I rig the Ezzy Elite 5.3 (another very used sail...), and match it with the Tabou Da Curve 88.

At the beach, the wind is almost absent, and it's difficult to go out. I have to thank Luis for his advice. I swim a little out to sea, resisting some treacherous breakers, I get on the board and set off. The wind is light, and, to go upwind, you have to sail without planing. The session turns out to be physical and technical... just what I needed... Catching waves without wind is complicated, and also requires a bit of luck. When I'm in the right place, the sets don't arrive, when they arrive, I'm not in the right place.... I don't even catch a wave.... or rather the ones I hook, too far offshore, don't take me close to the cliff, where they become steeper, but 80-100 meters away from it, where they don not break..... and are not good to be surfed.

 

 

Click here, for the Capo Mannu slide gallery of April 18th

 

After almost two hours of trying, before I completely run out of energy, I decide to end my session at Capo Mannu, and I manage to return to the beach without too much damage....

In the afternoon, I take it easy, and slowly return towards Olbia, first passing by the Romanesque church of Saccargia, a jewel immersed in a wonderful landscape, which I had noticed on the way down towards Cabras, on Tuesday. I should be going to light a candle for the Madonna...., for having survived two Capo Mannu sessions, a Cala Pischina one, without damage, and having enjoyed an amazing Funtana.

This time too, Sardinia was magical, and gave us waveriding sessions that probably have no equal in the entire Mediterranean. Do you agree?

 

Hang loose. Fabio

 

Click here, for the slidegallery of Cala Pischina, dated 16 April

Click here, for Funtana Meiga's slide gallery from April 17th

Click here, for the Capo Mannu slide gallery of April 18th

 

 

Sessions videos