by Brad Tibbels
“I brought my stuff, if you want to try.”
I had no idea what Filipp was talking about but I followed him to his car anyway. We were at Gunpowder State Park for our work picnic and he had brought everything… Everything. Long poles, short poles, curved poles, huge bags that looked like maybe they had curtains inside, big boards, little boards, ropes, vests, strange tools, pumps. It was all there. And he wanted to show me how to use it.
That was before I fell in love with windsurfing. Before I went on probably the best vacation I’ve ever had. Before I wrapped a hook around my waist, attached that hook to a sheet of monofilm and went skimming across the water like a skipping stone.
I drove down to North Carolina for my first BABA Hatteras trip last October. It took nine hours, three bathroom breaks, two lunch stops and one toll. But all I could think about was getting on that easy water. Where there’s no speed boats sending me their wake, no jet skis coming too close, no rental gear to return at the end of the day and it’s 4 feet deep forever.
Every day was the same:
Wake up, walk across the street and watch the birds catch wind off the waves as the sun rises.
Come back, make breakfast while I talk to my house mates about what I plan to work on that day and stretch my rotator cuffs.
Grab my gear from under the house, walk across the back lawn, drop into the water and windsurf my damn brains out.
Come back, hang up my gear and melt into the hot tub on the lower deck, hoping my shoulders will forgive me by tomorrow.
Dry off, take a beer to the top deck and stare at the starry canvas over head with its subtle Milky Way band.
Go to bed, knowing I get to do it all over again the next day.
Click for pix on the BABA Flickr
ed note: Trip Reservation announcement for May 2018 will go out after February 10 from spring trip coordinator Dave Turner. 2017 & 2018 BABA members get first dibs. Is your membership current?
