First post in 2010 to describe a failed day…….the previsions were looking good for this sunny January day…..after some e-mails and phone calls time to head to our usual spot…..when i arrived there were already at the spot and rigging Rui and António…..

After reading the wind i decided to rig my biggest sail that i had with me, 7.0m, because my 8.0m sail was still for repair……

Rui and António had already gone into the water but suddenly the wind stopped blowing……..shit!!!!! So they came back and that was all for this day……completely waste less…..not all…..it served to see the guys for the first time in 2010…..

Some pics of the guys rigging up….for nothing……lets hope for better days…..

Well

Everything was appointing to be a good day on the water, wind prediction appointing to wind around 15 - 20knots and a sunny Saturday afternoon….one phone call to Rui and we were off to our usual spot Cabedelo…..

We arrived around 13h00 and started to rig big, Neilpryde V6 8.0m for me and North Sails 10.0m for Rui and unpacked big boards Fanatic Shark 130 L for me and Starboard Isonic 155 L for Rui……..30 minutes later we where in the water planning around……

That was when my clew rope came out and i had to head to the beach to put it in place….but when arriving at the beach i got struke by a big swell that ripped my kit of my hands and threw it around in the white water until it arrived at the sand with 3 broken battens….it was a relief because there was no mast breakage or sail ripped……..it could have been worse…….

After that i rigged 7.0m went out for a ride and the wind called the day of……well it was the last day i windsurfed in 2009

Let’s hope for windy days in 2010

As in these winter days the winds tends to die very early we decided to go to Cabedelo as soon as possible to get the most of these last north winds….so Rui Cruz and Nelson Oliveira arrived around 10h30 and i got there around 11h00….and the rest of the guys started to arrive, Carlos Oliveira, João Silva, Carlos, etc….we were about 10 windsurfers on the water….not bad for a winter day…

The wind was shift and very gusty going from 12 knots to 25 knots in a matter of seconds…..so if you rigged to big you could get caught out there with a huge sail and get blown away…..but if you rigged to small, as i did, you would get stuck in the big wind holes…..fuck!!!

So after all this was a shity windsurf day….from a lots of wind to no wind….you cant windsurf  in those conditions……

Today is Sunday and there is no WIND around….nothing…..i know that in autumn and winter these are the conditions we have but lets pray so that next weekend there is some wind and we can go out….

Some pics of me after coming out of the water…. 

Last weekend i had the opportunity to go to a new spot with my friends Rui and Carlos.

To get to this spot i need a 2 hour drive through amazing views going up and down some big mountains in north of Portugal.

This spot is called “Barragem do Alto do Rabagão” (it a man made dam) and is situated near a village called Montalegre in the interior north.

It’s a fantastic place very uncrowded, only three of us in the water windsurfing in a 13 to 16 knot breeze using 7 a 8 meters sails and big boards.

The wind here is good when it comes from south with no currents….so you can play as much as you want without getting being afraid to go downwind and not returning to your leaving point if the wind goes down.

We can do a 2Km track to reach the other side when the wind is from north or south….if the wind comes from west or east you can do a 8km track….ufff….

Some pictures below…..I’ll be back for sure…

 Rui Cruz

After being away from home and family working in Lisbon for the past week, at the biggest private company in Portugal, Sonae, i returned home on late Friday.

Looking at windguru i found out the this was going to be another windsurfing weekend…..upiiii!!! So i asked my wife and kids if they would like to go to the beach on Saturday….my kids jumped in joy as they are beach lovers like me.

So Saturday we took of and it was a fantastic day with wind for big equipment, 130 L board and a 8.0 m2 sail…..four hours very well spent on water….just to relax and have fun with friends and family…..the perfect day!!!

On Sunday i went alone and the wind was up, so 130 L board and a 7.0 m2 sail, just another amazing 3 hours on water with my friends…..the more i windsurf the more i get addicted…..this is for sure the most addicted sport i have done and i have done a lot like, Soccer, Volley, Bodybuilding, Squash, kayaking, biking…..but this is number ONE!!!!

Some photos of Saturday:

Especificações: Largura=65cm / comprimento=2.40m /Peso=7Kg

É que isso de ter pranchas de outra cor sem sem vermelho não é comigo….lol

Já a coloquei na agua mas estava pouco vento para a experimentar em condições, então tive que ir buscar a 130L e vela de 8.0m para poder curtir o dia a navegar……vamos esperar por um dia de vento para 6 ou 5 metros para a usar e tentar habituar-me a ela.

Seguem umas fotos da mesma ainda embalada e depois montada prontar para ir para o banho pela primeira vez…

Dia agradável para ventos entre 18 e 25 nós onde se pode navegar bem ao longo de todo o dia……mais um dia longe da familia mas dentro de agua……..não se pode ter tudo ao mesmo tempo…. lol….

Temos que agradecer as fotos á Guida, mulher do João Leitão que teve a amabilidade de aturar estes gajos e tirar umas fotos, obrigado Guida.

Foto da Fotogrofa de Serviço (Guida)

Grupo madrugador…..da esquerda para a direita….Carlos, Anton (Espanhol),  Mário, João e Rui..

Transito no Cabedelo….a praia parece que está a ficar pequena….lol

João a Planar em grande estilo (O Albeau do Cabedelo)

Mais um fim-de-semana com vento a rondar os 30 nós e os gajos de costume a tirar horas de estar com a familia para estar na agua a planar, sentindo toda a adrenalina de andar no limite…….da queda….lol

Dia de sol e vento até ao anoitecer……mais não se pode pedir ao S.Pedro!!

Deixo-vos com algumas fotos da sessão de sabado………..podem ver mais fotos em:

http://picasaweb.google.pt/mario.milhazes/25DeJulho2009Cabedelo#

Já algum tempo que não aparecia por aqui….podera….o vento tambem tinha nos abandonado há 15 dias…..

Venho hoje só reportar mais um dia de vento para velas de 7.0 a 8.0m…..sempre a planar…fartei de fazer bordos a planar…….grande dia……devo ter percorrido por volta de 20km…….

Tive que sair mais cedo e deixar a praia para o pessoal que ficou até tarde a tirar a barriga de misérias….desta vez não tive tempo para fotos porque passei a maior parte do tempo dentro de água….lol

Estamos ansiosos que chegue o próximo fds e principalmente a viagem para a Meia-praia, algarve para fazermos aquele bordo de 4km……

Abraços e beijos…..bons ventos

Depois de no dia anterior, 1 de Maio ter estado cerca de 40 nós….que vendaval…e de ter obrigado alguns de nós a viagar para terra Galegas para encontrar algo de vento mais ameno….dia 2 acordou mais calmo por isso toca a fazer a romaria do costume em direcção ao Cabedelo….

Cheguei cedinho, tipo 12h30 e bota lá a montar a vela de 7.0m e água…..algo frouxo no principio da tarde mas acelarando durante o dia que ao final já estava a andar bastante carregado…..

Mas como tenho a mania de não querer estar a trocar de vela quando o vento sobre ou baixa lá andava a planar todo contente para a frente e para trás com o meu material….

…já tinha parado para afinar o material algumas vezes para aguentar a subida de vento….mas por volta das 17h00 subiu ainda mais e resolvi voltar á praia e pensei.. “está na altura de ir embora”…..quando ia começar a desmontar deu-me um flash disse “bem mais um bordo não fazia mal”……só que ao afinar a vela para voltar para a agua veio uma rachada pega-me na vela e pimba….cai mesmo em cima de um fino de uma prancha que estava ao lado……fodasssseee….resultado final…vela rasgada……

Fotos dos meus amigos e do meu atrelado todo quitado com os autocolantes que os amigos vão me arranjando….

Mais fotos em : http://picasaweb.google.pt/mario.milhazes/Cabedelo02052009#

João Leitão

Rui Cruz

Atrelado e Material