Dec 09, 2009
A random check-in at
Gatwick with huge quantities of
kitesurfing kit split between twenty people joining us for the Edge holiday to the Cape Verdi Islands. It all depends on the person checking you in but the general rule is a letter confirming sporting or golf equipment has been paid for. A reasonable five and a half hour flight direct to Boa Vista and we were welcomed with a warm north easterly wind which did not stop the keener members of the group from hitting the water for the final hour of sunlight. The airport was built last year & now there are 2 flights/week from the UK. Like us, the best way to do Boa is staying at the all inclusive Riu Karamboa, a 5 star hotel just 2 minutes transfer!
Day 1
Morning briefing at 9.30, we loaded the pick up trucks and headed for
Ponta Antonia in the north end of the island. The lightest wind of the week, we worked 14M kites and big boards while a few people went with
Strava to 'S' Bay for some underwater action! Classic comments such as ' that was in the email'- anyone coming on holidays with Edge does need to open the emails we send since there are some important ingredients that are worth bringing on the Safari. A sun-downer at
Spinguera & we track back to the
Riu for some all- inclusive.
Day 2
Ervatao, the longest drive further south was a good call with cross shore winds and a decent swell, which was at first a little daunting for the less experienced. All managed and amazingly gained confidence during the day. Plenty of pack down experience.
Jonny Allen's quote "you go a long way to find cross shore conditions like that, can we come back here tomorrow?" The swell was a decent size & the point break was working well, althoughEric made it clear who has the right of way on the waves!
Watched the evening sunset before we followed the dirt track back to
Jao Galago.
Day 3
A small group head to Ponta Antonia to get the most out of the flatter water. David
Burdict made huge progress, now riding back and forth on the 14M
Evo.
A coaching morning with Geoff Bowen, J.C, Simon,
Johhny Allen, Ric & Paul Hook all improving their
toside riding, stance & jumping. Paul was working on toe-toe back loops, while
Callum got the unhook
kiteloop to crash dialled....!
David
enjoyed his own space on the flatter inside ..... and went back and forth well. 'The Giant' became increasingly less of a liability although everyone kept upwind of him!!! A small group including Tom
Youle took the afternoon trip to
Ervatao where they were rewarded with a decent swell again.
Callum made the drive along to
Curral Velho and we gingerly took Tom Youle on his first down winder!! Perhaps not the best thing to do as the sun went down, however, a great sense of achievement when we found
Callum! An evening drive back looking at the'windy' tree's and massive new construction on the south of the island where the next Riu will open.
Day 4
It would not be the same without a trip to the
shipwrecks at Santa Maria beach. Challenging cross/onshore winds with a "Westward Ho!" feel did not deter Nigel and Giles who loved these conditions. Poor Simon had a small sleep on the beach, after a dose of concussion, reminding everyone of the dangers of onshore conditions, and riding too close to the beach. Simon took the afternoon off and took on the role of chief photographer as we made the trip to
Varandina. It is thanks to Simon that we have all these great shots. Tom Deb... loved the waves and wind from the right, while
Callum carved huge bottom turns strapless saying ' idont know what all the fuss is about'!
Day 5
A small party went to Ponta Antonia to have the bay to themselves, while the rest of the group travelled to
Ervatao to enjoy the windiest day so far. I was on my 7M kite and spent the first hour dragging deflated or kite wraps into the shore!
We spent the day on the point where the waves were smaller but brilliant for practicing in, and learning to ride a directional board.
We watched the sun go down and moon arrive, ending the best day so far, with great conditions on the water. We went back in convoy, along the dirt track, feeling lucky to share this awesome remote place with such a great group of people.
Day 6
A five minute drive south of the
Riu to
Chavis Beach with huge sand dunes and shore break. We launched kites at the top and used the power to pull us to the sea. A clean wave and 18
kts of side shore winds. Big jumps
from T.
Youle, Giles and Nigel, catching up was the giant and poor Lee who has a slight sand pit issue to deal with!
The evening was spent at the exclusive
Spinguera, where we shared a great meal with fresh fish, and decent wine, under the stars.
Day 7
An under powered session at
Chavis Beach with some
downlooping practise. A brief pack, stuffing it all in the trucks before heading to the airport for check-in. Soon to learn that our plane, had stopped off in Grand
Cannaria with an injured crew member, and we were to spend another night at the all inclusive!
Day 8- 1 day more!
Windy, and we all get an extra morning
kitesurfing. We went with
Strava, Jeff Bowen,
Callum, and Justin to
Varandena while the rest of the team kitesurfed from the hotel.
Life is a journey, and this week everyone had a fair chunk of it, with so much time on the water in decent conditions learning tips and tricks. Boa Vista Edge Holiday really is a kite safari. The island lends itself to riders that can stay up wind, many people will just go to the
Riu and kite from the hotel, however, there is plenty more out there to explore and enjoy.
A massive thankyou to everyone that joined us on the trip:
To Callum for bringing some new kites, Doctors for all the cuts & bruises, Simon for Pictures, Strava for the local knowledge, Godfrey for steady driving, Giant for saying everything twice, Nigel for having the least sleep of all,Eric for the ongoing repairs, Tom Youle for his constant enthusisam for being on the water and everyone else for making the trip such good fun.
