Well Kara and I got married on May 2nd and decided to go to Bonaire, a small Island East of Aruba, for our honeymoon for a week. We arrive Saturday morning at 5:30 AM and it’s already blowing 15. WOW. We check in to the hotel and decide to take a nap on the beach, then hang around the beach all day and snorkel.
On Sunday we head out to the windsurfing location, a lagoon which is shallow (1’ deep to waist deep and extremely clear water) and is sheltered by a coral reef. We checked into the Bonaire Windsurf Place were we get orientated and sign waivers. This place is cool. You go get a board from the rack and tell them what size and type sail and they bring the sail to you while you wait with the board in the water (windsurfing does not get better that this). Kara goes out on 4.3 wave sail with a Starboard 133. I take longer to choose a board as I’m used to Roberts customs with Sailwork NX sails. I pick a 90 liter Starboard Futura and ask them to bring me a 6.0 cambered sail… then there is pause... all the “windsurf caddies” were looking at each other and then me with “are you F….king nuts - its blowing 25”? I insist. They send me out and I do about two runs and come back. The board sucks for my taste, it has no character. I go back to the board rack and find an old 260 Pro-Tec bump and jump ATC. I go back out and, Voila! A nice fun ride but not as fast. By now Kara has her gear dialed in and is starting to learn on carve for jibes. I get joined by two local racers with full blown race gear on 6.6 TR5s and Isonics. We started to drag race and jibe around markers. Man, they totally smoke me on the straights (I was cussing and wishing I had my Roberts and Sailworks NXs). BUT they would wipe out in the jibes….I had a chance….I won a couple of heats just by not blowing any jibes (I guess you were right Rob Mulder!!!!). We decided to call it a day around 4:00PM and head back to the hotel.
On Monday, the wind was still in low 20s. Again we go on the same setup and Kara now her carves down pat and is working on her sail handling. I get a little bit ballsy and start to crank laydown jibes right at the beach. Let me tell you, that I forgot that I was windsurfing in 1’ of water. When you wipe out at speed, you’ve got to pick the 5 pounds of sand out of your shorts and butt crack. Another ripping day at the spot. We decided to call it a day and to come back on Thursday (we had a 3 day windsurfing package) as our hands were raw by this time.
The next few days we went snorkeling at different locations throughout the Island and lounged on beach chairs. This place has some cool stuff to do that is non-windsurfing related.
On Thursday morning, we head back to the windsurfing spot. Kara picks her same board with a 5.5. The windsurfing caddies brought me to the back (way back) of their shop and hand me a RRD fireball 71. They said “We think you will like this board, man”. I take the board out with a 6.0, 6.6, 7.3, and then back with a 6.6 (you can tell that they were bringing me sails as I asked for them and not rigging them). It was still blowing between 17 and 25. This RRD was a nice board (although not close to my Roberts in spirit or speed). I see Kara in the distance on the other side and WHAM she nails a jibe without wiping out. Her first jibe YEAHHHH. Throughout the rest of the day, she hits a bunch more. We call it a day and I donate 3 Windjunkies stickers to the staff for their excellent job in handing us what we needed without any complaints or grumbles. These guys catered to us without any hesitation. Now that’s what I call TOP NOTCH SERVICE.
On Friday we just lounged around (still blowing in the lower 20’s). We departed on Saturday morning with much regret as we fell in love with the Island. Bonaire is such a cool, layed back place that has so much more to offer than just windsurfing. We are planning another trip next year without hesitation.:)
On Sunday we head out to the windsurfing location, a lagoon which is shallow (1’ deep to waist deep and extremely clear water) and is sheltered by a coral reef. We checked into the Bonaire Windsurf Place were we get orientated and sign waivers. This place is cool. You go get a board from the rack and tell them what size and type sail and they bring the sail to you while you wait with the board in the water (windsurfing does not get better that this). Kara goes out on 4.3 wave sail with a Starboard 133. I take longer to choose a board as I’m used to Roberts customs with Sailwork NX sails. I pick a 90 liter Starboard Futura and ask them to bring me a 6.0 cambered sail… then there is pause... all the “windsurf caddies” were looking at each other and then me with “are you F….king nuts - its blowing 25”? I insist. They send me out and I do about two runs and come back. 
The board sucks for my taste, it has no character. I go back to the board rack and find an old 260 Pro-Tec bump and jump ATC. I go back out and, Voila! A nice fun ride but not as fast. By now Kara has her gear dialed in and is starting to learn on carve for jibes. I get joined by two local racers with full blown race gear on 6.6 TR5s and Isonics. We started to drag race and jibe around markers. Man, they totally smoke me on the straights (I was cussing and wishing I had my Roberts and Sailworks NXs). BUT they would wipe out in the jibes….I had a chance….I won a couple of heats just by not blowing any jibes (I guess you were right Rob Mulder!!!!). We decided to call it a day around 4:00PM and head back to the hotel.
On Monday, the wind was still in low 20s. Again we go on the same setup and Kara now her carves down pat and is working on her sail handling. I get a little bit ballsy and start to crank laydown jibes right at the beach. Let me tell you, that I forgot that I was windsurfing in 1’ of water. When you wipe out at speed, you’ve got to pick the 5 pounds of sand out of your shorts and butt crack. Another ripping day at the spot. We decided to call it a day and to come back on Thursday (we had a 3 day windsurfing package) as our hands were raw by this time.
On Thursday morning, we head back to the windsurfing spot. Kara picks her same board with a 5.5. The windsurfing caddies brought me to the back (way back) of their shop and hand me a RRD fireball 71. They said “We think you will like this board, man”. I take the board out with a 6.0, 6.6, 7.3, and then back with a 6.6 (you can tell that they were bringing me sails as I asked for them and not rigging them). It was still blowing between 17 and 25. This RRD was a nice board (although not close to my Roberts in spirit or speed). I see Kara in the distance on the other side and WHAM she nails a jibe without wiping out. Her first jibe YEAHHHH. Throughout the rest of the day, she hits a bunch more. We call it a day and I donate 3 Windjunkies stickers to the staff for their excellent job in handing us what we needed without any complaints or grumbles. These guys catered to us without any hesitation. Now that’s what I call TOP NOTCH SERVICE.
On Friday we just lounged around (still blowing in the lower 20’s). We departed on Saturday morning with much regret as we fell in love with the Island. Bonaire is such a cool, layed back place that has so much more to offer than just windsurfing. We are planning another trip next year without hesitation.:)