Saturday Feb 24th
The day begins with wind!! It is back people!! The palms out front are swinging to and fro as I open the patio to greet the day! Ahh, the fresh ocean breeze in the morning smells like waves and wind for the afternoon! I make my way about the apartment, and get the fresh fruit out, for breakfast. Some sweet melon, cereal, toast, and juice to get me started for the day! Just love the full apartment lifestyle!!
After some email checking, and a
bit of photo work, I decide to make an early visit to the center, to see if I can
catch up with people, as I have been hidden away in my room for the past week! I am greeted by Nora at her No-Wind No-Cry rental
stand, and we hug hello, and a full 10-20 minute chat session! So nice to be back in El Yaque
with so many dear friends! We end up
meeting
I get to the Vela office, and meet and greet with the many guys at the center, Wicho, Alex, Bernie, and many more. Love to be so welcomed to the office! And again huge thanks go out to Tom and Kathy for letting me use their private office space for the photo fun! Deep gratitude mis amigos!!
The banter flows happily back and forth like a family, as we each go off; each their own, and I suit up for some action cam!
The wind is blowing about 5’s-6’s as I start out, and it soon builds a half-meter better as I am standing out there. This wind is perfect for photos, and I shoot to my hearts content! Even shot a couple short video clips of various folks out working it! See photos here.
The ‘work’ complete, and the card full, I bring the camera back to land, and prep for some ride time of my own. The recommendation from Bernie is accepted, and I take a 6.4M with the 102Lt board. A pretty small setup for a 230#’er! I am so stoked to get out; I slam a bunch of water, and make way to the beach for the afternoon sailing session!
The skills start to come back today, and I actually make a nice percentage of my jibes! So fun to be ripping it up out on the big blue-green!! The waves on the outside are some sweet 3-4ft jump inducing moving moguls out for play! I dance off a few select timed ones, and just love to carve thru the trough on others. The air is not huge, but so smooth on take-off and landing! The muscle memory is back!! I am confidently and without any real thought making some NICE jumps all over the water!! Loving the flight time, and the water ride is so fun as well!!
A great session, the best so far!! And I have only just begun! A quick shower and off to the Vela Happy hour night on the ‘Sky Deck’ of the El Yaque Club!
Plenty of folks showed up for the sunset happy hour! Biggest crowd I have seen to date! Plenty of free drinks and the various chips for all to enjoy, as we scanned the view from the rooftop pool area, amazing vistas! The music stopped and then up from the stairs came the Mariachi band to play a few rounds of the favorites! Plenty of smiling faces as we enjoyed the company of great friends in an amazing atmosphere! I met and chatted with friends Mary Luz, Kathy, Tom, Nora and Al, Rodger, and Chris to name but a few. A very fun social evening, and another amazing sunset! Wish you were here! See the Vela Happy Hour Photos here.
The lights were on at Mobu, and it was time to load up on some energy for the next day’s sailing session, so Lynn, Ginny, Rodger and I headed off to have some amazing brick oven baked pizza! So lucky to get there early, and get a table!! We sipped our beers, as the 30 min baking was in progress, and discussed the day, as the staff turned away people left and right. Gator Dave came to get food, and being lucky number 25 of those folks turned away because Mobu’s place is so small, and we invited him over to join in our pizza fest! Lucky guy!
We had some fun conversation, and the pizza’s arrived one after another, and we loaded up on hot sauce, and devoured them down with cold beer. Another amazing flavorful pizza from the ovens of Mobu!! Best in town I would have to say!
The tummy full, it was time for some computer play, and then off to bed to enjoy the excellent sleep I get here after a nice afternoon of sailing!! See ya Domingo!
Chevere.
Timoteo