Freestylin At The Canadian Hole

Avon Sailhouse doesnt just sell you the gear, they take the time to show you how to rig it. Olaf took an hour of his time to help me dial my new sails in.





Martine McCulloch carves into a gybe













Every now and then a strong puff came thru


Billy D was rocking


Martine took a spin on Billy's race gear


Tacking tips from Keith McCulloch. Thanks Keith!

Ego Beach was mast high on the outer bar, but no wind on the inside









Headin back home today. Its been an awesome stay and I learned so much about wavesailing, and also on where the best spots are to wave sail on Hatteras island. I've been coming here for 20 years, and ocean venues have always been Ego Beach or the Lighthouse. Pretty amazing to find out I had only scratched the surface. In some ways, Hatteras Island is BTM (Better than Maui). Because of the unique boomerang shape of the island, you can almost always find clean side off conditions. But true side off conditions in Maui only happen a few times a year when the Kona's blow.

Wave Fest Party At Ocean Air Sports

Saturday, Ocean Air Sports hosted the Wave Fest party. Free form session awards where handed out, and lots of swag was given.

What a great event, I've acheived all of my goals!

Thanks to everyone who made this event a complete success! I'll try and make it back for the Beast of The East Wave Face Off, which has been postponed dues to lack of wind. Stay tuned to the WaveFest website for information related to the event rescheduling.

Road Surfing Hatteras Style

The Beast of The East Wave Face-Off was scheduled to be run at The Cove yesterday.
Everyone showed up and we rigged in anticipation.

But as is often the case, the weather didn't want to cooperate. The run of 7 straight days with strong wind began to let up.

Keith McCulloch

Andy McKinney


The wind was pretty much dead off shore, but some have the skills to make it work.

Here is Andy takin care of business






The Cove shorebreak can get pretty knarly in places

The call came in the wind was more sideshore southside, so we decided to give Issabelle's a try. Heres what it looked like.

The wind, what little there was, was side shore alright, but too light. The current was raging, and it didn't look like much fun. This kiter however was able to make it work. Sometimes, I'm envious of kites, and the ability to go out in huge surf with only marginal conditions. The good guys make it look so easy.





So, then we went back to the cove around 6pm, where the wind had filled in. As we where about to hit it, rain and thunder swooped in killing any chance we had to get a late evening session.

We're gonna try an run the Wave challenge Friday morning, back at The Cove.
Stay tuned.

Hatteras Is Delivering Epic Conditions!!

S OF OREGON INLET TO CAPE HATTERAS NC OUT 20 NM-
STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
NE WINDS 40 TO 50 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 KT. SEAS 12 TO
17 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 11 SECONDS.

It just doesn't freaking stop blowing here!


It so windy here in the house tonight, that the water in my glass is sloshing around and the ceiling fans hanging are slowing swaying, and they're turned off! After a shower, I kid you not, I went outside to dry my hair. Its been relentless.

This is Ego Beach around noon.


It takes a different breed to go out in these conditions. It was violent, and huge.



That sand is painfull






The call came in early for a sesh southside, so we cruised on down. Andy reported that the ocean below Hatteras Village was a jumbled mess, so we hooked up at Issabele's. The outer bar was breaking, but there was also some pretty heavy shorbreak, and a ripping current, the "Hatteras Highway" they call it.

Here is what Issabelle's looked like around low tide

Its alot bigger than it looks. A heckuva lot bigger.




We decided to check out the Cove.
This view looking toward Diamond Shoals. The sand was blowing just about hard enough to peel the paint off of Andy's new truck

Same ocean, just around the corner from Izzie's. Amazing variety of conditions on this extraordinary island.


The Canadian Hole

My 3.6. You can see my Go-Pro video camera mounted on the mast above the boom.



Andy McKinney




Wavefest participant Steve Meyer






This guy was taking a 2.6 on a 250 liter board in 50 knots, so I just had to watch and snap a few shots.



I was impressed he was actually able to get it going

But eventually the inevitable happened.





This is a picture of the beach at the Light House around 5pm. Literally that is the water lapping up onto the beach.

And this is the inside section, about 10 feet off the beach! Good goooga booga

I don't even think Hana looked like this.


Back to Ego around 6pm at high tide




So for the first time this trip, we were shut out from the ocean, and only able to sail the Canadian Hole. I gotta tell you, after 6 straight days of wavesailing, going back to flatwater is pretty lame. You get spoiled down here in Hatteras. The place is pretty special.

So tomorrow, we have yet another strong forecast, and the wind is supposed to go east which mean a chance for personal redemption at The Cove.

The Wave-Fest Wave Challenge is also scheduled to begin tomorrow, and with the epic conditions forecasted, its one event that shouldn't be missed. If you can get here to watch or participate, you wont be sorry. This is what its all about.