Lighthouse Dawn Patrol-AND-I made the commit!!

Today is a very special day for me as I commited and rotated into my first forward loops. I tossed three of them. I'm pretty sure I was close to landing clean on my back, and that was my goal today, to commit and rotate, and not have a violent experience. Thats how it went down. They felt really natural and were basically painless.

Conditions were moderately powered 5.8, with nice ramps on the outside. Just the conditions I'd been waiting for!


I was on the water at 7am. Epic venue.


Venue couldn't have been better, well maybe Hookipa, but I'll take the lighthouse at Hatteras any day.

Left, my loop instructor/loop guru and friend Andy Mckinney after I successfully comitted to my first several forwards loops!

Huge props to Bill Bell.
Bill organized the Hatteras Loop Fest and it was this event that gave me the final motivation I needed to finally go for it.

At the risk of being too melodramatic, I should thank several people. First my wife for supporting my passion for this sport. I know my obsession w/sailing, watching the weather trends, etc etc is tasking. Your the best windsurfing wife anyone could wish for, AND, a damn good photographer too!

Secondly Dana Miller for all the advice and instruction he's given me the past few years. The loop clinic he gave me here in Hatteras a few years ago help me build the fundamentals.

The final touches to getting me over hurdle and committing goes to Andy Mckinney of Sailworld. Your advice and encouragement since I've arrived here on the island where just what I needed. Thanks for sailing w/me today and sharing that moment. Cool to have witnesses too.

Stuart Proctor of Ocean Air Sports also provided invaluable tips and critical feedback. Thanks to everyone!

Anne, congrats on your first ocean sesh today. Not too shabby a venue for your first ocean sesh huh!
They say you see a light when its time to, well you know. This was pulled from the video, and shows me as I go thru the rotation, with the sun behind me.


I had the Go-Pro mounted to my mast so we have a full frontal view of my mug as my world got inverted!

Here is the video:


I'm still pretty much floating on a "loopers high". I'm sure I'll have more to say as I reflect on this mornings session. I know what i need to do now to sail away clean, and I'm just waiting for the wind to fill back in. I'm super stoked to be sure!


Oh, i also have about 30 minutes of pre loop-getting dialed-helmet cam action from my solo session early this morning. I've looked at some of it, and it rocks. I'll save that for another post a bit later. Almost time for a well deserved beer!