The summer here in Crete comes every year from the beginning of May. In June we are ready to leave any wetsuit and get in the water under the shinny sun. But this year June brought us a present…a forgotten strong forecast from the well gone winter!
South East winds with force 8bf…you have to be kidding?!In June?! I checked all the forecasts and they were in agreement. 2m wind swell was coming with the strong wind to hit the South part of Crete. Giannis, a good friend and believer of the forecast, came from Athens to join me in the Cretan waters. The days that came after were like a cold, perfect dream in the Summer time!
First day…
We were at the beach around the lunch time. We were not in hurry because we were thinking that the waves would be bigger after the mid of the day, but when we arrived at the spot it was bigger that we could imagine. The wind was blowing side-side-on-shore but with a tricky way. It was force 7bf but sometimes turned a little bit his angle and dropped to force 5bf. The waves were around 2,5 meters tall inside causing a strong current close to the shore. If your sail was under power you had to face the small walls that were breaking on you and if a strong gust was hitting your sail probably your hands could get longer.
So the setup was a 3.4m sail and a 76 lit board and when the sail was under-power I could float with 76litters but when the gust was hitting the 3.4 sail was at its environment. But it was so strong and funny the same time, like a perfect winter day but with 20oC temperature. The other happy thing was that I tried some jumps after my ankle injury. It was ok but not 100% well, the first good sign that the coming winter I will be strong enough to play in the water with full confidence.
Giannis had a really good time with jumping and wave riding till his board got damaged at the footstrap holes. A bad moment but after a really good day! When I went to borrow him my board to continue he told me that it was enough…it was 20:30 in the afternoon, 5 hours in the sea and we hadn’t realized it. The day closed with a really tasty diner at the restaurant of his cousin. It couldn’t be better, full belly, a bath in a harry and two dead bodies on the bed dreaming what will happen the next day…
Second Day…
When I woke up I thought I was still dreaming. Glassy lines were traveling in the sea and the shore was full of good sized waves opening left hand and right hand faces.
No time for breakfast, the stomach was full from last night anyway. Giannis took some photos before he enter the water and compliment my lonely morning session.
After some waves, a tourist came and captured my best wave of the day. I wish I could find this photo from her email but before I go out she had gone. I ‘m really curious haw it was.
A good starting morning...sure that the day will bring a lot of fun
Witch one to choose? The left or the right?
The session ended at 12 o’clock and it was time to head to another beach with good waves, offshore wind and a couple of friends making a good company to shear magic moments.
A windsurf session with a GoPro
We made a big break to regain energy…then we had a long riding session with wave-sailing and at the end another surf session for desert. It was time to return home...exhausted but super stoked and full of memories. Rendezvous in the winter again!!!
A nice drop
Interesting places
Enjoying the last meters of the ride
Fox ready for a perfect right handed
Alex in the cleanest drop of the day
Gong put all the coolness in these mini-powerful waves
Nikos knows how to surf with a SUP.
Before I close this story I have to tell a big THANKS to RIP CURL for sponsoring me. It is the first time that I have a support and it is a honor for me to be supported by such a company like RIP CURL and keep this interesting journey living a life full of moments in and around the water. What a coincidence of having this two day experience just at the arrival of all this cool staff from RIP CURL.
