This IS NOT New Brunswick...And There's Wind To Prove It

For someone as passionate about windsurfing as I am, it's baffling that I live in windless New Brunswick. It's akin to an oxygen breather living on Mars....not a good idea.

Yesterday was a classic windsurfing day in les Îles de la Madeleine. I got up in the morning and peered out the back door just in time to see the wind pick up my 30 pound stand-up paddleboard and flip it (on the lawn). It was a good omen.

In fact it was windy at 7 a.m. like we almost never see in Nouveau Brunswick....and it got windier as the day progressed. I left the house at around 8 a.m.and departed for the island of Pointe-Aux-Loups, a favourite among the hardcore planche-a-voilisteux. When I arrived people were just getting ready to hit the water. The first on the water was Julien Livernois, and he had rigged a very small 4.0 metre sail and attached it to a 75 litre quad finned wave board. In Cambridge-Narrows terms, he rigged something so small that I might only be able to use such equipment but once a year (i.e. post tropical storm Arthur). He seemed to be doing just fine in the side offshore SSW winds.

I decided to photograph the windsurfers for a while before rigging my own windsurfer: 4.2 metre sail and 77 litre board. It was the right choice for the conditions even though one of the Maine dudes was fully powered on a 3.7!

It was very interesting to see how the conditions changed as the morning progressed. The tides, although not substantial in les Iles, had a definite effect on the waves. As the morning turned to afternoon the waves/shore-break became friendlier (i.e.smaller) but the wind continued to stay strong. While taking a rest on the beach I happened to witness one of the Quebec windsurfers walk past me dragging his windsurfer and sail. Blood was pouring down his face from a cut jut above his eye. Apparently he was trying some aggressive manoeuvers and clearly had a landing that didn't agree with his forehead. Many windsurfers wear helmets (I did on this day) but this unfortunate fellow didn't. At least he didn't knock himself out and drown.

 After a while it almost seemed like the wind was dropping, so I decided to pack things up. It was but an illusion as the wind was still howling when I returned to Havre-aux-Maisons and Cap-aux-Meules. When I passed the lagoon, there wasn't a soul on it. I still had some energy left so I decided to go for a wee turn there. I rigged the same equipment as at Pointe-aux-Loups, but I was definitely over-powered on the lagoon. It was a blisteringly powerful wind.

If you take a look at the reading in the chart below you'll see that it was windy. The 3 p,m. reading at the Havre-aux-Maisons airport was 40 to 70 km/h. That's windy. It's also very gusty which made riding a bit challenging. The difference between 40 and 70 is rather noticeable (like drinking coke versus pure rum). All things considered it was a very rewarding day. The fact that it was windy, sunny and warm made it a rare treat.

I wish New Brunswick would treat me so well (as a windsurfer). Alas, it may never happen, but in New Brunswick we have spruce trees of which les Madelinot could only dream. My oak trees would floor them....but I'd rather have the wind.

P.S.:to Wendy, don't worry...I'm not moving here, but I (we) will continue to visit and 'rêve le rêve'.