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WinDSURfing intOthe UnKnOWn:KenyA

Mr. Tricktionary Michael Rossmeier (Rossi) and Canadian pro freestyler Phil Soltysiak had one goal this winter: get right off the beaten path and sail waters where few windsurfers had been before. This wasn’t easy to find during the winter months, but, after many long nights of discussions in Tarifa (these boys have it tough), they came up with their destination: Kenya on the East coast of Africa, south of Somalia and north of Tanznia.

They had a plan: Week One, explore beaches south of Mombasa; Week Two, explore beaches north of Mombasa; and Week Three go on Safari. Sounds good? Here’s what happened.

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hey were greeted in Mombassa, with the usual response in non-windsurfing territories – their transfer driver having a near

heart attack over the size of their kitbags. However Jack, the driver, quickly regained his composure, and said, “Hakuna Matata,” meaning no worries – and by driving “Pole Pole,” slowly, everything would be fine. This turned out to mean constantly slamming on the brakes and swerving to avoid taxis, three wheeled Tuktuks and hundreds of crazy Matatus – mini-vans offering seating to twelve passengers and one insane driver that swerve at full speed around potholes and speed-bumps, known locally as “sleeping policemen.” That’s not to mention people pushing overloaded carts, in the driving lane, at a turtle’s pace.

Their first destination, Diani Beach, was about one and a half hours from the airport, but to reach it they had to cross the Port of Mombassa, and there is no bridge. Instead there are ferries (with an official capacity for three hundred passengers) but which carry nearly twice that amount. The boys braved the journey and were happy to make it to other side and reach Dani Beach in time for lunch. These guys aren’t shy when it comes to ordering food, and chose every African dish on the menu: ugali (a white polenta made with cornmeal), sukuma wiki (a type of cooked cabbage), chapati (East African flatbread) and a beef stew. The dishes didn’t come quickly so the ‘waiting time’ was spent screwing on foot straps and organizing the gear.

After lunch, it was a sweaty walk through a short forest, over a main street, down a dirt road, and onto the beach through Forty Thieves Bar. However, on arrival, the breeze was light and the water a stunning aqua marine. Phil and Rossi hooked up their freestyle boards, and on a 5.4 and 5.2 respectively took to the water. The launch was easy. The bottom is sandy, and because of a reef 600m offshore, the inside waters are flat and friendly. The reef was shallow, but with a short fin, the boys sailed over it to hit small breaking waves – perfect ramps for loops, shakas and air flakas.

Tides play a big role here: at low tides the water is flat, and at high tide it becomes choppier. Extremely low spring tides can be a problem as some areas are too shallow to windsurf, and the outside reef and sandbars emerge over the waterline. That’s when it’s times to move south to Galu Beach.

Galu Beach is less busy than Diani but just as idylic. The lawn in front of the center is a perfect rigging area, and palm trees shelter equipment from the sun. Safety isn’t a problem on these beaches. You can store windsurfing and camera gear in H20

centers guarded by Massai warriors – easy to spot by their distinctive red dress and stretched earlobes. There is one centre at Galu Beach and two at Dani, one by Forty Thieves and the other about 1km south. The centres at Dani have beginner sails and boards, and one has enough slightly dated equipment to put together a free-ride set-up for a couple of sailors.

Galu Beach has deeper waters than Dani that make for perfect dead-flat-water sailing at low tide, but at high tide the chop makes it difficult. The reef is further offshore and there can be weeds depending on offshore storms. The boys decided after ten days (nine of them on the water without having to change sails once) that they were ready to move on and see what north of Mombasa had to offer.

Luckily a local windsurfer from Malindi, named Morris, showed up with a small, open, old-school jeep and a grin on his face. The optimistic Morris had no worries about transporting the boys’ infamous kit bags. With four board bags on the roof and two suitcases strapped to the spare tyre, the guys hit the road, taking the ferry through Mombasa and headed north. They passed by endless stretches of pineapple fields and Morris ignored two police check-points, saying that they asked him to stop too late, and in any event all they wanted were bribes.

At the Turtle Bay Beach Club in Watamu, there was a small windsurf rental center, but every sail, hanging in the racks, was ten years old and completely crinkled. The boys arrived mid-afternoon and the wind was up, so they hit the water. Depending on the tides the sailing conditions varied a lot. At low tide the water was shallow, but sailable, and there was flat water downwind of a visible sandbar. At higher tides, a small swell broke over the sandbar, creating smooth water between the swell coming in and small ramps on the way out. In the middle a huge coral head protruded out of the water, creating a dramatic scene. Phil and Rossi spent four days blasting amongst turtles near the Watamu National Marine Park that boasts a variety of marine-life, second only to the Great Barrier Reef.

Che Sale was their final sailing destination and during the journey from Watamu, their driver told them about the security situation in Kenya. According to him, the 2008 post election violence was caused by grudges between tribes living inland, and none of it was aimed at, or against tourists. He described how Malindi became a ghost town after the highly publicised kidnapping near the Somalian

“During the ‘busiest time’ on the water there were three people out: a kite

surfer, and Phil and Rossi

THingS TO KnOWJambo – HelloAsante – Thank youHakuna matata – no worriesLocal currency – Kenyan Schilling (KSH)Spoken languages – English and Swahili

PlACES TO STAy And WindSuRfH20 Extreme – h20-extreme.comdiani and galu Beach - Equipment rental, storageand lessons

Turtle Bay Beach Club – turtlebay.co.keWatamu – Resort, equipment rental, equipment storage and lessons

Che Shale – cheshale.comnorth of Malindi – Boutique resort, equipment storage

Kiboko Camp – kibokocamp.comSafari camp

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border in 2011 and that the coastal people were anxious to prevent similar mishaps occurring.

The approach to Che Sale is on sand tracks laid out with coconut peelings and there is one hotel on the five kilometre stretch of beach. It is built from the Palm and Casaruina trees which surround it. The hotel has seven simple but stylish rooms, all without any real doors or windows. Wind blows through them all day long keeping the building at a comfortable temperature. In the evenings a generator heats water for a shower and a chance to turn on a light or charge batteries.

During the ‘busiest time’ on the water there were three people out: a kite surfer, and Phil and Rossi. In front of Che Shale the wind is onshore, slightly from the right, and a swell builds up in the afternoon, creating a nice bump and jump spot. To the right side of Che Shale the water is shallower and flatter. Moving further out, Phil and Rossi scored a couple of fun jumping sessions on their freestyle boards on an outside reef, which varies in depth, and can work in any type of tide.

After fifteen out of eighteen days on the water (with exactly the same sail and board set-up) the guys were ready to take a break. They left their kit at the Kite-Surfing school at Che Shale and drove inland to Tsavo East National Park. There they saw herds of elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, gazelles, buffalo and baboons. They slept at Kiboko camp, and the local Masai took them on a morning walk up the river to meet crocodiles and hippos. Lucky they didn’t bring their windsurfing equipment, because some of the watering holes looked like tempting windy flat-water lagoons.

So, was the consistency of the steady Kaskasi breeze, the warm equatorial Indian Ocean, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world worth the effort? The boys told us, ‘Yes. Kenya is a perfect destination for a windsurfer to pack one board, one rig, experience a unique culture and have a blast. Thanks Phil and Rossi. We’re SOLD.

“Pack one board, one rig, experience a unique culture and have a blast