- Slalom racing - brill!! Like last year, the Cribulator organised an "impromptu" session just off the beach from the centre. If only I could gybe... Used a 4.7m/102l FSW, totally stacked, the most pushed I've ever been, Finished last or second last in every race, but who cares?! Overtaken by Cheo, Gollito and Guy to name only those familiar to the rest of the world, but enjoyed every moment. And I improved - defo much faster on the last race.
- The Three Monkeys - Guy arranged for Ricardo, Gollito and Cheo to do their best expression session stunts around a group of us huddled 200m offshore. My God. Got hi-5s with Gollito and Cheo, narrowly missed by Ricardo - and why DOES he stick his tongue out mid-move? Every possible stunt - Crazy Pete, Shuvits, Spocks, Loops (one foot/hand + tongue for RC!). Astounding.
- Really getting it at least once when I actually listened to Msr C and really leaned into a carve and the board went round on rails like a snowboard. Fallen in pratically every time since, but hey, it feels good while it lasts.
- Los Roques Trip - Rented a 'plane for a day trip to the archipelago. Snorkelled with squid, barracuda, so many fish and beautiful coral. Ninja snorkelling/windsurfing, with GC discovering a point break and managing an aerial in almost zero wind, while Owen and I tried to make a one-man canoe surf with two people! Travelling in a LAT 410-UVPE, a Czech-built 17 passenger turboprop. Fresh fish on the Jack Vettriano beach. Nice.
- Sailing to Coche, which turns out to be 6 miles, not the 4.5km that GC reckoned. Fell in exhausted in the huge inter-island lull, so rescued, but did 2/3rds, and after screaming downwind on a 5.2 from El Yaque. Included a grimly "stimulating" boat trip home, with water crashing in to soak us, and Eglys borrowing my towel for a futile attempt to warm herself up.
- Almost making my first duck gybe attempt, on Coche's flat water.
- Almost making heli-tacks, on the first day of trying - flatter water and less wind will see a result here!
- The Flow Day - "think like Cheo" was my motto - straight in to straps, harness, jump out of the water, waterstart like lightning. Felt wonderful, anything was possible.
- Dancing, always dancing, Venezuelans (actually V'n women :) ) even dance while walking; impromptu merengue and salsa lessons in Club Habanas
- Rediscovering (again!) lightwind sailing and the enjoyment of practising moves without having to eat slab the whole time
Not to speak of the general well-being, massive improvement in skills, continuing drunkenness (!) and all-round camaraderie of Charles and Carolyn, David and Steph, Owen, Graham, Michael, Phil, Andy, Fay, Nick and Polly, Nancy and Guy. Think that's all:)
