jeff shuck

Incredible, incredible morning on the lake today. The wind was from the North at about 15 knots. North wind can be tricky because of the chop it generates (although around here because of the angle of our beach, a Northwest wind is worse), and this morning there were 2-3 foot waves breaking which made launching a challenge. But the wind, sun, and overall stunning conditions made it more than worth it.

The colors today were so vivid. White fluffy clouds lining the horizon; a bright blue sky; dark blue water in the distance; no-kidding-green water under the board; and bright, warm sun lighting everything up in yellow. It could have been the Carribean.

And the wind was fantastic for some good planing. I’m still getting used to the harness but I’m slowly getting the hang of it. I had some flashes of brilliance today, including some great tacks near the beach in the breakers.

Windsurfing is such an unbelievable feeling and I wish there were an easy way to describe it to people — mainly because I talk so much about it and usually receive either polite smiles or blank stares! It is like falling in love — you move out to the rail, push your feet out as far as you will risk it, hold on to the boom with all you can, try to relax, and as you move faster and faster you get less and less nervous until suddenly an incredible feeling hits you and you just say: “Wow.” You cannot help but smile. You cannot help but laugh out loud. Happy happy happy. And once in a while you get wet, but you just climb back up and do it all again.

I was in love out there today, and it was a great feeling.