Will Rogers joins Boards for this month’s Willy’s Ways. Discussing another problem which many windsurfers go through, how how it is more than worth coming out the other side. 

Recently something happened, that I thought would NEVER EVER happen to me.  Not only did it completely surprise me and even frustrate me but, unexpectedly it opened my eyes a little. It made me feel guilty, as if I had cheated on the sport that has so poignantly shaped the way I live my life.  After several frustrating months of the sport, I had genuinely lost the ‘love’ for windsurfing.

Getting to this sad point, had come about due to a huge stew of ingredients but a few months later I can safely say I pulled myself out of the filthy hole I had fallen into.  However, the experience taught me that I’m not alone; most windsurfers have a similar problem.   Here’s my story…

Getting to this defining moment in my windsurfing life was very depressing, but it was compounded by multiple factors.  For me the UK winter started off with cracking conditions; solid wind every weekend mild temperatures – I was living the dream.  However, 2012 got a bit frustrating, the weather never warmed up and winter swells were rare, preventing me from getting many surfing fixes.  Added to this, my window to go on a last minute windsurfing holiday fell through when there was no wind anywhere that I could economically get to for two weeks on holiday.  I was stuck at a point in my sailing, where I felt I hadn’t got any better for ages and the wind only blew during work hours resulting in some frustrating trips to the beach. I was starting to get a bit frustrated chasing anything that would allow me to get my fix, but at the same time cursing myself for being miserable about the conditions, when normally I would just make the most of it and smile.  I just couldn’t get in the zone.

The moment that it really hit me was following an after work session at Whitsand Bay, South East Cornwall. For those of you who don’t know this spot, on its day it can be epic, but as with anything that’s really good, it’s an effort. A 150 foot cliff separates you from the beach, which means choosing a sail is tricky, it’s a LONG walk down the cliff and you have to make the right call first time. After frothing in the office for the whole day, hearing updates from sessions all over the south coast I finally got on my way via Torpoint to confirm it was still windy.