New surfing center Viana...

Luziamar, the old disco.... a very nice building

above: sketch of the new to build center

Viana do Castelo is getting a new high performance (what in a name....?) surfing center.

I allready noticed it. They cut away a nice piece of forrest just behind the dunes.. and started to work with tons of concrete.
Don't get me wrong here.. It's nice to see that the government gets involved with the surfing sport.. but why this place.

here the full story + drawings:
http://www.surfingviana.com/?lg=2&id=17&nid=8

200 meters up north there would be perfect other location. A old abandoned disco/nightclub. The Luziamar.
A very nice building that's standing there for more than 10 years empty.
Why didn't they use that one... Re-use of an old nice building and saving some nature.

Windsurf in the fog

Strange combination: sun + fog + wind

Anyway, Erik and Linda went out on the ocean. Searching for the flying Dutchman

Now he's visible, but in within 50 meter he'll be gone for the eyes. Wind kept on blowing in the fog. Temperatures dropped rapidly.







Erik is looking back... somebody following him??


Racing to the shore. On this pic you can also see clearly the difference between the Hot Firepower and the normal Fire. Erik's sail got a fuller belly/profile (the firepower)


It became really windy..

Drink and food in the evening

How to earn a surfboard with a shoe...

Most of my friends make jokes about the shoes collections in my house...
What they don't now is that it are surfboards in the making...

You have to know what shoe you buy etc.. but If you know the "game" you know which one to pick.

Yesterday I sold one on Ebay. I bought it for retail, en sold it for $900 !! ;-)


So time to give Sean a call, I'm in need of a new longboard!!

Nice surfspot north of town

The bus got the perfect view. Nice clean unridden waves






Made it easy to find now (cause got some mails about previous post/spot... where is that tube spot?) Just search for an old tower, first you have to go for some miles over a dirt road (warning: not modern car proof)

But take care, don't end/get washed on the sharp teeth..

Evening food


It is meat, but the form/light made it look as a fish.

Portuguese tubes of love for Ella

Luck and love never comes alone...

The only one who knows were these waves exactly are is Ronja..

But I like to tell and share it with Ella..

And than when she can talk... she will pass it on to her parents ;-)

....

Win, Ana, Ella these tubes full of love are for you. Can't imagine a better gift ;-)

Miss you. D&L

A proud daddy....

Yesterday, early in the morning, my girl gave birth to a beautiful daughter. She didn't have a great start, but she's perfectly fine now. You can see more pictures and read the whole story on her blog.

Nice snappy turn!

Linda made these very nice pics late in the evening(click on them to feel them better..). Me just playing in the water alone..
A super snappy short topturn next to the dry reef. The new board is made for moves like this.




Forrests full of eucalyptus trees provide me all the fresh air -)

My crib for a month. Just big enough for a big aerobed. Do you need it bigger??


Shrimps for dinner, and ofcourse some salad for the daily green


favo sleep/hangout place of the dog. under the car in the shadow.

Meanwhile, Paul at PWA Fuerte

Paul wrote: The PWA in Fuerte started. The slalo guys are on fire. The last two days the wind turned a little bit more off shore, causing the water conditions to be a bit flatter. For the slalom reports check the PWA reports at http://pwa-worldtour.com

This part made me smile :
I've been here since the 18th of july and the wind has been good every day. Going out at center two it's like skeelering on a grind stone pad. It is super choppy.

The wind has been good for 4.1 every day and even 3.5 one day. I still have to get used to the conditions but we're all looking forward to the competition. Here are some pictures from a light late night session.

Pictures by: Davy Scheffers / Maarten van Ochten