Gozo Listed No.13 on World's Best Island Retreats

Gozo has been listed as No. 13 on the World's Best Island Retreats. You can read the short report on this site.

America's Cup Challenge

Well that wasn't a very good start! The challenge between Alinghi and Oracle yesterday had to be postponed due to no wind and they hope to race tomorrow. Not really sure what to think about all this controversy. Part of me thinks it should have been left as the more traditional monohull, another part of me says well one has to look ahead to the future and advances in the sport. Then another part of me thinks that all the bickering, court cases etc etc is just what the sport does not need.

There are many different parts to me!!

Some of Todays Action or Maybe Not so Much Action!

Bernard

Tommy's new surf mobile!

Anton and Tommy

Austin and Dana

Some of the lads

Chris

John

Dana and John had a good 10 minute blast as the squall came over while they were out

John

Dana trying his back loops

Some Pics I Took of Kiting Yesterday

JOHN

JOHN

JOHN

GODFREY

GODFREY SURFING IN THE SETTING SUN

KEITH - HE HAS NOT BEEN SURFING FOR VERY LONG AND HAS IMPROVED REALLY QUICKLY!

KEITH

Team Rider Philip Koster wins the National "Surfer of the year" Award

Team Rider Philip Koster wins the National "Surfer of the year" Award

Malta 49'ER Team Training for Olympics

Benji Borg (foreground) and Sebastian Ripard (behind)

All part of the training!

Sebastian Ripard and Benji Borg have teamed up to try and make it to the Olympics. They have set themselves a difficult task since there is no 49er class here in Malta, so to participate in any 49er class competition they are going to have to travel abroad alot which is going to be very costly.

Meanwhile they are doing whatever training they can here and as part of that training they are going to try and break the record sailing around Malta. Right now the J class yacht Strait Dealer holds the record at 4hrs 50 mins. The total mileage round Malta is 53 miles. This will take place sometime in March and all proceeds will be donated to charity.

To read up a bit more about the lads and what they are doing go onto this link.

John's Blog

SEE JOHN'S BLOG.

Rough Sea and Damage in Ghar Lapsi, Malta

The above are some pics taken this morning by my brother/sister-in-law of the damage done to the boathouses during the storm last night which hit Ghar Lapsi head on. The sea was already dying down at this point - it must have been pretty scary during the night.

Swell from Last Night

1st/inner reef - the waves earlier this morning were much bigger and lovely to watch on this reef

The second/outer reef. Pretty tame compared to some of the waves during a Grigal (NE).

The sea must have been pretty big outside the bay for a swell to build up from a southerly direction and actually come into the bay. This morning there were some lovely waves breaking and the first reef actually looked better than the 2nd. I took these a few hours later and the swell was already going down by that time. The air has been really hazy too - not sure if it is just salt spray filling the air or dust from the desert but visibility is not very good.

How Idiotic can some People be??

The entrance to San Francisco bay is pretty well known for its dangerous currents, rip tides and conditions in general. You can do just about anything there from a relaxing canoe ride to some epic strong wind sailing/windsurfing - whatever. They even have great waves for surfing..............then you get the 'tra la la what a lovely day for sailing' yachtie who suddenly finds himself in not such a 'tra la la' situation!! Surely the cardinal rule before you go out sailing is check the weather forecast and know what you are up against in the area you are sailing in - like checking local knowledge, charts etc etc. Unbelievable the fixes people get themselves into - but having said that I know the risks some people take out here whether it is under motor power or sail power. The human race.............what a bunch of loonies!! (No offence meant to anyone here - oops!)

Wind - to be or not to be!

Well so far Windfinder is totally wrong - but it's still early. Just hoping the wind will shift a bit more Easterly cos right now it is dead South which couldn't be worse.

Looks like a good week windwise but rain also forecast which tends to muck up the wind alot.

Fingers crossed!

Easterly on the Way

Looking at the long range forecast on Windfinder we are in for a couple of days of Easterlies. Fingers crossed and I will definitely be going out this time!