Arfo's Ode To Windsurfing

Welcome to this, my own personal shrine to the greatest of all activities ever invented - Windsurfing. It is where I plan to put info about winsurfing from either places I like to sail here in New Zealand, or just experiences of other places I may sail from time to time.

The Windsurfing Bits

Here's the part where I rave about the virtues of sailing at my local spot or something similar. However as I have been based in a land-locked town (Hamilton, NZ) completing various degrees at University for the past 5 years, I've had to travel a lot to get to the spots I've sailed. Well not a lot really, because no place in New Zealand is ever more than about 120 kilometers from the coast!

Tauranga
This is where I regard to be my home patch. Tauranga has a great harbour providing all sorts of sailing conditions from chop-hopping to speed sailing when the tides are right. Kulim Park is a great spot for learning as in Summer the water gets nice and warm and the water is only chest depth for quite a way out. Fergusson Park is another popular spot to sail. In a good southwesterly with a high tide you're guaranteed to find someone out sailing. Marine Park next to the Tauranga Marina provides excellent speed sailing at low tide in a southwesterly. This is due to the exposed sandbanks upwind which turn the channel into a flat water paradise. It can get a bit crowded sometimes with up to 25+ sailers enjoying the small channel.

A quick 10 minute ride over the harbour bridge brings you to Mt Maunganui, and a nice long expanse of coast which can provide some great wave sailing in the right conditions. Further down the coast is Maketu where there is also reportedly some great wavesailing to be done (haven't sailed there myself but the stories of the place sound good). The picture to the left is a shot of me and a friend Nik sailing at Ferguson Park in Tauranga harbour (which by the way is on the East Coast of the North Island). It was taken a coupla years back now but even then I was the one in front.

Rotorua For a while I was based in Rotorua, an inland town in the middle of New Zealand main thermal region. If you've ever toured NZ, Rotorua was the place that smelled bad. Great town though, so much to do. Also it is surrounded by numerous freshwater lakes to sail in when the wind decides to blow. The two colour pictures here are testament to that. Poor quality I know, but both are of great 5m days at Lake Tarawera.

I intend to scan a map and stick it in here one day, but for the meantime if you are interested in windsurfing in New Zealand I recommend that you check out the New Zealand Windsurfing Guide. It is THE definitive guide to windsurfing in NZ.

Forward Loop

Forward Loop was launched into the web in April 1996. It is a collection of windsurfing related web pages which are linked together in the form of a loop. Web (wind)surfers can navigate the loop by using the icons and menu items you will find below. In this manner it is possible to jump from page to page, or just go to a random page in the loop.

If you want to know more then first check out the Forward Loop homepage. Otherwise hook yourself in and cruise the loop starting here.

This site hosted in the GeoCities Colosseum.