DAVIDE GIARDINI WATERSPORTS

2 Weeks, 2 "Big Wednesdays"!

2010-04-07T15:30:00.000-10:00

OK so I haven't updated for a while. Well, what can I say. Spring has finally arrived here in Rhode Island, and I'm taking pretty much all the time (not that much) left from classes and studying to hit the water as much as I can.

So, last Wednesday, after all that rain we had, I was smelling BIG WAVES in the air. Surfline also helped.

I went SUPing at Tuckermans, a deep water break in between 1st and 2nd beach... The waves were double overhead PERFECTION. Not a breath of wind. Very gloomy atmosphere.

For almost 1 hour I was out by myself with these bombs breaking, at this lonely point sticking out pretty far out from shore. Paddling out in the channel, I realized my knees were actually shaking a bit, while looking on the side these huge monster bodies of water breaking, and spraying soo much off the back.
It took me a while to get some balls to go a bit deeper and deeper to catch one of these boms. The first one I took, my heart was pounding, and I was sweating in 5 degrees air. Once I got picked up, this THING just kept growing and growing underneath me. That wave was so massive by my standards that looking down the line, I felt like I was snowboarding down a trail! No joke!

After a few like that, Cody, who works at the Hooley shop in Newport, came out as well. Much better to be together with someone in those conditions. The timing of what happened next is just INCREDIBLE. This clear-out set that came broke right on top of me. Other than going MASSIVELY over the falls, i suddenly felt the leash snapping. When I resurfaced, other than noticing the even bigger 2nd wave of the set about to DESTROY me, I also realized my board was wayyyy gone. I swam like 15 minutes, in the middle of NOWHERE, in frigid water, getting pounded in double overhead waves, without a board and a f*** useless paddle in my hand! Not a nice swim. To make it worse, I kept on thinking at those "sharks' week" episodes I watched with Chris the weekend before. So finally I got back on the board, and since the tide was getting a bit too high for the spot to really work, we headed to 2nd beach for some more relaxed time.

At 2nd it was pretty packed with surfers and not as huge. Some nice rollers, not very powerful. I made a solid knot to keep the leash together and there stayed till dark.

So that was last week's Big Wednesday.

This weeks's (today actually) was another great day on the water, this time kiting.

Now, to look further at the factors that has brough together my sick session today here's a few technicalities, where I let the (soon-to-be) scientist in me (yes, apparently, there is such thing!) speak. Since last Monday is has really started to get warm around RI. As the specific heat of the land surfaces (in general) is less than the surrounding waters', the land warm up faster than the Ocean. things warm up by this "incredible heat" that we've been having, hot, moist air evaporates from land, and of course hot air rises, creating an area of lower pressure. Since stuff, in general, moves from areas of high to low, following the same logic air moves from high temp to low temp areas, so it moves over the Ocean, and there is sinks since now it's cooler. Now the air above the Ocean has a slightly greater pressure. And back to the same logic, this air now goes from areas of hight pressure (Ocean) to areas of low (land).

What does that mean? SEA-BREEZE! SW thermals! SW thermals have therefore have kicked in big time around here. Seabreeze, as seen, is overall driven by the gradient between the land's hotter temperature and the Ocean water's cooler temp. What does that mean again?! I want the biggest gradient I could possible find around, to get some CRANKING WIND! For, this time of the year is the best for seabreezes, since the gradient between air temp (hot!) and water temp (still freezing!) is the greatest. It also means that the sea-breeze happens to be wayyy stronger here in the in-land Bristol than by sea-side Middletown, again due to that greadient (Middletown, by being so close to the Ocean, doesn't get as hot as Bristol. Smaller gradient. No-good wind).

So, all this technical explanation to say that Monday (didn't go out) and today we had such great wind. And today was such a great kiting session. Right in my own backyard. Well, I don't have a backyard, but IF I HAD ONE, Bristol Harbor would be it!

I know you can't wait to hear more technicalities of this sort, so tomorrow (or, better, sometime soon), more technicalities about my backyard's kiting specs!

Double SUP sesh @ Tuckermans and 2nd!

2010-03-31T17:45:00.000-10:00

Today was just U N R E A L !!

Awesome conditions out there, way overhead waves, not a breath of wind, gloomy light, and a great Tuckermans (outer break) all for myself for over an hour!

Among the highlights of the day: broke my leash pretty far out and swam quite a while!

Will post more about it tomorrow. Time for some GIS homework now...

Tomorrow's outlook: Surf's Up!

2010-03-30T17:10:00.002-10:00

Hopefully the nasty SE onshore wind should be stopping by early tomorrow AM, and the waves should clean up a bit as the day goes by and the wind turns NE (offshore), turning that messy double-overhead mess into chest high beauty... (yeaaahh riiiigghhtttt)

Looking to get in the water after 2pm...we'll see.

'Snorkeling sites' in Bristol, RI

2010-03-30T15:19:00.004-10:00

In recent days I've explored Bristol's potential as a world-class snorkeling spot!

So, throw on your googles and snorkel and dive in with me in the exploration of historic Bristol town's variopinct marine life, to be found hidden all across the streets...

Am I going nuts? Not at all! Click here to find out for yourself!

Here's what Franky from NOAA's National Weather Service informs us on how the snorkeling conditions should get even better by tomorrow, and some important tips on how to survive these radical snorkeling conditions! ;)

Bristol (Rhode Island)

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
703 PM EDT TUE MAR 30 2010
...THE FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 PM EDT FOR URBAN
AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS IN EASTERN CONNECTICUT...RHODE ISLAND AND
EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
AT 655 PM EDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN
SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS RHODE ISLAND. IN ADDITION...HEAVY
SHOWERS OVER THE ISLANDS MAY WORK INTO SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS OVER
THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. SOME LOCATIONS MAY PICKUP AN ADDITIONAL INCH
OF RAINFALL OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
WHILE THE HEAVIEST RAIN SHOULD COME TO AN END BY LATE
EVENING...MAJOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ACROSS
RHODE ISLAND AND SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS THE ENTIRE NIGHT. THIS IS
AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. DO NOT DRIVE
THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS OR DRIVE AROUND POLICE BARRIERS!
MEANWHILE...ANOTHER BAND OF HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUES TO AFFECT
NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS. THE AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THIS
RAIN SHOULD DIMINISH SOME BY LATE EVENING...BUT AN ADDITIONAL ONE
HALF TO 1 INCH OF RAINFALL REMAINS POSSIBLE. SIGNIFICANT URBAN AND
SMALL STREAM FLOODING WILL CONTINUE IN THESE LOCATIONS AS WELL.
A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR HAS BEEN REPORTED.
STREAM RISES WILL BE SLOW AND FLASH FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.
HOWEVER...ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS
IMMEDIATELY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES. NEVER DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE
WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY DEEPER THAN THEY
APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SWEEP
VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODING ROADS MAKE THE
SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF CREEKS AND
SMALL STREAMS. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF URBAN AREAS...INCLUDING ROADS
AND UNDERPASSES IS ALSO EXPECTED. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF CREEKS AND SMALL STREAMS...AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF COUNTRY ROADS.
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY...INCLUDING UNDERPASSES. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW
VEHICLES TO CROSS SAFELY...OR THE ROADWAY MAY BE UNDERMINED.
FRANK

Some WATER TIME...

2010-03-29T15:43:00.000-10:00

...and by WATER TIME, I mean that it's been freaking pouring for the past 2 days! And it's not gonna stop 'till tomorrow night!

You pretty much have to cross rivers to get through RWU streets, and the earthworms are having a ball!

Now, that's what I call getting some solid WATER TIME!

Tomorrow around 11 o'clock it's supposed to rain something like 4 cm/3h.

But...the waves are also supposed to reach over 12 feet. Wind is gonna be from the ESE mostly (dead onshore), so I expect it to be just huge seas nonetheless, with nothing really rideable.

By WEDNESDAY though, it looks like the wind is shifting to a gusty 15kn offshore NNE going NNW later on, with still some consistent surf lasting to at least chest-high by 6pm (droppig fast from well-overhead earlier in the AM).

Time will tell anyway. For sure is I'll be getting work done NOW, not to having to miss out on anything LATER!

Kiting 3rd Beach

2010-03-26T14:24:00.001-10:00

Doppietta!

Just got off the water after scoring a great afternoon flatwater kite session at 3rd Beach.

By 3.30pm, after all the important stuff for the day was out of the way, I was in the water with the. Nobody around; no wonder, it had just finished snowing earlier this morning!

Was super gusty at first, like 15 to 30. Towards the end it became a steady solid 20 knots. Good conditions for the 10.5 Vari Vulcan. The water is still freezing, so I was just keeping it cool, simply boosting around, nothing crazy.

Still, great afternoon, and looking forward to some SUPing this weekend on this NE swell!

SUP 2nd Beach

2010-03-24T17:54:00.000-10:00

Well, in the end SUP won over kiting, even though at Colt State Park it was solid 7m wind.

2nd beach was bigger than 1st, so jumped in the water at 3pm. Was there till 7.30pm.

Head high waves, gusty offshore wind, high tide, sunshine. Christian 'HooleyGuy' came out for a surf as well. Great afternoon! Over 4 hours in 6C water really did me good! Put me in the right mood for some Physics studying... ;)

The Nah Skwell SUP 7'8'' is ripping! Such a sick sick board! I'd recomend it both to surfers looking to get more water time, and experienced SUP surfers looking for an aggressive, snappy, slashy, loose progressive SUP board. Contact me for more info.

To the next (Friday looks good...), hopefully with some pics/video!

SUP 1st Beach...Soon

2010-03-24T06:29:00.001-10:00

The current conditions at 1st Beach, Middletown are such:

The WNW was blowind strong this AM, but is forecasted to die down in the PM. I'm not gonna risk it to go kiting, as NW wind is renown to be the biggest b**ch around here...

But nonetheless, looks like great SUP conditions down there. Classes done at 2pm; uni work all done for today. Soon in the H20!

Davide

Big Nor'Easter on our way...

2010-03-12T18:04:00.002-10:00

So, let's see, what's new here in New England... A pretty good sized Nor'Easter will be hitting "our" shores this weekend.

A lot of rain is expected. And a lot of wind. And a lot of waves. Sounds like the perfect setup to me!

We'll see how North this beast will be, but should be pretty gusty, cold, and wet no matter! Could be fun in Newport, maybe? Boston, Cape, and Matunuck spots are off the charts for me, due to lack of willingness to sit my rear-end (i.e: culo) in the MPV for more than 30min. Otherwise the sport I'll end up doing would be much driving and not so much kiting (or windsurfing)...

Oh yeah, and also my Spring Break has officially started today. I Will DEFINETLY get in the water between one job application and another!

We'll see how this one goes!

Mellow

2010-03-01T19:40:00.002-10:00

That's the word to describe these days here in RI.
Was down in Middletown this Sunday; there was a tiny S swell.

The longboarders were getting some pretty good smooth rides.

I debated whether to go out with my my only board (a super tight 5'10''), and of course I was stupid enough to get in the H2O.

Was pretty stupid. Couldn't catch much with the super small board and will all that rubber, and especially with my cook-style.

Oh well, better than an afternoon on the physics book...

Water was 36 degrees (2 C), air around 40 (4 C). Soo fun.

I'll catch you guys here next weekend, same place same time...

Oh yeah, on a side note, I've been integrating Laird Hamilton's workout in my daily workout...hopefully it will show next time in the water in real conditions...sometime...soon...maybe...?!

Speaking of which, I'm considering switching my shortboard for a cheap SUP board, the "radical" kind, in order to get more time in the water. Drop me a line if you can help me out!

I'll catch you on the next blog-worthy event!

PS: A shout out to my "Most Powerful Van" van, for always being loyal to me... ;)

Uni life

2010-02-24T17:43:00.007-10:00

It's all cool here in Bristol, RI.

Nothing epic happening these days. Just kepping up with classes, studying, keeping fit and blah blah.

Went in the water this past Sunday at Fogland. Kited a very gusty and cold NW front, with the brand new 2010 Vari Vulcan 10.5m (souvenir from Kailua) and surfboard.

Was flat as only a cove can be, but no way to get going a bi-directional. Water temp was 2 C (36 F), and air 4C (40 F). Great tropical weather to get pulled around with a kite! Yeah, uhm...NOT that epic. Maybe not the best decision of my life, but nonetheless I got in the H2O, and that's what counts. Right? Guess Chris felt the same, as he decided to go slogg around (windsurf) on his 4.9m. He got some gusts though, and showed off some esliders, flakas, misty-flips, etc, definetly polished by the Bonaire training.

As for uni, been taking this GIS course and got a lot into it. Definetly something to keep in mind post-graduation (May baby, hell yea!). Looking to do a final GIS project involving a current issue in Hawaii. Any experts out there with some suggestions?

I will also start working (soon hopefully) at filing the Climate Action Plan for Roger William University's commitment at the Presidents Climate Commitment. The work takes off from where we left last year, with the University's Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory.

So yeah, a bunch of pretty interesting stuff to keep my brain occupied with...

To the next - maybe a bit less nerdy - entry!

Back in Rhode Island

2010-02-10T15:56:00.002-10:00

And here I am again, back online.

Things have gone by fast. My semester on Oahu has come to an end, and I've returned to Rhode Island to finish off my bachelor degree.

It's been quite a shock, going from the heavenly place that Oahu is, to the less-heavenly East Coast US.

But still, life is good. University is great, and the contrast of the cold snow blizards with the warm blue waters has its beauty.

It's a whole different lifestyle here on the East Coast, but it's just a matter of adjusting.

As Zander, the author of the book I've been reading, writes, "There's no such thing as bad weather. There's just inappropriate cloathing".

This quote pretty much sums it all up.

I don't kiting or surfing happening any time soon, though (not even with "appropriate cloathing"!). It's just not the weather to do it. Today, as a matter of fact, many schools and universities from Washington D.C. and up were closed due to this harsh snowstorm we've been getting.

Will keep you updated, and do come check back for a whole post with the highlights and lowlights (?) from O'ahu...

Davide

GREEN MARKET on Ft. Street Mall and SUSTAINABILITY

2009-10-21T20:49:00.010-10:00

As I have recently started interning as the sustainability coordinator intern at Hagadone co., my "boss" Myah Ely and I partecipated at the Green Market, which took place today all day on Ft. Street Mall, in Honolulu (Oahu).

Hagadone has been the biggest printing company in Hawaii for years, and in several years it has greatly focused on sustainability and "green efforts", seeing it as a way to set up from competition and, of course, feel good about themselves as well (which never hurts...).

Improving paper recycling on the island is obviously a strong objective for Hagadone. I am surprised, given the American efficiency in most issues, that Oahu does not seem to have a State-run paper recycling program, but it's left up to community programs or individual companies with an underlying interest in it (such as Hagadone).

Some of the strategies the Sustainability Team (which I am now part of) have created and implemented involve recycling and more.

All those unwanted, erraneous, out-of-date print jobs that would otherwise end up in the landfill, can be pretty conveniently picked up by Hagadone's trucks where regular deliveries are made. This paper is then shredded and sent in huge bundles back to the mill factory (that's a whole other crazy story I'll tell you one day!), re-transforemed into paper, and then re-bought by Hagadone to print on it. The paper mill factory obviously pays for shredded paper received, creating an incentive for Hagadone to send in more and more used and unwanted paper. It's a win-win situation.

You know all those junk mail, unwanted mail, old magazines, brochures, flyers, and phonebooks stacking up in your mailbox?This program returns all these used products back into the manufactoring process, thus closing the manufacturing-consumption loop, by collecting all these items every 2nd Saturday of each month at the HQ, selling it back to the paper mill factory, which then converts into post-recycled content paper.

This pretty admirable carbon offset program stands at the core of Hagadone's sustainable efforts. For each printed page, the company buys carbon offset credits in equal amount, which support renewable energy, reforestation and similar projects. The company's carbon footprint is therefore reduced, being the first step towards being carbon neutral.

Other cool things I have witnessed are: vegetable-based inks, and energy neutral machineries. That is, some of the energy/resources' outputs of the machineries dedicated to specific mass-scale printing jobs (we are talking huge machines, 1,000 copies/minute) are thrown back in as energy/recources' inputs.

Sustainability means everything and nothing. They say "sustainability" is the "buzz word" of this decennium, or something like that. Well, from what I've witnessed and taken part in today, I can tell you that sustainability is in full swing here in Hawaii, and it's BIG...as BIG as the waves of the North Shore.

The Green Market's goals were not only to educate and inform the public, but also to network one with the other. I believe this is the strenght of these hawaiian green businesses. They have realized they are all in this together; the more people involved spreading the word, the more interest created, the better off everybody is.

As a matter of fact, the business present today at the Green Market revolve around the Sustainability Association of Hawaii. With Hagadone's President, Erwin Hudelist, being the president of the Association, and Myah the Secreatry, I was representing the SA as well. I therefore had the occasion to come up and close with some cool so-called green companies.

Tomorrow I'll tell you more about the businesses showcased at the Green Market.

Oldies but goodies...Fall/Winter 2008 Cape Cod Vids

2009-10-14T23:41:00.022-10:00

Check out an old little video I put together from some late season 2008 sessions back in Rhode Island and Cape Cod.

Click on the vid to watch it bigger.

Also, check out Chris' video from some of the same footage.

Btw, how are the slideshows on the right looking?!

OAHU - Day (?!)

2009-10-14T23:21:00.011-10:00

Due to the lack of action (for me at least! There's sick waves all around Oahu), I digged out a clip from my goPro surf sessions in town.
Nice left at the spot called Big Lefts (go figure!)...or Baby Haleiwa, not sure...(?!)
Don't mind the poor surfing skills...I'm working on that!

OAHU, Day ??? - Mid-term Exams, scooters, and SUPing

2009-10-11T00:37:00.006-10:00

Heading to the North Shore

Well well where to start? It's been a pretty long time since the last blog update. The lack of updates hasn't been due to slacking, but because of these mid-term exams that have kept me super busy throughout these weeks.
I haven't really been able to find the time to get in the water at all, except for:

- A double overhead surf session 2 weeks ago at V-Land, when the first winter swell hit the North Shore (biggest early season swell in 30 years?!).

- A fun SUP session today @ Tennis Courts, in Waikiki. SUP is such a cool way to surf; you're active 100% of the time.

SUP Waikiki

As long as it's not on the books, it's all fun!

I know, this blog is lacking some action pics! But for now, it's good enough that I get time off from school to go in the water...the action pictures will come!

Oh yeah, also check out this sick break on the South Shore (China Wall) from some time ago...

And look what seems to be underneath it! Next on the to-do list!

Oh yeah, and also, as people drving along the Kam Highway for sure have noticed, my scooter has given me some quite a few troubles recently. But see what even Richard Branson has to say...ahah

OAHU Day 14,15,16 - SCHOOOLLL

2009-09-13T00:35:00.012-10:00

It's been a pretty hectic week here, with uni courses starting and the scooter giving me problems... But mainly just busy with school work. It's gonna be an interesting semester...

Today, Saturday, I managed to go surfing a few hours this afternoon. We went to the South Shore in Waikiki, and we surfed at this break called ROCKPILE, right next to the famous MOANA BOWLS.

The locals there weren't too willing to share their waves. It was head-high with some overhead sets. Check out this set...

I GOT BARRELED! Super sick.

The goPro camera stopped working at mid-session, but hopefully I got some good footage.

While the SSW swell has been hitting the South Shore since Thursday evening, the North Shore has been getting hammered by the first NNW winter swell it seems. The reports for Sunset Beach were giving 15+ ft (on the face)...double overhead with some sets almost triple overhead. CRAZZYY! Rumors say the famous spot PIPELINE is not working cause of sand deposits that block the waves.

OAHU - Day 13. Classes started

2009-09-09T11:35:00.002-10:00

Yesterday my university classes started, so I was pretty much all day on campus.
Everything regular so far.
Highlight of the day: a 4 hours lab course with only 5 students in it!

Today, Wedensday, I already had Physics course at 8am. Now I'm free for a few hours before my next class, but the wind is not up. There is a North swell hitting Oahu though tomorrow, so there should be some big surf.

OAHU Day 12 - WAIKIKI ROUGHWATER SWIM!

2009-09-07T20:13:00.012-10:00

Start

The Roughwater Swim was super nice! People competing were really hard-core, at least most of them. Many of them did a running marathon the Sunday before, and a bike race Saturday. Really crazy people.

Finish line. It was packed with spectators earlier.

The swim itself was nice, even though there wasn't much underwater; only spotted a turtle. Time-wise I did OK, around 1hr for the 4km.

The course

On my scooter ride back, I stopped to check out Moana Bowls near-by. Was kinda flat and crowded, due to Labor Day.

Also, I stopped by Diamond Head. No windsurfers out though, the wind was light.

Today was a "0 ft day" for Hawaiian surf reports.

A bit past Diamond Head there's a great uncrowded windsurf spot, at a break called TOES. The wind is light on the inside, but out on the reef it was good enough to catch logo-high waves. Down-the-line pure wavesailing, with only 2 people out. Sounds good to me!

Here you can see the rest of the pic...

OAHU - Day 11. Portuguese Man-of-War encounter and surfing Waikiki

2009-09-06T22:17:00.003-10:00

This morning at Kailua Beach I had my first encounter with a Portoguese man-of-war jellyfish...the sting doesn't hurt at all. Haha.
In the afternoon we went surfing at Waikiki at 3 different breaks. Waves were smallish though.
Oh, and it rained all day...I guess it rains also in Paradise! ;)

Tomorrow I'm taking part to the WAIKIKI ROUGHTWATER SWIM, a 4 km swim along the shoreline of Waikiki out on the reef. Should be interesting.
So, I'm heading to sleep early...more updates tomorrow!

OAHU Day 10 - Short kiting, long surfing, and Red Bull Rivals

2009-09-05T23:22:00.015-10:00

This morning had a short kite session early morning, but the wind wasn't that strong.

Later in the morning we went to Sandy Beach, on the East Shore of Oahu, where the Red Bull Rivals surf contest was going on, between North Shore and South Shore surfers of Oahu.

The wave was a super steep and nasty beach break, as the it is a famous spot for bodyboarding, with a crazy shorebreak.

Later on we headed to MOANA BOWLS in Waikiki for a long surf session. The forecast was calling for 0-1 ft (hawaiian), but it was actually head height.

The GoPro is working out fantastic, all that needs to improve now is the surfer's poor surfing skills! Got some great footage today which I will edit tomorrow!

OAHU Day 9 - Kitesurfing Flat Island

2009-09-05T01:44:00.006-10:00

This morning had an early start and around 8am I was already in the water, powered up with the 9m and bindings. Was cool to ride behind Flat Island, off of Kailua Beach, where the chop is blocked and the water is flat. Coming up to the Island there are also some nice steep kickers to hit. Today the trades were definetly up in Oahu!

Down here below some pics of my road-tripping yesterday around the East and South shore. Also, a few shots from kiting and wavesailing in Mokuleia, North Shore.

Oh yeah, check out this quick edit of a quick surf I had in Waikiki yesterday! The waves were small and mushy, it was dark, and the camera fogged up shortly after. Any reccomendations for that? Also, anybody knows how to save the video in HD?

OAHU Day 9 - Road tripping to Diamond Head and back

2009-09-03T23:45:00.004-10:00

This afternoon I took my scooter with the surfboard rack mount and drove from Kailua towards the South. Saw so many beautiful places, the road and the views are crazy. After a looong time and many surf breaks, I hit Diamond Head. On the road I also stopped at the windsurfing secret spot, the one that Cammar refers to as DA SPOT. Ahah. So easy to find. And a lot of windsurfers were there, slogging in the gusty off-shore winds. But the waves on the reef were worth it.

I drove past Diamond Head because the waves weren't that clean beacuse of the wind, and went all the way to Waikiki Beach, at a spot called PUBLICS.

By the time I got there the sun was setting, but I still had time to take out my goPRO camera. You'll see tomorrow the results!

The trip back in the dark with the board was an adventure in the adventure itself!

OAHU - Day 8. NORTH SHORE: Mokuleia kite & wind

2009-09-03T01:24:00.007-10:00

Today was a great day!

We drove all along the North Shore, seeing all the epic spots like Waimea, Pipeline, Sunset, etc. There was no swell, but still they were cool places! Then we headed all the way to Mokuleia, famous wavesailing spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Such a cool place, with 25+ knots and overhead waves breaking on the outer reef.

Check out below a little edit of my first two camera board mounts! Nothing great but still cool to watch!

Oh yes and check out also the surf bars we built for my scooter...I can carry a surfboard, kiteboard (Johnny), kite (Beppi), bar, and pump (Jacky)

OAHU - Day 7. Experiment #1 @ Kailua Beach

2009-09-02T01:03:00.005-10:00

In the morning I had to run some errands to set up the scooter, school, etc.

But in the afternoon... well, in the afternoon, I managed to finally do what I've wanted to do for a long time! Check out the preview down below here, and check back tomorrow for the whole thing!

Thanks to NAISH SHOP for the acetone wax remover ahah.
Thanks to Andrew for the support in building the scooter surf bars! Patent pending.
Thanks to TACO BELL for the great 79cents triple layer nachos and 89cents hard tacos!

Annddd tomorrow...I am riding to the infamous Oahu North Shore to either kite, windsurf, or surf, depending on the conditions and on what gear I can scrape here and there! ;)

OAHU Day 6 - HPU & Kiting the Mokes

2009-08-31T23:07:00.006-10:00

This morning was the official check-in at the HPU Downtown campus in Honolulu, which took the whole morning.

The beast

Kailua home - HPU Windward: 15 minutes scooter

HPU Windward - HPU Honolulu: 12 minutes van

In the afternoon after got done with everything, I went by Kailua beach to check out the conditions. Kailua home - Kailua beach (kite launching zone) = 7 minutes.

This was the view:

The most fun thing to do with the typical Kailua light and gusty breeze (for a 9m at least) is to ride around the bay, making super long reaches. The wind is kinda side-shore at the launch, then it turns more on-shore further out on the reef. Once you reach the reef out, you can go back and forth almost parallel to the coastline, riding up and down the coast up to Lanikai, where the famous Mokes islands are. There the reef is super shallow, so there are some nice breaking waves out there. I felt like being in RObby Naish's RIP video today!

Aerial view of the Mokes

OAHU - Day 5. Scooter search and Longboarding @ Kewalo

2009-08-30T22:56:00.005-10:00

You can really tell by walking around that Obama is from Oahu!

And you can really tell by walking around Kailua that Robby Naish is from Oahu as well! That's a McDonalds here in Kailua!

Another nice day here in Kailua, Oahu, spent researching a scooter to be able to get to school more easlily and have some more mobility.

Spent good part of last night and this morning browsing and calling for the perfect deal. Saw a bunch here in Kailua, then headed in town in Honolulu with Andrew to look at a few more

After having found the perfect one (VENTO RS4i! pics to come!), and made sure it was running smooth, we loaded it on the back of the pickup truck along with the two longboards we had brought from home, and went longboarding at this break called KEWALO near Waikiki! It was small and mellow, but still fun to longboard!

Below are the pics from the Hawaii Pacific University downtown campus:

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the Windward Campus, where I will be taking all of my classes.

Davide

OAHU Day 4 - Saturday @ Kailua Beach

2009-08-30T09:41:00.002-10:00

Yesterday woke up and the breeze was strong so I loaded myself and all my kite gear on the shitty bike and rode to Kailua Beach. It was good for the 9m and a surfboard Antoine, my roommate, lent me. In the afternoon, while I was chatting with a fellow friendly kiter on the beach while holding my kite, I got distracted and it got caught on a branch of one of the numerous trees that are lined up behind the beach. It got stuck in there big time, and there was no other way then to detach the lines from the bar...and climb up the tree! It was way up there, like 10 meters, but after a while I managed to get the kite out in one peace.. What an experience, never again! Lesson learnt: no chatting while kiting! They told me people crash their kites on the trees all the time here...but still...

OAHU Day 3 - Hawaii Pacific University and Naish Shop

2009-08-29T00:58:00.002-10:00

Today was a busy day visiting and getting accustomed with the 2 HPU campuses, finding classes and stuff... After that on my way back by bike (I biked 11 km on a bike with no seat and rusted chain ahah) I stumbled upon the NAISH Shop. It's really big and full of nice stuff. There there was even Robby Naish's mom and I met Robby Naish's brother!!

Tomorrow more on that, and some pics from today... going to sleep...

Davide

OAHU DAY 2 - "No worries man, it's the Aloha spirit!"

2009-08-27T22:27:00.004-10:00

Wow, what another day here in Oahu!

Started off slowly this morning, as I was feeling funny because of the jet leg.

In the morning I had such an amazing excursion...we went biking to the Marines military base in Kaneohe! I was lucky enough to be with my roommate who has a pass to get in the military restricted zone. I have never been in a army living area, and I was really impressed by how well they live and the amount of great facilities they have access to in the neighbourhood. Was so funny to stroll through it on our bikes. Then they made get off my bike cause a helmet is required inside their zone, so I was running barefoot and just in my boardshorts behind my friend who was instead biking with his helmet...it was really funny.

Going through the military base we went to my first surf break on Oahu: Pyramids. Funny to say, not even locals have access to this great spot due to it being higly restricted, and I visit it as my first spot! Ahahah
The sickest thing was getting to the surf spot: we had to cross a plane runway!! After we passed with our bikes, a huge military was taking off!!

The spot is pretty hardcore, boling and choppy cristal clear water, big and steep waves, and very strong current. And on top of all that the lifeguards were putting on signs of "No swimming" and "Jellyfish in the water". So I asked them what was up, and they told me yesterday a lot of Portoguese man-of-war washed up on the beach. Only 3 or 4 pretty sick "soldiers" were on the water. Really nice spectacle for a first visit to Oahu's surfing mecca! On top of that there were huge military planes taking off from the base and passing right on our heads!! What an experience...

So, after a little run back through the base (no flip flops), a bit of a bike back to Kailua, and a little stop at Kailua beach to check the wind (was light, people were struggling with 12m), I was totally in "surfing-mode". So I managed to get a ride to... WAIKIKI!! Or, as my brother would say..."Waiii waiii waii waiii chiiccchiii!". What a great place that is also! A big city with beautiful Ocean on the side, and tooonssss of people out surfing. There, the wind is offshore, so it's nice and flat near the beaches for people to chill and swim, and 50m or so off the beach nice glassy head high waves (depending on the break) break on the reef that surrounds the whole island. There's breaking waves pretty much all around the perimeter down there, as far as the eye can see, left and right.And people surfing everywhere! I've never seen anything like that.

So after such a long walk/run to find myself a shortboard, and a run back to the Ocean, I went in the water for a surf. The break I surfed was MOANA BOWLS, right in front of the Hilton Hotel. After that I paddled 2 breaks over, to ROCKPILE. There I caught suchhh sweetttt waves. Super long, head high and clean! The conditions there are just perfect, light offshore breeze, cristal clear shallow water (it seems like it's never more than 3m deep), and nice mellow but fairly big waves rolling in steadily. It's like surfing in a pool with an artificial wave! Surfing those waves was such an intense experience, I was laughing so hard for the joy!!

After a few hours, at sunset, I came back out. It's unbelieavable the amount of people being active on shore. Everybody was running, doing exercises together, stretching in group, doing yoga. There are even kinda like mini outdoor gym in the park, with a few facilities to some simple exercises.
Later on I caught a bus back to Kailua, still dripping in water. I got off too early at the bus stop, and didn't kow exactly where I was. Saw a shuttle driver in his van taking a break, so I asked him where the hell I was. He told me I was miles and miles away from where I needed to go, and so he gave me a ride there! After having thanked him so much, the local hawaiian driver told me: "No worries man! It's the Aloha spirit!".

Oh yeah, this morning I forgot the battery in my camera, so no pics! In the afternoon, I didn't bring it, so that not to leave anything on the beach! Next time!

OAHU DAY 1 - Up and about in Kailua

2009-08-27T00:16:00.003-10:00

What a first day... early rise at 6.30am cause of the jet leg. Decided to head for a run and head to check out Kailua Beach. Had to ask around to a bunch of people for directions, and everybody was like... "good luck man!" ahaha.
At the end I made it there, its like a 20 min run if you know where to run! Once there, a kiter was already on the water on a 12m. Didn't look that good though. The beach is really nice, kinda lika Kanaha in Maui. A lot of people exercising and running on it. Then at the end of the beach I stood on the same exact spot where Robby Naish is talking at the beginning of his video, RIP. From there, the beach upwind is Lanikai, where the Twin Islands are. This beach is a bit better for snorkeling, as there is no shore break that stirs up the water.
It was great to run and swim after such a long flight and feeling so disoriented!

So I headed back home (running...), finding my way pretty easily. Found a bike, picked up my kite gear still packed up from the flight, and biked down to Kailua Beach again. Stopped by the really friendly guys @ KAILUA SAILBOARDS & KAYAKS for a screw diver and off I went kiting. It's a really nice rigging area on the grass. The beach is kinda crowded though.
As for the kiting, to be honest it wasn't so great. The wind was really light and up&down, plus really onshore. Also, riding bindings here is not really a smart idea, as the water is REALLY choppy and there are even some waves out on the reef. The majority of people is in fact riding monodirectional boards! Maybe that would have been fun...
I packed it up after maybe an hour or so, as conditions weren't too fun, and wanted to get done with some errands and food shopping before school starts.

Only problem...the bike tire got flat in the meantime and I had to walk back home carrying all the gear AND the bike. Good thing everything here in the US stays open late, so I was still in time to get all my things.

Afterwards, I went with Andrew, the landlady's son, and his friend to grab a quick bite in Honolulu and they showed me around really quick. We also drove by Waikiki, and, man...that place is a mess! A lot of people, a lot of shops, a lot of "gangstas" like in all the US cities, and a lot of hooookers haha. Right out in the Ocean though there a loooottt of surf breaks, which I've read on GP's blog.
Maybe I'll even head down there tomorrow, maybe by bus or...who knows!

Check out the pics of my roaming today in Kailua! Sorry no action, still getting acclimated here!

Cox

OAHU - Arrived!

2009-08-25T23:30:00.003-10:00

Long time, no writing...and here we go again. I have just arrived on Oahu, HI, where I will spend my Fall semester. The flight from Italy was super long, but now at 11.30 at night I am here at my new home in Kailua, Robby Naish's homespot!!
It's really dark out and can't see anything, but it feels nice out. The temperature is a bit colder than Desenzano, and the trade winds seem to be blowing!

Now off to bed, and tomorrow early start to go explore the neighborhood, the school, and Kailua Beach Park!

Davide

Matunuck Sunday Swell

2008-11-18T18:33:00.005-10:00

The event spot. Pic by Mitch, RealWind

The Matunuck Wave Classic on Nov. 8th was a success! Great side-shore conditions, great ramps on the outside and nice flat water on the inside. More on that to follow.

This past Sunday Nov 15th headed to Matunuck on the Narragansett side for awesome wavesailing conditions. Really tough conditions at Matunuck, RI. Extremely gusty wind side/side-off, clean logo+ waves, and f**** freezing!! Great crowd, great level. Everybody seemed to be there. Graham Ezzy showed up also, from Princeton Uni.

It is getting cold down here. It was probably around 0 Celcius. Not willing to give it up yet. But the freestyle times seem to have come to an end; it's time to face the winter surf. I need a waveboard, preferably twinfin. Any out there?

Gettin launched!!! Pic by Sergey. Thanks!

MATUNUCK WAVE CLASSIC

2008-11-08T18:03:00.004-10:00

MATUNUCK WAVE CLASSIC

1st Annual Matunuck Wave Classic

Sunday - November 8th, 2008

Come out tomorrow for this fun little event held at Matunuck, Rhode Island organized by Karl and friends! Windsurfing and kitesurfing heats.

SW wind in mid teens forecasted for tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!

In the pic: Karl @ Matunuck, by Mitch

Back online

2008-10-27T14:41:00.010-10:00

Pic by Roger Protzen, www.spot-shot.com

Wow haven't updated this blog in a while...

It's been a crazy time since the last post. The best time ever.

My time in Bonaire came to an end in June. It was probably the best 5 month I have ever had, not only windsurfing wise. After that I went back home in Italy for some time.

I spent the rest of my summer in Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands, where I was working at the windsurf and kite center Rene Egli and training windsurfing any free minute I had.

At the end of July I obtained a wildcard for to my first PWA competition, during which I didn't do as expected, but it was great fun and a great experience to meet, sail, and compete against my "heroes".

Pic by Roger Protzen, www.spot-shot.com

I am now back to school in cold Rhode Island. Had some good freestyle sessions, some better surfing ones, and even greater study sessions!!

The cold and the study won't keep me from getting in the water though. This winter I want to work on my surfing more.

While looking forward to warmer times, let's enjoy some drysuit moments now...

I am working on setting up a website and move on from this blog, so check back!

Not much windsurfing here

2008-04-14T17:24:00.007-10:00

Wow, havent updated this in a while!

In this past month the wind has had its up and downs...some weeks were firing, others were so so. Right now the pros guys are not here, I think they flew to Maui for the photoshoots...

This post is not much windsurfing related, but it shows that theres other stuff to do on Bonaire other than surfing...

Just a bunch of pics showing what I've been up to this past month other than windsurfing.

I'll never leave this place...

(By the way tomorrow the wind is gonna be sick...)

A regular day of class in paradise...swimming with dolphins!

A video from that day. Sick group of dolphins (video from B-Reck)

Diving at the Salt Pier...

Another sort of "diving" at the National Park

Snorkeling at sunset...sick

Studying sometimes... This one is for the parents ahah

No wind on Bonaire

2008-03-11T04:51:00.003-10:00

Photo by Martin

It has been a bad week in paradise this past week!! Really light winds, super shallow water, and lots of people! On my side, I had lots of school work so I don't mind too much these bad conditions...

Michele Maldini, an Italian surfing & windsurfing videomaker/photographer based on Maui, is now on Bonaire to film for an upcoming movie shot between Maui, Bonaire, and Gran Canaria. Because of the lack of good conditions, so far they have only been going around doing interviews with Tonky and Kiri, and filming some sail flipping stuff by the Bonaire young kids. I think he'll be here a month or so...

This week and the 2 weeks after, Jibe City will be be busy with Andy Brandt's ABK Clinics. It's fun when I see people I sail with on Cape Cod coming down to Bonaire to attend these clinics! Check out the schedule for the clinics here!

This weekend there is also scheduled a Bonaire Wave Challenge, or something like that. I've never been in the waves here, but hopefully there will be some wind to run the event!

Team the Bunch

2008-03-06T13:48:00.004-10:00

Photo by Hylke Bakker

The dudes from Team the Bunch have been here on Bonaire these past weeks, and are always busy taking pictures and vids...

CHECK THEIR PHOTOLOG FOR DAILY ACTION PICS FROM BONAIRE!

Bonaire weekly report

2008-02-20T14:50:00.006-10:00

Man!!! Since the last upadate there has been some sick 4.5m wind that was fun. These guys from team The Bunch (i think) that arrived here in bonaire are also ripping!!!!

On my side, my school research has kept me super busy with deadlines and boring stufff like that, while on the webcam i could see everybody heading out to sail at jibe city! I'm realising how hard it is to go to school in such a good windsurfing location!!!!

Here are some of the shots that Martin took I think this past weekend. Thanks a lot for the pics. If you read this, contact me cause I've lost your email address!

Also, I would like to thank so much Patrice at the BISTRO DE PARIS here on Bonaire (www.bistrodeparis.com) that always gives me take-away dinner boxes all those times (every day!!) I don't make it to school dinner because of sailing till late!!!

Good winds, bad forecasts

2008-02-16T18:23:00.002-10:00

There have been good winds here on Bonaire this week. Today was even good for 4.5
Forecasts unfortunatly aren't as good but it doesn't really matter when you're in the Caribbean; every day is a good day. Better if windy though...

Good conditions on Bonaire

2008-02-12T07:04:00.000-10:00

Its been really good every day since last Friday!

I've been pretty loaded with school work, but I managed to sail all weekend while also teaching for Andy Brandt at ABK (www.abkboardsports.com).

This week school looks busy but I hope I can get do evening sessions like yesterday...I sailed from 6 to 8pm and the bonarian gang was out too... Mike Burns also got here few days ago, should be fun!

Another week is gone on Bonaire

2008-02-08T14:12:00.000-10:00

Another intense weeks has gone by here on sunny Bonaire.
School has kept me real busy, but I managed to get out Wednesday and Thrusday afternoons. Light winds unfortunatly.

Today was another story. All day ripping wind for 5.0, and it got stronger in the evening. Tonky Taty Kiri and Bjorn were out doing sick sh**!

Hopefully it will be like this throughout the weekend! Fingers crossed...

Surfing

2008-02-02T13:34:00.000-10:00

Woke up this morning and biked to Jibe City (www.jibecity.com) as every day basically. But today was raining like hell all morning. Then Tonky Frans came up and brought me surfing (no wind) to a spot north on Bonaire. Nice fun small waves to play around. I would have never expected to surf on Bonaire, so I'm prtty happy...

Wind looks like will be up again starting Monday..yeah!

Poor conditions on Bonaire

2008-02-01T16:03:00.000-10:00

Its been 2 or 3 days now that the weather has been cloudy, rainy, and not windy at all! Today especially the sun never came out and the wind was probably 10 knots max. And it seems that it's going to stay like this till the end of the week, than things should change...hopefully!

Squalls on Bonaire

2008-01-30T15:49:00.000-10:00

Got some 5.6 wind later this afternoon from 4 to 6...better than nothing.
Got the rest of the week off cause of Carnival on Bonaire...not bad!

I wanna get some pics to show how's sailing here in freestyle heaven...hopefully soon!

Holla to my friends back in New England and back home in Italy!

What's going on?!

2008-01-29T12:11:00.000-10:00

The wind here on Bonaire is DEAD...the Trade Winds stopped blowing...sucks.
Today "luckily" I had school classes all day, so that kept me busy...
Forecasts still look pretty shitty...

Weekend

2008-01-28T02:16:00.000-10:00

Was really pumped for the weekend to come cause no school, buuttt unfortunatly no wind all weekend. Forecast look bad also.

Bonaire windsurfing again

2008-01-23T15:00:00.000-10:00

Finally today was independent research day so hit the water all day!
Sailed from 10am to 6pm non stop!

Between one puneta and the other I even managed to come up with some possible topics for my research! Ahahah

School and Rain on Bonaire

2008-01-22T10:26:00.000-10:00

The tropical ecology and marine conservation program I am currently attending here on Bonaire is keeping me really busy. Haven't gotten a chance to really windsurf lately cause of classes and stuff...but hopefully soon I will be head out to Jibe City and catch some!

It's also raining a lot lately...I guess it's still rainy season down here.

Update from Bonaire

2008-01-20T16:09:00.000-10:00

Welll Bonaire winds have been good recently...5.0 all the time. Kiri and tonky are pulling sick moves all the time. As for me I'm trying to get consistent at all the switch moves...the best place for practicing stuff is near the marina. Dead flat water and steady wind. Sick spot.

And now the bad part. With today I started the marina biology program i am doing here in Bonaire. Sounds like it will be intense all mornings and all afternoons. It looks like it will be windsurfing only on weekends and early morning (if i can make it before school) or late evening. Hopefully I will be able to do both things at the same time while here in Bonaire.

Bonaire Day...i've lost count

2008-01-18T13:32:00.000-10:00

It's been pretty good recently here in Bonaire!
Yesterday and today were 2 full days of 5.3 powered up. Kiri is a machine...makes the impossible and never falls. I bet half of you guys dont even know the stuff he's pulling off! I myself don't know some of the stuff he's doing, like this sick funnel one hand spun all the way in the air! Tonki and taty are so sick too!
As for me, I have a hard time getting used to the new board and sails...so different from before.
Tomorrow I'm starting school so won't be able to sail as much!

We'll see how that goes!

Spot the intruder in the cam pic! ahah

Bonaire Day 5

2008-01-13T13:54:00.000-10:00

Some wind today when a big rain cloud came by...wind for 30 min for 5.6 sail. But thats still good when you're in paradise! As soon as the wind came up Kiri Thode, Taty Frans, Bjorn Saragosa and others came out. Good show!

Bonaire Day 3 & 4

2008-01-13T01:52:00.000-10:00

No wind...only yesterday just a little bit enough for 5.6 at times...no good

Today looks alright instead...

Bonaire Day 1 & 2

2008-01-10T14:26:00.000-10:00

For the haters out there...no f**** wind these days in Bonaire! As in...all my gear is still in the travelbag!
Should be no wind again tomorrow, then good from saturday.
Ah also, I'm homeless for some days i think...

On the way to BONAIRE!

2008-01-07T11:10:00.000-10:00

No updates in a while.
I'm on my way to Bonaire!! I'll be there all semester for studying. Right now in Amsterdam waiting for the flight tomorrow!

We'll see how this goes!

Old shots from Cape Cod

2007-12-02T10:40:00.000-10:00

These are some of the shots from Lewis Bay in Massachusett a couple of weeks ago. The first cold session of this winter... F**** COLD!

Cape Hatteras is sick!

2007-11-25T11:40:00.000-10:00

It's now 4 days we have been down here in Cape Hatteras now! Its been great.

Wednesday night we had a 13 hours drive from Rhode Island to down here in North Carolina. Left at 9pm of Wednesday and got here at 10am on Thurdays! First thing we did once here?? Watched a tow-in surfer first, and rigged our 4.7 second!

Wind picked up as we got here, and we freestyled all afternoon in the Avon Sound with a super fun 4.7 breeze. The wind was perfect side shore and the spot is one huuuuge bay waist high all around. And unbelievable...we sailed in a shorty!!!

Friday Mike got here and we moved in the house right on the water! All day long pefect for 3.7 and wind from the opposite direction, so it was way colder that yesterday. I think we sailed for something like 7 hours non-stop!!! (on a side note i landed some clean ss chachos!)
Then at night Mike set up some super pro night lights to illuminate the spot and we sailed another hour or so at night! Sooo sweet! Videos should be good!

Saturday was pretty light and muuch colder!! We still got some good ones on 4.7 and 5.3.

Today, Sunday, there has been no wind. Checked out the local shops (Ocean Air Sports and others), and worked on this damn school paper...haha

Tomorrow looks good though!

Thanksgiving on Cape Hatteras!

2007-11-21T07:37:00.000-10:00

Sunday we got some shots from freestyle on Cape Cod. Here's one, I'll post up the rest soon.

Tonight we are DRIVING to Cape Hatteras for some windsurfing, some warm...and some turkey! It's thanksgiving here in the US.
Should be fun, expecially the 13 hours drive! But the forecast looks great, so...it's all good!!!!

WAVES IN NEWPORT

2007-11-21T07:21:00.000-10:00

Saturday we got gusty NW winds and head high sets in Newport. Here some shots from the day.
Sergey shreds

Chris shreds

Sergey mid ponch

Sergey goyter

SATURDAY SMALL FUN IN NEWPORT

2007-11-12T08:51:00.000-10:00

Saturday clean and fun small hip-to-chest high waves were breaking and a gusty Nor'Easter was blowing side-off shore. The conditions were perfect for goyters off the wave, I did like 20! Couldn't get any vid though (thanks a lot Chris ahah)!!
It was COOOLDDD!! First time ever sailing with booties and gloves. It sucks but...you gotta do what you gotta do!
Looking forward to hit it on a stronger Nor'Easter and bigger waves...

Here's some frames. I know they suck, but better than nothing.

VIDEO FRAMES FROM NOEL

2007-11-06T19:10:00.000-10:00

Here a bunch of frameshots taken from the video of last Saturday. Bad quality but whatever! A tripod wouldn't have been bad either...

Check out that wave

Bottom and cut back on a little wave

Head high I guess

Clean amazing set

Small forward loop

Dropping in

I can't feel my hands...?

More to come...

HURRICANE NOEL

2007-11-05T09:31:00.000-10:00

HURRICANE NOEL WAS HARDCORE.

Saturday was such an hardcore session. Suuper windy, over 40 knots blowing straight off-shore. It was pouring and it was soo cold.
1st Beach in Newport had epic conditions, wind side-off (more off than side), building up maassive swell (mast height?).

Us 3 crazy dudes went out at 2nd Beach in Newport. Once in the water, conditions weren't as fun...wind was blowing dead offshore gusty as hell. It was 0 to 50 knots in 2 secs. One second you were slogging, the next second the 3.7m was exloding off your hands...
It was nuts.

Got a bunch of vids and pics (grazie papà), not so good as the cam fogged up soon and the wind was ripping so much that even taking vids was hard!
Here are some still shots...sucks they don't really show how radical it was. Better ones to come...hopefully.

Jeremiah on the shorebreak

Sergey thinks twice

Sergey about to rip that thing

Jeremiah full speed

HURRICANE NOEL ON THE WAY!!

2007-11-01T17:22:00.000-10:00

Holy shit this is going to be sick!!!
Hurricane Noel is forecasted is forecasted to hit our shores soon. Starting from tomorrow it's going to be wwiiilllddddd conditions!! Gusts up to 70 knots..shit!

I only wish I had my new POINT-7 SADO sails to finally test out, but we had some trouble on the way so they are not here!!
We'll see how this weekend goes!! Keep ya posted! For sure some sick stuff...

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

*FRI*
NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT.
*FRI NIGHT *
NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 KT...
INCREASING TO 25 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. A CHANCE OF RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SAT

NE WINDS 30 TO 40 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 KT...BECOMING N
45 TO 55 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 70 KT IN THE LATE MORNING AND
AFTERNOON. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT...BUILDING TO 9 TO 12 FT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SHOWERS. VSBY 1 TO 3 NM.

SAT NIGHT
NW WINDS 35 TO 45 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 KT...
DIMINISHING TO 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 KT LATE. SEAS 8 TO
13 FT...SUBSIDING TO 6 TO 9 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE
EVENING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SUN
NW WINDS 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 KT... DIMINISHING TO
15 TO 20 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 KT IN THE LATE MORNING AND
AFTERNOON. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT...SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.

Sunday Photoshoot @ Ninigret

2007-10-28T16:19:00.000-10:00

Light and gusty NW winds everywhere. Ended up at Ninigret...again!
Too shitty to go out. Took some shots of Chris.

Chachoo time

Saturday Sesh @ Kalmus

2007-10-27T17:05:00.001-10:00

After yesterday's great session, we were so amped for today's great forecast on the Cape. We got there and it was miserable. Clouds, heavy rains, and FOG! The wind was so gusty from such a bad direction (SE), plus there was something wrong with the tide!!! It was impossible to get going!!! No idea what it was...

Here's a couple of shots of Chris taken from the main beach @ Kalmus. This was the best we could do. I was so pissed that couldnt sail anymore...
Oh ps tell him how good he looks at cre99001@hotmail.com

Chris Spock

Chris mid Spock

Flaka

mid Flaka

I guess its flaka day

Mazda MPV

Friday Night Sesh @ Ninigret

2007-10-27T16:58:00.000-10:00

Friday at Ninigret, near Matunuck (RI), stayed out till late at night. Perfect 4.7 freestyle conditions and super flat...great chop on the outside for air flakas almost!
Sorry, no pic and no vid...too cold, too dark, too little time!

Kalmus is sick!!

2007-10-26T06:36:00.000-10:00

Its been a sick week so far!!

Big surf the past Saturday and Sunday and Wednesday in Rhode Island, and great wind and freestyle conditions Tuesday afternoon on Cape Cod!! Temperatures are super warm too so thats nice!

We've been filming a bunch, heres some shots! Videos are bad quality here, I dont know why. We were filming with HD camera! Pics are taken from the video...

The guy with the Orange Superfreak is Sergey, local ripper from Boston!

Perfect condition!!

2007-09-23T10:28:00.000-10:00

It's been more than a week now!!!!
I'm going CRAZY.

No wind, no waves...not much to do!

Perfect conditions!
...for STUDYING!!!

Sessions at Kalmus

2007-09-10T09:23:00.000-10:00

It was another perfect weekend at Kalmus, in Cape Cod!!
Friday after that boring math class drove to the cape, went out in late afternoon on 4.7. Was pretty sweet to practice some moves in the lagoon at Egg Island. That place is so sick!

This is shot @ the main beach at Kalmus, not from the freestyle lagoon

Pics from the Cape...

2007-09-05T17:59:00.000-10:00

Forecast for Friday and Saturday look good again!! Can't wait to windsurf in Cape Cod again...

Spocks

Puneta

All pics by Chris, Kalmus' local ripper from Connecticut. Thanks a lot man!!

Cape Cod!

2007-09-04T12:35:00.000-10:00

This weekend finally hit the Cape!!!! I'm so stocked...it was long time I've wanted to sail at those spots, and finally it happened. I'll def be down there often.

Saturday was shitty, long time not wsurfing, shitty wind, too small sail, too many kiters...Sunday no wind. Met Chris, cool local ripper and a bunch of cool guys. He showed me what's up!

Monday was so sick, all day long. Perfect 4.4 wind, practicing moves at this sick spot Egg Island. A dead flat water lagoon amazing for freestyle. One of the coolest place I've ever wsurfed at!!! Fred, local ripper of unknown age (!!), was throwing spocks all over the place!

I'll be posting up some pix soon...

Looking forward to hit that spot this weekend!

Ah fuerte!

2007-08-12T22:11:00.000-10:00

Rider: Boffi
Pic: Davide

Rider: Davide
Pic by: Maria www.freewebs.com/borophoto

Pic: Maria www.freewebs.com/borophoto

Pradelafam

2007-08-07T09:50:00.001-10:00

This morning out at Pra' for 2 hrs with 4.4.
Shitty compared to the Fuerte conditions...

Pic by Boffi "Sanchito"

Poonchesss

2007-08-06T11:57:00.001-10:00

No action after Fuerte. I quite miss the easy ponches...
Un saluto a quei bastardi che sono ancora là a kiteggiare...che vi scoppi un bladder!

Photo credit: Maria Roig

Photo credit: Maria Roig

Check her photo website out! www.freewebs.com/borophoto
Grazie a GARDALAKE WIND-UNIVERSITY per magliette da sbaaallo!

Back from Fuerteventura

2007-08-04T05:34:00.001-10:00

Learnt some new moves...ponch, ponch one hand, flaka one hand on the right, eslider on the right, semi funnel...

Thanks to Maria for the sick pics. Check her photo website out www.freewebs.com/borophoto !

2007-07-10T02:27:00.001-10:00

1st coverage for the GARDALAKE WIND-UNIVERSITY.

Article on http://www.windcam.it/, one of the biggest italian online windsurf magazine!

The WIND-UNIVERSITY

2007-07-06T10:16:00.000-10:00

Three of the four minds behind GARDALAKE WIND-UNIVERSITY. From the left Boffi, Gianka, Coco. (Vitto missing in action...)

Soon the guys will be sent to two different corners of the world to find recruits for the mission and expand the GARDALAKE WIND-UNIVERSITY's borders across the known world!

Three of the guys will be shipped by mean of a cargo ship transporting Banana Chiquita to Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands. There they will interact with the newfound culture, meet the locals (girls), understand their lifestyle, contaminate the island, and much more!

One of the crew members has been sent off to China on a secret mission to test and find the potential for an over-sea asian black market contact willing to dispatch our products...

Keep ya informed on the develpoments!

On the meantime, be sure to check us out @ http://www.gardalakewinduniversity.tk/

GARDALAKE WIND-UNIVERSITY

2007-07-06T10:04:00.000-10:00

A bunch of friends and I recently jumped on a new adventure.

We created the GARDALAKE WIND-UNIVERSITY. We want to make it a brand that connects the wsurfers/kiters of our own beautiful Lake Garda.

We started with photoshoots and promotional stuff around... check us out at http://www.gardalakewinduniversity.tk/!

This is a bunch of shots from a night photoshoot we did here at home few days ago. You can find them all on http://www.gardalakewindunivesity.tk/ in the Riders page!

Furgonate!

2007-05-12T13:03:00.000-10:00

Miiinncchiiaaa che pulmini speeettaaaacoloooo qua in America!

Questi erano in New Jersey...diiistruutttiii!

Questo era di un Italiano a Maui per 4 mesi che poi ho conosciuto...ogni giorno abbassava il prezzo di vendita!! haha

Ma niente batte il mega PULMINO!

Ripping Barrington

2007-05-09T22:07:00.000-10:00

Well it wasnt too much of a ripping but at least we got in the water!!

Two days in a row, Tuesday and Wednesday

AAnd Tuesday the freestyle board arrived!!!

ITS SsSIiiICcCKkKKKkkk!!!!!

As soon as it got here, it got windy and we were off to the beach. There was just a breeze, the kites barely powered up on the 12m. This board planes soo early!!! Siicckk!!! Tried a flaka as soon as I got planing and I spin all the way around 360! CRRAZZYYYY

Today was shitty, was barely planing even with the new board. Maybe I should fucking get a bigger sail than my 5.3! Maybe next paycheck...ahah

Here's a bunch of shots I took of Chaz from the water when I wasnt powered up anymore...whenever it will get real windy (REAL WIND) he won't be the one in the pics anymore! Ahah

All pics, rider: Charles Photo by: Davide

3rd Beach

2007-05-07T12:20:00.000-10:00

Well yesterday it wasnt sick wavesailing, but at least it was something...

Really gusty but whatever.

Chaz

Monday sesh pics!

2007-05-05T14:41:00.000-10:00

Here some pics from the last sesh on Monday. When the wind died down in the evening, I went in the water to take some shots of Charles still powered up on his 12.
Tomorrow is lookin like a sick wavesailin day...

Rider: Charles Lucas

Pic by: Davide

Rider: Charles Lucas

Pic by: Davide

Rider: Charles Lucas
Pic by: Davide

Fine della giornata...

Better than a day in class!!!

Sunset sesh pix

2007-05-01T18:24:00.000-10:00

Superfreakka glows in the dark! NO PARKING
Pic by: Davide

Coming soon...

W I N D

2007-04-30T19:13:00.000-10:00

Wind came to town today...sweet lil sunset action @ Colt State. Fully powered for some good time throwing some loops down.
Pics to come.

Exported vespa

2007-04-30T06:39:00.000-10:00

On my way out of class today this is who I meet. At least this shows im going to class...i guess...
Couldnt understand if it was a Vespa or something else, but still cool!

Notice the Rhode Island plate. Pretty funny!

Goin to Class 2

2007-04-26T12:50:00.000-10:00

What a day!Was walking on campus, and this is what I see!

Emergency Update: No one hurt by vehicle fire near campus mailroom

At about 12:45 p.m. this afternoon, a Federal Express truck was making a delivery to the Roger Williams University Mailroom when a package in the truck containing chemicals ignited.

The Bristol emergency personnel arrived on the scene immediately and brought the fire under control. The driver is unhurt, and no students, faculty or staff were injured.

The Campus Recreation Center, which is adjacent to the Mailroom, and student housing units downwind of the fire were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

SSSIIIICCCKKKKK

Going to class...

2007-04-25T11:22:00.000-10:00

On my way to class, saw this beast... what a car!

18 holes?

2007-04-24T17:28:00.000-10:00

Yesterday I got in the water in Barrington (I think). Got a ride from a kiter friend...

Light winds and me out with the only board I have here with me: wave 78 lt. If I had a nice freestyle board would have been a blast with the 5.3

Out a couple of hours, water real warm (no booties). Some grubbys, some good flaka attempts. Its getting there.

Pics with phone=shit!

The spot's backdrop. A nice 18 holes golf court!

Bet you never rigged on a golf course!

Cooolddd

2007-04-20T06:45:00.000-10:00

Yesterday some blasting around in the Bay...
Toooo coooldd for freestyle. 5.3 and 78lt powered up for 3hrs. Wouldn't say from the pics.

The spot in all its loneliness...

Mount Hope bridge. Some lady jumped off the other day. Who wouldn't?!

Nor'Easter

2007-04-18T05:32:00.000-10:00

Nor'Easter brutale qui in Rhode Island.
40 nodi di ventaccio, aria e acqua a 5 gradi!
Trooopppoo freddo per andare in acqua, anche se qualche amico surfista è uscito...ad avere la stagna ci penserei!

Unknown surfers heading out in shitty condition

DVD Trailer

2007-04-13T10:53:00.000-10:00

Check out this cool DVD trailer!

SHAAAKAAAAA!!!

2007-04-10T12:18:00.000-10:00

Funny video found on the internet! Haha

Tributo a Kauli Seadi

2007-04-02T10:52:00.001-10:00

Wow, what a sick video! Sweet music, great action.
KAULI SEADI in Brasil...

2007-04-01T06:23:00.000-10:00

It's not how it seems...

Rider: Martin "Drico"
Pic by: Unknown

Maui Wowee

2007-03-26T09:49:00.000-10:00

A couple more shots from Ho'okipa, Maui!

Rider: Davide Giardini
Pic by: Giampaolo Cammarota

Pic by: Giampaolo Cammarota

Back to the world!

2007-03-26T06:45:00.000-10:00

I have a laptop again! Stoked!

Ho'okipa on the Rocks!

2007-03-22T04:32:00.000-10:00

Again some pics of Sunday 18. After a couple hours of riding I ended up on the infamous rocks atHookipa. My Superfreak and I loved it! Unforgettable moments...haha

Some refreshing pounding.

Rider: Davide Giardini

Pic by: Giampaolo Cammarota

On the rocks and loving it!
Pic by: Giampaolo Cammarota

Hookipa madness

2007-03-21T12:25:00.000-10:00

Sunday 18 was my last day on Maui and Ho'okipa was firing. Over Mast Height sets. I would have never gone out. Unfortunatly it was my last day. I had to go out...

Taking measurement of wave height ain't a easy job...

Rider: Davide Giardini

Pic by: Giampaolo Cammarota

Maui Time

2007-03-20T14:51:00.000-10:00

Hey haven't posted lately cause I was off to Maui.
Sick sick place. Didn't get many windy days but waves were awesome. Scored one epic sesh at Hookipa this past Sunday. Some sets over mast high. My wavesailing has definetly improved. Every day was action...surf or windsurf or both. I sailed with the bests of the best.
Kauli Seadi, Browzinho, Matt e Kevin Pritchard, Mark Angulo, Keith Teboul, Dioni Guadagnino,John Sky, Graham Ezzy, Florian Jung, and others.

In the next days I'll upload some pics and reports...

Sequenza wave

2007-03-01T19:04:00.000-10:00

THIS is what I learn in Graphic Design!
One little waveriding sequence...doesnt get better than that!!
Thanx to Nikita for the shot.
Thanx to Spark for the editing advice.
Thanx to PAPA' per aver sponsorizzato il viaggio!