OTC Closure!!

Hey Guy's

Sorry for the lack of updates recently we have been having a few problems out here in tenerife with the centre. The police came down yet again to the centre about two weeks ago saying that we needed to get one more piece of paper but until we had it we could not be open. Well after everything that has happened before and how long it took us to sort it out last time this was not a good moment.

So we set about getting back open as quick as possible. I can now gladly say that we are open again as of Wednesday, and the future looks good for no more hassles. The police were really apologetic and said this was the last thing so lets hope they stick to their word or we are going to have to bring in the heavies.

Luckily while the centre was closed there was not to much wind so nothing really got disrupted though we couldn't go windsurfing there was a competition coming up so we needed to keep fit so we have been doing quite a bit of mountain biking out here. I have put a few clips together quickly so here they are of the Park in making behind Medano. Check out the legendary saying on Darren's first run of the day at the end of the video.

Medano Bike Park from Graham Woods on Vimeo.

Right well I will be back with an update soon as we have just finished the Competition here this weekend so will fill you in on my performances very soon.

Laters,

Grey

Hello everyone,

The wind has dropped a bit for the next couple of days allowing us to clean up the centre, and get it in a clean state again, after a really busy week last week. The shop Solent Sailboards from Calshot were out here enjoying a nice week in some wind and sun. It didn’t blow hard really but they managed to get out almost everyday, which is pretty good going. Then on the no wind day we enjoyed an amazing trip to the Siam Park. Hopefully there will be a few videos to follow on that. I would just like to say from all the staff (including Stitch) here at the centre it was a pleasure having you out here yet again. Hopefully we will be seeing you back next year or some of you again this year.

Well as I have said before we have not had much wind in the way of wave sailing out here but we have had a few freestyle days.  Not really much to say about them they were a bit of fun. Don’t really enjoy doing to much freestyle for a sustained period of time as it really hurts my ankles and knees. God knows how the pro guys can keep at it for so long. I have almost got a new move for myself called the toad. It actually isn’t that hard if done off a small wave just the landing, which is the hard part.

Well here as promised are a few photos. I hope you enjoy them. Check back soon for more updates.

Laters,

Graham

Pics By: Simon Crabtree

Thanks A lot 

Carnival

Hi Guys,

It has been going really well out here the at the moment other day we had 21 people out on the water which is really good to see again. We have also had a reasonable amount of wind the last week, though unfortunately not strong enough for waves but there has been plenty of freestyle to be had so some pictures will be put up soon.

This little update for all you readers is about the Carnival! This is held in Santa Cruz every year and is basically a massive party in fancy dress. Every year there is a general theme but most people do not take notice of this, this year it happened to be about horror unfortunately we did not stay to this theme. Normally all the guys go as drag and all the women stick to the general theme, so this is what we did. Well combined with Tris's 30th birthday it was a very entertaining night! 

The only way I could explain this event is if you imagine London, and then every street you turn down is packed with people so tight that you can not even walk down them, and everyone, I mean everyone! Is in fancy dress.  To picture this event you kind of just have to be there so I have put a few pictures so you can make your own mind up and I thought you may find it entertaining. Though if you are ever in Tenerife towards the end of February then you have to go.

I will apologize if the photo's offend you but we thought it would be pretty funny to dress up quite badly as drag, it was also very cheap ha ha. Well enjoy.

Laters,

Graham

Short Boom Cam Clip

Hi Guys/Girls

Sorry I have not updated my blog in a while but we have had a reasonable amount of things going on out here. This will all follow in the next few updates. I do warn you though some things you may see might be disturbing if you don't like guys dressing in drag badly. More of that to come in the next update, along with the goings on at the OTC this time of year.

Well onto what I have for you today, it is of course the one and only Sam Neal a fellow competitor from the UK. Who if you have visited recently, will have met him helping us out at the centre on busy days, and generally shredding out on the water. He is out here for a bit of a training holiday and has recently been away to Jeri and Cape Town, so he is sailing pretty well. I have put together a very short video of him just doing a few flaka's on the Go-Pro Hero Cam that some one brought down for us to try out. Unfortunately it was not windy enough to try it in the waves, maybe next time. It is a pretty cool piece of kit and can even put it on your board. The guys round here are using it a lot for mountain biking so I might try and get a bit of footage of that to put up later on.

Sam Flaka Session! from Graham Woods on Vimeo.

Sam is Sponsored by:

JP Australia

Neilpryde

FC Watersports

Animal

Pryde Group UK

Webanywhere.com

Right then guys check back in the next few days for some more updates.

Laters,

Grey

Jelly Fish in Medano!

Hey guys 

There has not been a lot going on over here in Tenerife to do with windsurfing, although we have had a few freestyle days and two good wave days. Unfortunately I haven't got any pictures for you, though I can say I have discovered a new enemy out on the water...

"Who can this enemy be?" I hear you say. Well it just so happens to be a Portuguese Man of War, or a Blue Bottle depending how you want to call it.

This last week we suddenly had a massive influx of jellyfish floating through El Medano. Luckily I only ran into one of these balloon like things and only got stung very minimally. What happened was that I was sailing at the Harbour Wall and fell in. As soon as I hit the water I felt a small electric shock in the back of my knees. I then jumped onto my board and in doing so I must have kicked a tentacle because it then stung me on my big toe. I had no idea what had just happened but my legs hurt and my toe hurt A LOT! So I thought to myself it must be something in the water. Sam Neal then sails past and notices I am in pain and shouts over to see if I am all right. He notices the jellyfish around my boom and points it out to me. In seeing this, Sam then continues to sail in the waves and never came back to check on me again! (The waves were really good though, so I won't hold it against him!) Well, now I was in a predicament - what do I do with this jellyfish, which obviously has a powerful sting and its wrapped around my boom? Being in pain and wanting to get back to the beach I did the only thing that came naturally and just dipped my sail into the oncoming swells to shake it off. Eventually it got loose and I made it back downwind to the beach. Coming up the beach, Tris, being the fountain of knowledge that he is, gives me three remedies - vinegar, hot water and of course the old favourite ... pee! Well, I was in quite a bit of pain so I tried all three (it was my own pee before you ask!) and it worked luckily, so all turned out well.

The jellies have now drifted on down the coast and out into the Atlantic to bother some other poor soul, so hopefully we wont be seeing anymore of them.

Graham K-51

Hello and Welcome to my blog!

As with most other blogs I will be trying to keep you all updated with pictures, videos and stories from my life as a windsurfer.

I have recently come back from South Africa and now back working in Tenerife in the Official Test Centre, On the way back I managed to put together a little video for you of my windsurfing from the Cape.

Hopefully you enjoy it and feel free to tell me what you think.

South African Holiday from Graham Woods on Vimeo.