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Live track of Maria updating every 6 hrs.

Hurricanes are usually a big pain in the ass. High season for tropical storms in the southern U.S. is August - September when wind sport junkies are desperate for a good sesh. Sometimes you can score an epic session if the storm is the perfect distance away, meaning 200 to 400 miles, and only passing by. But if it's headed directly for you, it will be really hard to balance the necessary preparation time to secure family and property and the time for just a quick sesh. The insanity factor comes into play when you realize sailable wind most likely won't come until right before the big collision.

Hurricane Irene fly by, Cocoa Beach

If your local authorities order an evacuation, your life may get way too complicated. Will you join a mass exodus that crawls away from the oncoming threat or will you defy the order and ride out the storm? Trust me, if you can actually score some water time after all your storm preparations are done, everybody from the Governor to anyone that carries a badge will treat you as a deranged lunatic if they realize you wanna go out into the water.  Your favorite launch may actually be closed which happens here in Brevard County, Florida if they order an evacuation. Patrick Air Force Base closed all the beach access parks that had lockable gates for 3 days during and after the passing of Hurricane Irene 250 miles offshore.

If you're in the cross hairs of a hurricane and you've done all your preparation, hunker down and wait it out. Enjoy the amenities of modern civilization for as long as you have them, especially electricity. The U.S. eastern seaboard, courtesy of Hurricane Irene, just learned the awful reality of life without electricity: it goes on too long for most. A neighborhood full of portable generator smog and noise is little comfort at the hottest time of the year.

Joe Rocco

As the storm passes, you excitedly remember that no electricity means no work and no work equals play time. Repairs and clean up can wait, assuming of course, the house still has a roof and there's not a foot of water in your bedroom, 'cause there's probably at least one more day of wind left. You pack up, head out and see your community for the first time, probably navigating without any traffic lights all the way to your launch. Rig up and head out...and you've most likely not thought about the hazard that is right there below the water: debris. Sadly it was debris that most likely killed Long Island windsurfer Joe Rocco. We all know the power of a slam in a catapult.

Living near a coast for most of my life has brought me into the path of many hurricanes. Back in the olden days, before the prevalence of gas generators, post hurricanes were endurable events. Everybody in the 'hood emptied their refrigerators and freezers, fired up the barbecues and lived large for a few days. Everyone came out of their house, shared food and partied with their neighbors.

Atlantic Basin tropical storm tracks 1851-2000

There's a lot to think about if you're a wind junkie in need of a fix when a hurricane or a tropical storm approaches. While you eye the storm track with excitement or maybe dread, remember that the forecasters at the National Hurricane Center have a 5 year average error, for hurricane track forecasts, of about 200 miles when the storm is 4 days out. If you watch your local TV news to get information, most likely it will scare or confuse. If the NHC 4 day out track accuracy average doesn't impress, don't worry, they're still the definitive source for all information on tropical storms. If you want a reliable second opinion, go to Jeff Master's Wunderblog.


Radar · Zane Schweitzer has a new Facebook Page...   Another new women-centric web destination on FB: JP Girls...   Eastern Surf Magazine has a report on H. Irene with photos: Part 1...   Josh Sampiero, WindSurfing editor, has been working on something new. I hear it's supposed to go to print March '12. Here's a sample: paddle + board...   If you're a gearhead, have a look in the Blogroll on the right of this page at 琵琶湖 Freeride Web...  Windsport editor Pete Dekay is also in Orlando at the Surf Expo 2012 and shot some video...   The PWA Kia Cold Hawaii set to start this Monday, Sept. 12, is rumored to have 4 cameras for their Live Webcast. Katia could be a player at the contest. Robby Swift may be doing the commentary for the webcast. Robby along with Klaas Voget and Ben Proffitt all have serious foot injuries that will most likely keep them out of the contest...   Swap Meet, Long Island, Sept. 17, Details: Hampton Watersports...   Another Swap Meet in Atlantic City, NJ, Sept. 18, Details: Extreme Windsurfing...  Racing at the RS:X European Championship starts on Monday, Sept. 12. Go to the  event website  for all reporting and results...   Hookipa Super Snapper, Jimmie Hepp wants all of you who make his FB albums to Tag your photos and maybe even leave a few comments...

Legends · Laird Hamilton defines the term waterman. His website, Laird Life, describes a man fully engaged in living life on his terms. He's best known for his big wave surfing prowess but back in the day he did a lot of windsurfing.

His wife, Gabby wrote: "We recently sold our Maui home since we have been spending winters on Kauai, and have our eyes on the property next to our Maui lot. Laird has been flying back to Maui for big Peahi swells, and has essentially been enjoying the best of both worlds...Turning off the lights and shutting the garage doors for the last time was bitter sweet, but both of us feel like if you are not going to be somewhere let it go, and that change allows for new things to enter your life. It is so human to want to hold on to everything, but why not keep rolling forward when you can? Laird always talks about looking ahead since
that's the only way one can arrive at the next place. Not to live for or in the future, but to let go of the past so you can arrive at the new, and not live for what has already gone by.  After all we are not defined by what we have done, but rather what we can still do. Time is moving so quickly and holding on to material things and the past cripples us all from continuing to suck the life out of every moment."


Video Replay is a selection, IMHO, of the best videos from the last week of (Sept 5 - 11) DaNews: 18 + videos this week. With so many video this week, honestly what follows are only some of the best.  JP Girls, It's a Life Style, Maui 2011:

Can 9  Phil Soltysiak (Sailworks) from this year's PWA Tour, Canary Islands. Video taken by Polish freestyler Jakub Kosmowski. With one more freestyle event, Phil is currently in 9th place.



Max Rowe shot 40 minutes of video to get the best of the worst wipeouts from the sunny ol' U.K.



The dude with the 'tude...the always insane Zane Schweitzer:



Over on the Atlantic side of South America Kauli Seadi takes the double elimination after losing the single elimination to Wilhelm Shurmann in the Mormaii Ibiraquera Wave Contest.



While the conditions were not spectacular, what really impressed me: they have a national windsurfing festival. A few more videos from the Hayling Island Festival here.

PWA Live from Klitmoller, Denmark, September 12 - 18. For a bigger screen and the full media mashup, go to the event website Kia Cold Hawaii.