60INTERVIEWMARÍA ANDRÉS
The swell is formed days ago, somewhere very far away off the
coasts during a storm, then it travels thousands of miles until it
touches the coast to become a wave. Surfers are floating on
their little boards waiting to slide over these natural formations.
They surf it all along reading every variation and adapting their
moves and lines to every different wave… This connection with
nature is very unique.
Something you don’t like about surfers?
I don’t like the bad attitude, “These are all my waves so I don’t
leave any for the others” or “I am more local than you because I
have lived here one year longer” or “my type of board is better so
you get out of here” mentality. Fortunately, they not the majority
and there are still plenty of places where people enjoy the waves
and share their passion! Sometimes I’d like to tell those people,
“Hey, look around! You can enjoy it and let us do it as well?” The
funniest and luckiest part is that these unhealthy behaviours can
be found more often in really bad spots – not the good ones!
You are dreaming about going to…
I am dreaming about going to Baja California again –
Mexico and also discovering the west coast of Australia.
Those desert landscapes, the road trip to get there,
chasing good conditions, camping for weeks far from
the city life, being away from phones and distractions,
and surfing those infamous never-ending waves, I
am sure that I will experience a very enriching inner
journey that will surely change some of my views.
The best moment in the water?
There are three special moments that come to my
head. One of them was five years ago, the first time I
windsurfed again at home with my brothers,
after my ankle injury (that I was told I wasn’t
going to be able to recover from). ‘Happiness’
does not describe it enough.
Other memorable moments are during those
beautiful sunny days out in Ho’okipa, with a
perfect swell hitting the coast and I stop surfing
to look around me. I become aware of where I am,
what I am doing, the stunning landscape surrounding
me, the great windsurf action happening in front of my
eyes, the slope of the volcano taking height to
overcome the clouds, the rainbow framing the scene,
the spray of the waves flying back. Turtles, palm trees
and all those colourful windsurf sails moving around
handled by smiling friends and at that moment, you just
feel grateful and realise once again how lucky you are
to be part of that moment and that place. To stop for
a second to contemplate in Ho’okipa is unique.
The third best moment was when just a few
friends and I camped on a tiny island emerging
from a remote outer reef in New Caledonia, far
from mainland. We were surfing and windsurfing
amazing beautiful perfect peeling waves… the
water was so clean and clear that it felt like we
were flying over corals and colourful fishes! It
was definitely magic… and I really hope to go
back there again.
uk
WIND
SURFING