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relocation. Had it not been for my parents conditions I would
still be in Blighty. The island has been rapidly developing and
since my arrival I’ve discovered it’s now far more attractive to
live here compared to when I last visited 13 years ago. With
that surge in development there are more resources and
services making life here for Europeans, or those accustomed
to ‘western habits’, quite amenable, yet still in full island style. I
imagine I’m not the first UK windsurfer to relocate to Mauritius
although I’ve not read about anyone else having done it?
Island benefits
I have noticed there’s a steady trickle of new expats choosing
to live in Mauritius. But my circumstances for moving here
are not the same as a typical migrating expat. Nevertheless
it’s made available to me the same island benefits plus great
watersports in year round warmth. For now my parents are
still independent enough around the house so at least that
leaves with me lots of free time to go windsurfing.
I live on the east coast but I’d prefer to live anywhere along
the western coast as, in my opinion, more development has
and is still being concentrated on that side of the island. My
parents built their home on the east coast a while after they
returned to live in Mauritius, so that’s where I immediately
fitted in upon my arrival to island.
I’m three miles inland from the sea although it’s about a 10-
minute drive to the nearest windsurfing lagoon. If I wanted I
could literally be on the water every day that there’s wind
because of the year round warmth. Over here it’s so easy to
get picky about which days to go windsurfing as there are
plenty of nice sunny days with wind that one can simply
sneer/turn noses up at. Now when I drive to a beach I
sometimes still have to pinch myself looking around at the
place with its vibrancy and colour.
I’m still getting used to the place and it still really hasn’t
fully sunk in that I’m actually living here. When I hear of my
friends back home struggling with the cold or lack of winter
winds it’s really then that it sinks in.
Notably the one big difference I’ve found is that time on
the water really is limited for slalom kit training using larger
slalom fins. At the most generous it’s about max three
hours in a day you get due to tide heights in the lagoons.
In the UK I could have easily spent a six-hour stint at some
beaches without such issue.
West coast intrigue
I haven’t found the best spot (yet). I’m on a mission to
discover it. I’ve become aware that many locals are simply
content attending their usual venues on a weekend, such
is the pace of life here. The west coast intrigues me most
because it’s rarely windsurfed due to predominately
easterly winds the island gets. It hardly ever comes from a
westerly direction. Le Morne is the most widely known
windsurfing spot because of the range of skill levels it
accommodates. There are other great spots such as ‘Anse
la Raie’ in the north east. On the east coast there are
couple of flatwater reef locations that at the right tide give
delightful flat water. They provide the most blissful freeride
blasting experience.
I hit up Le Morne quite a bit. It’s a nice hour and a half
drive from home. Le Morne is mainly known for its wave
sailing – a local national windsurfing competition was
recently held there (at One Eye). Within the lagoon areas
there’s slalom blasting, freeriding and freestyle. Lately
we’ve been toting up GPS speed sailing runs. Le Morne is
definitely a versatile windsurfing location in a stunning
setting.
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