Warm, flat and shallow?

[TooSteep]

Hello all:

I have recently won a pair of tickets to anywhere that Westjet (out of Canada) flies. Destinations include:

Maui
Honolulu
Cabo San Lucas
Costa Rica
Curacao
Trinidad
Aruba
Dominican Republic
St. Martin
St. Lucia
Antigua
Barbados
Cuba

I'll be traveling with my wife this January, and I am looking for a place with warm water, relatively flat, and most of all: shallow.

Here's why I think shallow matters so much: I have spent a week in Hood River each of the past two summers, and I am comfortable in the harness and foot straps, but I NEVER sail out of a Jybe, and I find that constant water-starting exhausts me. So I figure if I can go somewhere that I can beach start every time I blow up, I can get about 5X more practice in, and maybe actually learn to Jybe a little bit.

I guess my other requirement should be a good instructor/school that can help teach me to Jybe properly

When I scour the Internet, it seems that Bonaire is the only place that markets itself as shallow/always standing. But that's not on Westjet's route. Where would you guys go if you were in my boat?

Thank you!

[J64TWB]

Bonaire.

[dllee]

Bonaire is No.1.
SPID or Corpus's sound side is a close #2.
Aruba is a slight stretch, as the winds inside are gusty and holey, while the outside winds, which are OFFshore, are steadier but deeper water.

[johnl]

I would second Bonaire, also South Padre Island TX (although January isn't a good month normally), BUT that is one of the good things about blowing a jibe. It makes you get better at your waterstarts. Also if you are getting exhausted doing them, sounds like you need more practice or maybe need to tweak your waterstart so it doesn't require that much energy

[coachg]

Another vote for Bonaire. ABK is there. There are other alternatives for you to get to Texas if you want to go in the future that don't cost as much as a trip to Bonair & Texas is not exactly "warm" in January. You have two free tickets so make the most of it.

Coachg

[dllee]

Looks like your airlines fly to NONE of the shallow water windsurfing locations.
Wear a float jacket. Not necessarily a PFD, which float's 17 lbs., but a float jacket along the lines of waterski jackets which float 14 lbs., enough to easily raise the head of the sail above the water into the wind flow.

[J64TWB]

Possibly use the tickets to fly to Aruba and then puddle jump over to Bonaire?

[coboardhead]

As I recall, puddle jump flights from Curacao to Bonaire were pretty inexpensive. Bonaire is probably one of the easiest place to learn to jibe. Provided you have wind...January is a little early in the season so push to later in the month if possible.

[joethewindsufa]

you have Trinidad on your WestJet liste
my buddy and a recent report in WindSport Mag spoke HIGHLY of Tobago
seems it is a hop skip n a jump from Trinidad ie inexpensive to get to
could it be Pigeon Bay ??
WHEREVER u do go - check temps n wind for JAN or whenever u go !!!

[dsgrntlxmply]

Bonaire. Two adjacent rental places on the water, instruction, and ABK. Check price and availability of flights from Aruba or Curacao. US flights were only from Newark and Houston when I went a few years ago.