We had the ability to time the trip based on a great extended forecast.  Ikitesurf.com and windguru.com do a reasonable job of forecasting.

Normal trade winds are typically 15-20kts with maybe one week per month in winter like the one that we got.

Flights JFK- BGI nonstop round trip American Airlines

Cost  flight was about $600 each

Excess Baggage $150 down and $100 back.  We were quite lucky they could have got us for $300 each way

Drove from CC to JFk Thursday PM did stay park and fly for $240

Drove home JFK to CC.

Drive with out traffic is about 4.5 hours

Flight from JFK to BGI is 4.5 hours

 Gear:

Todd:  SB2 8M,  SB3 12M, TT 133 and Placebo Surf

PK:  JP FSW 84, 5.7, 5.3 and 4.7 windsurf and Rebel 12M with 133CM TT and North rocket fish large

We had too much stuff.  But you never really know what you will need.

I could have been on the 5.3M and FSW 84 the whole time.  Todd could have just used the 8M kite and changed boards

Location: Silversands and Silver Rock area at southern tip of Barbados

General Conditions:

Sideshore to side off winds from the left going out.

Surf is a reef break about 200-300 yards off shore.

Reef is deep rarely exposed except on really big surf days combined low tide

Waves can be over 15’, mostly chest to just over head high.

Best time to go December-February

All waves and or choppy conditions,  no flat water.

Not beginner friendly at all.

Accommodations:

Silversands Hotel and resort: (SS)  On the beach,  Pool, shower, beach bar and restaurant,  home to Club Mistral and Skyriders

Cost was about $1600 USD for 2 with lunch every day at beach bar, ate breakfast in the room.

Room was a studio apartment with a kitchen and balcony.

It may be more for others as my room rate is lower due to multi year return visitor

SS and Inch Cape below have wireless high speed internet for a daily fee.  $10 USD

Other options near by:

Inch Cape Condos (they have a web site search for inch cape Barbados)

Stickey Wicket apartments

Silver Rock Condos (contact Brian Talma through action man web site)

There are houses around for rent.  Not sure how to access them.

Wind and Waves:

Arrived late Friday:  too late to ride

Sat:  15-20 am and 20-25 PM  PK on 5.3M and JP FSW84 Windsurf and Todd on 12M in am then 8M and TT waves waist to shoulder high

Sun:  20-25 all day  PK on 5.3M and Todd on 8M, TT and various surf boards waves head to over head high

Mon 20-25 all day  PK on 5.3M and Todd on 8M, TT and various surf boards waves over head to 10’

Tuesday 20-25 all day  PK on 5.3M and Todd on 8M, TT and various surf boards waves 10-15’

Wednesday 20-25 all day  PK on 5.3M and Todd on 8M, TT and various surf boards waves 15-20”

Thursday 20-25 AM 15-25PM PK on 5.3M am and 12M kite PM  Todd 8M then 12M Waves back to over head with a few bigger sets.  Super clean on the reef.  Rain for about 2 hours mid day

Friday 15-25 all day:  PK on 5.3M then 12M Todd on 8M then 12M rebel Waves chest to head high some bigger sets very smooth on the reef.  Rain again mid day.

Sat:  15-20 PK on 12M Rebel and Rocket fish,  Todd on 12M SB and placebo.

Highlights:

Watching windsurfers getting pounded by the over head high shore break.  Luckily no one was hurt.

Kiters got it on the way in.  The only way to land the kite way to try to stand in the shore break and drop the kite on the beach. So you can not see the wave coming to flatten you onto the beach.

Some Naish pro kiter was there and he has a cool transition on the surf board.  In the shore break he would skip the board, rotate and ride the nose in still in the straps, and then switch his feet and ride out.  This move happens so fast that it took us 2 days to figure out what he was doing. We tried to video this but up high was the only way to see it and we were too far away for the camera to capture it.  Qball will figure this one out by the summer of 08.

Same Naish guy had a wicked hard cut back on the wave.  Not sure if I would call it wave riding as he really only slashed it once.  But it did send some nice spray up.  We have it on video.  He also botched one and his kite and a custom surf board were destroyed by Shark Mouth Rock.

Waves were so nice.

Wind was perfect

Waves were so nice.

Oh yeah it was warm too

The Todd finally has wave riding down.  Consistent conditions make learning much easier.

The waves and wind made for some really huge Air for both the kiters and the wind surfers.  I think the kiters still have the edge on height but the windsurfers doing 30-40’ back loops and push loops are pretty insane.

Lots of broken gear means all riders were having fun and pushing it hard.

Food and bar

We mainly ate at Surfers bay, owned by Steve  who owns and run the Redeye Kite school.  Steve is moving to Oistens.  He will have a house right on the water.  Should be just as good but not as convenient.

It is a short walk west from SS.  Great buffet, and good rum punch.  Cost is about $60 USD for 2 with all you can eat and plenty to drink

Went to Mama Mia with the Germans.  This is a great pizza place in Hastings.  I had never been before.  Reasonable price.  Owned by a Italian surfer who relocate to BBDS.

Went to Café Sol for Mexican in St Lawerence gap.  A good place.  Expensive for Mexican maybe $80 US for 2 with drinks

Did not go but  Gigi’s Gormet next to SS is also good and convenient.

St Lawerance has a lot of great restaurants.  It is about $10 each way for a taxi.

Ended most nights at Steve’s for rum punch.

Lunch at SS beach Bar every day.  Great sandwiches and burgers.  About $20 per person with drinks