Surf’s Up

April 29, 2007 - 2:00 PM by Stephanie

I love living in Tel Aviv because I’m a ten minute bicycle ride from the Mediterranean.

And that makes me happy because I love water. Always have. In high school, university and thereafter I’ve remained in close proximity to swimming pools, lakes, rivers, seas and oceans by way of lifeguarding, swim instruction, competitive swimming, SCUBA diving, sailing, boating and… you name it. Water related? I’m game.

Which is why my latest endeavor – learning windsurfing off of Tel Aviv’s coast – is a natural progression. Why blog it here? Because I believe in sharing. And I’m here to encourage anyone who has considered taking up this particular sport to g’head and get thineself to the beach. It’s good stuff.

Because…

- The Mediterranean waters off this coast are temperate – even in winter the chill is marginal so a 3-5 MM wetsuit does the insulation trick.
- The combination of sea, sun & wind is invigorating
- The skill of maintaining balance versus gauging wind direction versus sail maneuvering is physically challenging (Oy, my aching arm and back muscles)
- The risk is minimal compared with standard surfing or scuba diving or parachuting
- “A bad day in the water is better than a good day at work”

And last but not least, the price is right. The club I’m hitting charges $275 for four 2-hour lessons which includes gear and wetsuit. When lessons end, a $250, 10-pass card rents board and sail for an hour each go. What a bargain.

Schoingemacht. I feel like I’m plugging for Israel’s tourism ministry.

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