Text: Fabian Grundmann
Actually, the peak travel season for Mauritius is late summer; the months from April through to October are considered to be a reliable time for wind and waves. In the depths of winter, however – as the usual warnings go – Mauritius is not recommended. Nevertheless, to escape the nasty Kiel winter and make the most of our parental leave, we booked this destination with our two children (aged 5 and 1) – and we weren’t disappointed.
Of course, we brought our own kit with us, but limited ourselves to a minimum set consisting of two sails (5.0 and 4.4 square metres) and a 94-litre waveboard. Mauritius naturally has more to offer than just superb windsurfing conditions: tropical forests, national parks, nature reserves with crocodiles and giant tortoises, as well as other geological highlights, provide enough variety to get through days with no wind without getting bored. What’s more, the warm climate always offers the chance to go snorkelling or simply relax on the beach. We spent a lot of time at the Manawa/One Eye surf spot, as the temperatures inland were almost unbearable. Thermal winds often prevailed, even when the forecast was poor. There was also some rain at times, though not often and rarely heavy.
Generally speaking, the wind in Mauritius’s famous Le Morne lagoon is always significantly stronger than out on the reef. I was often able to glide around inside the lagoon on a 5.0, whilst out on the reef I’d be bobbing about in the lineup, trying to catch one of the lines. The great thing is that, thanks to the offshore angle, you still get proper pressure in the sail on the wave – I sometimes clocked over 50 km/h on my speedometer whilst riding the waves at One Eye, even though the base wind was only blowing at 12–15 knots.
As we were both keen to get out on the water, we split the windy days into 60-minute sessions. That way, despite looking after the children, teaching them to walk and swim, and taking them for a swim and a spot of snorkelling, we both managed to go windsurfing almost every day. Sometimes one of us even managed two sessions in a day. Even on ‘bad days’, the conditions were far superior to what northern European spots usually have to offer. The clean waves, the summery temperatures, the angle of the wind – and the perfect reef! A challenging yet heavenly combination. But anyone who’s unsure about wave riding, surfing in currents or choppy conditions should stick to the lagoon! A local photographer accompanied me to Manawa on a day with medium-sized waves to take a few souvenir photos. I had 60 minutes to surf in front of the lens. Memories that will last a lifetime!
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
