We experienced a classic adventure in South America from which we return bringing details of a fantastic new windsurfing destination with stories of poisoning, shark attacks, tonsillitis, manana complacency, bribery, political corruption, sex maniacs, king prawns, passionate friendships and needless to say plenty of the active ingredients; wind and waves.

Great jumping in Adicora

Characteristically typical of such a one horse town of wind maddened people, there is a strange phenomenon here. Once upon a time, Adicora was booming as a windsurfing location. Hotels and guest houses were blended into the village, live bands from South America and the Caribbean created massive all night parties for the predominantly Canadian, American and German clientele, which at a peak were fifty windsurfers. Two leading centres were established and at one time Carlos place had more than thirty boards and sixty rigs from Bic and Neil Pryde.

But today wandering around the sleepy Spanish village reminded me of Correlejo (in Feurteventura) thirty years ago, before Euro tourism had affected it. In our three week stay we saw only two German and two American tourists, no one else, and Adicora cruised along fishing and living traditionally like the land that time forgot, with no more than a ghostly memory and some coloured windsurfing paint work, flaking off the walls.

Adicora currently appeals to the adventurous traveler not the tourist. Speaking basic Spanish and bringing your own windsurfing kit is imperitive. If it wasn't for local windsurfer Carlos Cornellias we'd never have made it.