Barbados!
Many years ago we were advised we wouldn't like Barbados because it was too expensive and developed, however we were fortunate enough to visit in 1998 and it was love at first sight. With tropical greens and flowers, occasional fresh rain from the Atlantic and a seafaring attractiveness, my affection has only grown. Fantastic fair ground windsurfing and accessibility, shorts in the clear water and dark rum shorts in the bars are more than enough of life's basic needs to keep us returning every year.
Typically visited to escape a European winter, not many people realise that Barbados's windiest month is actually June, where we've been running our entry level wave sailing courses for the passed two years with wind and waves every single day. Plus the reef is virtually empty in June as windsurfers remain in Europe, making the price of a Caribbean holiday surprisingly affordable.
However, visiting Barbados needs no excuse, it's a wonderfully diverse island with a culture you can groove with, a language you can just about understand and fantastic windsurfing all on a direct flight only a few hours down the road. In fact, door-to-door from a UK airport to your Bajan villa takes less time than getting to Moon Beach!
Bajan Streetlife
The fastest pace of anything in Barbados is the fish market at Oistins, bustling with business by day and on Friday nights bustling with shoals of humans. The only thing of comparable speed is the fast flowing Mount Gay Rum vanishing from the bottle, helping tourists dance in some of the best night life outside of Europe.
Fish Market Tips;
Start by finding a table as close as possible to Da Fish Net Grill.
Head off to a local bar to buy a litre bottle of Mount Gay Rum, two litres of coke, limes, a bag of ice and plastic cups, each (optional), whilst others queue to order a fresh steak of deep sea fish, served on a paper plate with BBQ'd potato and a simple salad. Not exactly the gourmet meals offered in million dollar restaurants elsewhere on the island, but nevertheless, the best fish I've ever eaten (and I've eaten fish all over the world). It's what steaks are to Spillanes in Ireland and pasta to Italy. On that note it's also what chicken is to Chicken Ritas, another 'must do' in Barbados, dripping with culture, experience and fat.
From the fish market the party either continues in the streets with bars mortar bombing each other with bassy beats, or to the tranquility of slow motion ballroom dancing to country and western music. With neither black ties nor cowboy boots, the elderly Bajans in 1950's flowery dresses and hats swing to the sounds of Sinatra and co with scantly clad fools like me trying my best not to step on anyone's feet.
With enough rum in my veins to sink and enough coca cola to keep me swimming all night, the Harbour Lights is an all time night club on the beach with an eight quid entry fee, but with free drinks all night! Lordy! Bajan dancing gals swinging their butts to techno faster than the flipping fishes at Oistins, all the party revellers on the island congregating for disco worship, dancing and deborchery. An exquisite feast after a week of windsurfing.
So not only does the night hit Richter factor 9 on the earth shattering experiences scales, but fortunately it doesn't go above warp factor 1 on how quick the money leaves you pockets. It's the granary loaf of grainy memories and seedy experiences, so go large!
Windsurfing.
Time and again I'm adrift with words about the other aspects of travelling, but the windsurfing here needs a solid description as it's a very specific environment.
Windsurfing in Barbados is either wave sailing at Silver Sands or blasting from Oistins. Both venues have dodgy launching and landing with rocks and / or shore break to deal with and no shallow water. In this respect it's not ideal for beginners, but okay for intermediates and great for experts, especially if you're light...
For our courses we have a weight maximum of 90 kgs / 14 stone in Barbados. Before the politically correct amongst you fall off your seats, this is only fair as the winds are always light. Expect to use no less than a 5.3m even if you're a skinny fekker. My 82 kilos (apres rum and coke) needs a 5.8 and an 80 litre board just to survive, but feels more groovey on a 6.2 and 90 litre board. This size of kit throws a bit of a spanner in the works for radical wave sailing as it's both harder to jump and wave ride with such bulky gear. Hence the need to discourage heavyweights from Barbados. Yet at least on the big kit things happen in slow enough motion to have some idea of what's going on.
There's a reef about two hundred yards out, running parallel with the beach where Atlantic swells and wind chop from the Tradewinds become waves. Because the swell comes from the same direction of the wind, it wraps along the reef instead of hitting straight on, thus making the waves considerably softer than many other wave venues.
In this respect Barbados is not famed for front side wave riding, although it's great for 'backside' or 'upwind' smacks, and is excellent for jumping. The wind always blows from the left (port tack) and peaks at 15 knots and lulls at 8 knots, and is very steady in the winter (and slightly windier as you arrive home from the Harbour Lights) and in the summer increases under the more frequent clouds. The wind season is December to February and then again in June, the windiest month. Ground swells are biggest in the winter.
A combination of the wind, the swell and the local currents all moving in the same direction means that it's quite tricky to stay upwind. Worse still is that if you don't make it ashore at Silver Sands (where you launched) there's only one safe beach downwind before you get swept passed the most southern point of the island and have to paddle ashore at Oistins. This isn't as dramatic as it sounds, yet is a serious pain in the ass as it will take you a good hour or two.
One of the best aspects of windsurfing in Barbados is wearing shorts and wanting to fall off as the turquoise water is so inviting. There's no nasty creatures out there either, although ashore, security has become increasingly dangerous for such a seemingly Irie place.
Life's a Be-ach.
In general, living in Barbados is a sinch, taking the same basic precortions you would in a city. However petty theft is massive; if you leave your door unlocked your wallet will vanish as quickly as the water evaporates from your shorts. The windsurfing community at Silver Sands and Silver Rock (the two hotels and areas facing the reef) are wedged against the beach by the weight of an increasingly heavy part of town, especially at the Silver Rock end where there's now even been a few muggings. Don't underestimate the speed and cunningness of the criminals, despite the fact they're usually off their nut on crack.
That said, personally we've only been chased once by someone with a machete, and rest assured he now lives in London (I saw him crossing a road there the other day.) And have never had anything nicked. So, keep your doors and windows locked at all times, even when you're indoors, and don't walk alone down dark streets in London.
Summary.
Barbados is a Hawaii closer to home without the bullshit. It's got rocking night life, easy wave sailing, gorgeous scenery and wining and dining is a pleasure.
Getting there:
For a good time, call Guy Cribb INtuition 0870 749 1959.
Alternatively try Planet Widsurf or fly with Virgin daily.
Where to Stay.
Treat yourself at Inchcape, (we do) the classical colonial apartments right on the beach at the ideal venue, probably the best windsurfing accommodation in the world. Inchacpe.com
Or the Coral House apartments with the fantastic Mike's Bar run by Steve and Gayle where everyone should eat when they're not living it up in the fish market or Ritzin it on the East coast somewhere. Go there religiously for apres surf happy hour, expect to crawl home some hours later, well fed and well drunk. As virtual resident, windsurfer extroadinaire Dave Padfield said, “in Barbados it's always Happy Hour.”
I just can't bring myself to recommend hotels, but there are a couple there if that's the factory chicken experience you want from a holiday.
What kit to take:
In all of these pics I am riding a JP Freestyle Wave 86 with a Neil Pryde Expression (also freestyle wave crossover). If you have a dedicated light wind wave board, take it. If you're renting there's a Club Mistral with all the toys.
Who's It For?
The minimum standard for our courses in Barbados is being able to blast in both straps and harness comfortably on a 100 litre board and wobble round a few gybes, we show you through the rest. For anyone not on our course, I'd suggest good upwind ability, happily gybing and with some prior wave sailing and shore break experience.
When to Go.
From November to June usually comes up with the goods. Best months are Jan, Feb and June.
For Guy Cribb INtuition Holidays, please call 0870 749 1959 or visit guycribb.com