Every year windsurfers from around the world descend upon Cape Town to indulge their incredible passion. SunGod Pro Team member Max Rowe is one of them. We spend a day in his shoes.
Cape Town is essentially the Mecca of windsurfing- "if you can do it here, you can do it anywhere" is the attitude among the athletes who, for several months each year, flock here to shred the notorious Cape Town waves. So, what is it about this place that has these guys so enthralled and what do they do with their days? Max Rowe breaks it down for us:
7.30 AM
The forecast is often tricky in Cape Town, you need to be up early to see what’s going on! If it’s glassy we head straight out for an early surf but quite often it’s not windy enough to windsurf in which case it’s straight back to bed for a couple of hours! Fortunately, my friend Ivan has a pretty good view from his house and he can see if it’s pumping or not, so I’ll usually just fire him a quick message!
10.30 AM
I normally set off for the lake at about this time, it’s one of the closest spots to the mountain so the wind kicks in there first and it will often be too windy by the afternoon. My mood on the water really depends on the conditions and I find that if I’m freestyling, I’m usually a lot more relaxed and will just go for moves that feel right in the moment. With wave sailing, you need to be a lot more focused on what’s going on around you, whether it’s looking for the best waves or dodging other people!
1.00 PM
When it's time for some lunch I normally head back to the house and make up a powerful salad which is usually followed by a nap. Failing that we often meet up with a group at the Eden Cafe in Big Bay, where they do the most incredible basil pesto chicken burgers.
2.00 PM
After lunch, if the waves are good, I’ll be out surfing in the afternoon. If it gets flat, hiking up Lions Head is a great option if it isn’t too hot. There’s always a big group of us out in Cape Town so there’s no shortage of activities and adventures going on when it isn’t windy.
4.00 PM
When the conditions are right, my all time favorite thing to do is head for a sunset windsurf at Big Bay. We normally arrive there around 4 and watch it for a while as it always gets better later on. We normally sail there until just before sunset and then have a couple of ‘sundowners‘ at the bars that overlook the bay so you can still check the action on the water!
8.00 PM
Unwinding in Cape Town is usually done around the 'braai', drinking a few beers and chatting about how the day has been.
11.00 PM
I head to bed whenever the braai has wound down. Nothing happens that quickly in Cape Town so by the time dinner has finished it’s already pretty late! I always sleep well!
It is safe to say that Cape Town life seems pretty special. If this isn't enough to make you want to abandon everything and go there, then perhaps this edit of Max and his Cape Town crew may persuade you:
