Posted on the Yahoo/Google egroup by Dina Demara, 2/24/08

I'm back from the Women's Clinic at Banana River Windsurfing Resort in Cocoa Beach. What a blast!!

Yes, there was wind every day. I accomplished my goal of getting into a harness for the first time (on the water, not on a simulator). Hooray!!

Banana River is a great destination. They had lots of boards and sails, and better yet, storage for lots of fully rigged sails, so step out of your room, past the porch, grab a board and sail, walk from the grass down the windsurfing lauch ramp and into the water. Water was 72 degrees, much better than recent reports of Soda Lake temperatures. Water is waist to chest deep for a long way out making it perfect for beginners (like me), but the river is wide and the wind is better (so I've heard) out in the deep channel for those of you who love to plane.

Besides sailing, there were a lot of other activities (besides dinner, drinks and great conversation which are always a part of windsurfing adventures). Karen, Dominique Vallee (our other instructor from Quebec), Beth Powell (owner of the resort) and Josh (editor of Winsurfing Magazine) did a full moon night sail from a private dock in Titusville during the Space Shuttle launch...look for the pics in a future Windsurfing Magazine. [For a geeky aerospace engineer like me, this was sooooo amazing]. There was a Wave Competition on the ocean. Josh competed, but ripped his sail from clew to mast in the surf. Beth Powell won the event which I'm sure will also be covered in the magazine. Some of the women tried surfing (the kind without the sail). Walks on the beach, shopping, lots of relaxing time for reading made for a perfect get-away.

Karen and Dominique are working hard to get the resort up and running again after a hiatus in mothballs. I know there is a kids racing camp (between Xmas and New Years) and an elite racer camp (with the French coach and participants from Brazil and other countries) in Jan. Windsurfing Magazine is using the resort for their board tests this winter as well. Best sailing season in Cocoa Beach is Nov-Mar, so ... anyone wanting to get a group together or to be part of a group (co-ed, couples, family, ...) for a clinic should contact Karen.

There were 4 women from Colorado at this clinic, and I've been working on the other 3 to join RMWA and the race series next year. More women in the fleet will be great. So, fellow women, reserve time in November 2009 for round 2.

Dina Demara

P.S. You should see my shiner. Getting wacked with the boom on the side of the head makes for an impressive black eye.