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Long report on a short trip to El Medano. .
El Medano beginning of November. Me and my youngest son Terry (16) went on a 5 day break to El Medano 1st - 5th November. We only organized this about 2 weeks before hand to coincide with his half term from college and a few days I could get off work. Unfortunately the forecast didn't look too good so I wasn't expecting to get too much sailing in. I had decided that we were going to try out the O.T.C. From the video on their web site if there was any wind it looked like we would both get some good sailing - waves for me if there were any and flat water for Terry as he was at the stage of not beach or water starting but was blasting but not in the harness or he could hook in but not if he was blasting and foot straps were just things fastened to the deck to trip over. After talking to Tris from the OTC on the phone he organised some accommodation for us as I had never been there before so I had no idea where any of the apartments on the web were. The flights worked out at £89 each return inc. tax from Birmingham - there were cheaper ones from Gatwick but I couldn't be bothered with the extra travelling and the times weren’t as good as the Birmingham ones. I had found some flights from Manchester for the same price but it was getting late at night and I had work the next day so rather than book them then I left them for the next day by which time they were gone. Tuesday 31st October and we headed off to the airport ready for our 7.30 a.m. flight, landing in Tenerife at 12.00 noon thinking we would be on the water by 1.00 p.m. but when we got to check in we were told our flight had been overbooked by 33 seats so the later internet bookings were not allowed on the plane and we would be taken to a hotel for the day and flown out of East Midlands at 6.00 p.m. As it turned out this plane was delayed for over 2 hours so we eventually took off at 8.20 p.m.! Not only did this mess up the idea of an afternoons sailing (which wouldn't have happened anyway as there wasn't any wind that day) but I was not going to be able to pick up the keys for the apartment. When I rang Tris up with the news he immediately offered to collect the keys for me and also meet us at the airport at 1.00 a.m. and drive us back to the apartment which incidentally was right behind the OTC centre at the south end of Playa Sur. Top man ! Next day we staggered into the centre of town (about 5 mins walk along the front) for some breakfast then back to the centre where we met Tris and Ben and looked over all the nice shiny new kit. Now I know that windsurfing is full of pleasant people but Tris, Ben and Sparkey have got to be three of the most friendly, enthusiastic and cheerful of the lot! There were two young ladies and a family renting kit as well as one German and one Dutch magazine test teams using the OTC as a base for three weeks. Early afternoon the wind was light from the south so I went out with 8.5m and Terry had a 6m but after about an hour the sky darkened and it started to rain, the wind dropped and then a full on thunder storm hit. All the kit was put away and we sat out 3 hours of torrential rain that washed half of the beach away. After it stopped raining the sky cleared and the wind came back but it was now 5.30 p.m. and the centre shuts at 6.00 p.m. but the lads got all the kit rigged and we were all back on the water till it went dark about 7.00 p.m. Next day was sunny and the wind came in the afternoon again from the south. Terry out on 5.9m me on 6.9m. but Terry’s frustration got the better of him after about 2 hours. Friday again wind from the south and same kit as before. Local bylaws only allow one centre to give “on the water” instruction and that was from the Naish centre around the corner but Tris was giving Terry loads of encouragement and some excellent tips and by the end of the day he had beach starting off to a tee and was blasting in the harness out and back to the same spot on the beach! To say he was buzzing when he came off the water – well I’m sure everyone can remember that feeling !!!! Saturday no wind really – 8.5m but very very marginal. Sunday the wind swung round to the prevailing NE and the chop started to build up a bit. I was happy even though I was on a 106l board with a 6.9m sail though I could have got going on 5.9m. Something very satisfying being slightly overpowered when its not too bumpy just hooking in and blasting around the break especially when its November and your just sailing in shorts and there’s a snow capped mountain in the background when you’re coming back to the beach ! Unfortunately the change of tack and the slightly rougher sea quickly had Terry spitting the dummy so he sat most of the day at the beach bar. Our plane was due to take off at 7.40 p.m. so I had to stop sailing at 5.00 p.m.! Quick shower, pack, clean the apartment up and get the taxi to the airport which still left us enough time for a burger meal and a pint at the airport. During the week in Medano we ate out all the time – breakfasts about £3-4 evening meals stuffing ourselves and including a couple of beers max £10 each. The place is very laid back so night time we just went to a bar for a couple of beers – best one was on the front with 2 pool tables and a big plasma screen showing mostly rock music DVD’s unless the football was on. As a windsurfing holiday destination I think you could probably expect to sail any time of the year but obviously the best time is over the summer months. If you are flexible then it is a good place to go for a long weekend if there is a good forecast as there are return flights from £49 inc. tax and accommodation and food are cheap enough out there. And again I can’t recommend the OTC enough. While I was there I tried about 8 boards (some test wining kit which I personally didn’t like at all. JP supercross 106 is defo on my list though if I want a big blasting board) and quite a lot of sails. The range of kit and the lads who run the place are just brilliant. Best result though is that since we got back Terry has tried on a winter wetsuit so he can get some practice in at WK over the winter before we go back again next half term!
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