Anguilla

First trip of the year was spent escaping the California “winter” into the warm, Caribbean island of Anguilla. It took two flights, a boat, and van ride to get to our destination. Upon arriving we were greeted with a beautiful sunset overlooking a nice sandy beach. The next morning started with getting up before the sun and walking around to get a feel for the area. I had no idea there were waves to be surfed on this island, but I found out really quick that morning. I heard the surf from our villa, and that got my mind going. As we walked to the beach the sound got louder and louder and I finally saw the waves. From then on, I couldn’t look away from the water. I searched the internet and found a local guy, Ravi, who surfed and rented boards. I contacted him and planned on getting a board for most of the stay.

Most of the people visiting were not very excited that the sea was at an uproar, instead of is calm, pool-like self. It was hard to work when I knew all these waves were going unridden. When I got my rental board the waves died down a bit, but got to surf with Ravi a bit and learn more about the island and surfing. We planned a day excursion on my day off and found some super fun waves. With the island only being 35 square miles, it was easy to drive around and look for waves. After surfing, Ravi took me to his house where his family has lived for a few generations and treated me to a great home cooked meal.

We had the opportunity to travel around the whole island and visit some of the more popular spots, as well as the less visited. The people of Anguilla were all so welcoming and nice. It was not uncommon for people to just wave and smile as you drove or walked by. A friendly conversation was not hard to come by no matter where you went. The combination of the people, warm water, white sands, and perfect climate make this a special place.