Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, Southern France + "The French Trench" + 1100 meters of ultra-flat water in the man-made channel + 37,88 knots over 500 meters + excellent fish soup - the braking zone is only 100m - even the fuel out of your truck will be stolen Walvisbay, Namibia + very steady wind allowing for a smooth ride + very flat water along the natural speed run + works at any tide + impressive desert landscape + excellent steaks o the angle is usually too square (100°) o the wind is often strong (25-30 knots), but not often really strong (40+ knots) - air and water never become really warm Secret Spot, Western USA + 6000 wind turbines cannot be wrong + the desert is always warm + can use powerplant output as wind meter (20 Megawatts mean good wind) + best winds in the evening, can go there after work + good friends - far away from everywhere - the good section is too small to go really fast on a needle San Francisco Bay + surfing right from the city + somewhere in the bay there's wind everyday + "let's go to The North Tower" - cold water - the 8-knot current takes you for a free ride out through the gate - ever tried waterstarting in front of a container ship? The Sacramento Delta, California + windy & warm sweet water + looks & feels like surfing on the moon - the tides can still ruin a good day - far away Hookipa, Maui + big waves + consistent winds, warm + beautiful island - the rocks are razor-sharp - overcrowded with the typical symptoms - not exactly cheap The Columbia Gorge, Oregon/Washington State + nuclear winds, absolutely fabulous + very predictable wind and wave patterns + slow standing waves form a stable 3D landscape + can see the rainbow in your spray + scenic landscape - the barges going downriver have no brakes Capetown, South Africa + great variety of surf and windsurf spots + consistently strong winds (Cape Doctor) + very beautiful & varied landscape - crime Sotavento, Fuerteventura, Spain + Full power trade winds with added local boost + warm and clean water, big beaches + the good days are really _good_ - swell and wind waves form criss-cross wave pattern Pozo, Gran Canaria + Killer wind and waves + strong local scene + very professional + can go to Vargas or Los Ochos di Garza if beaten up by Pozo waves - you'll break a lot of equipment Brandon Bay, Ireland + large waves, laaarge waves + very friendly Irish people + steak at Spillane's - depends on Atlantic depressions for wind Lago di Garda, Italy + consistent, dependable winds - lots of German tourists (haha) - carabinieri charges you happy Euros if you don't have a life vest Wissant, Belgium + good & varied beach - rough onshore Gwythian Beach, Cornwall, UK + surprisingly good & varied wave spot, inspiring + can go surfing if not enough wind for windsurfing + relatively warm by English standards - car park break-ins Farmoor Reservoir, Oxford, UK + acceptable for an inland location + spirited English surf knights that go out in ANY weather - bad water quality, especially in the late summer Achensee, Austria + occasionally, extreme "Föhn" winds + scenic - strictly enforced speed limit on the roads that lead there Walchensee, Bavaria + acceptable with a large race sail + very beautiful location - not really strong winds Sylt, Germany + can be pretty wild - tough to go out between the rusty metal jetties - island has turned into a fashion ghetto Various lakes in Bavaria, particularly Lake Chiemsee - no wind - no wind - if some wind _ever_, soon no wind _again_