Jan 2011
What happened this month? - Amara takes 3rd in local Slalom race - Craig starts to test the Atom Windsurfing Board - then raves on about sustainable food production and hot commodities
January - Amara wins 3rd place in Slalom event at the WATH, Pattaya City Windsurfing Races. Dow, manager from Demon Days Windsurfing Club takes first place, Alek, owner of Choke D Windsurfing Club takes Second. Out of the 25 Surfers in the Slalom event, there were only 3 women, so was it was a mixed class. Amara riding NCXpro no cam sail against the leading guys on Race sails and carbon Boards.
1st day of the year was epic, few good days since then, but still a lot of Easterly - Off-shore wind this month, which is a shame for our guests who miss the good days.
Atomic Energy
Have begun testing the Starboard Atom 99L fun board in Wood Carbon. Initial impression - it rides like hyper-light-weight Carve 121. It is easy to forget you are only on sub 100L because the width of the board provides stability and lots of time to think about what your doing during a gybe. It also has amazing range - have used it so far with 7.5M Mojo and with 6.0M Mojo. The stock fin worked really well. More reviews to come wind and time allowing...
So what else is on the mind of this Windsurf SUP business owner?
I have been watching videos and reading about Permaculture, Especially Aquaculture. Why?. Imagine if there was enough clean healthy food and water for everyone, with no need for fertilizers and pesticides or Monster Trucks to sow, feed and harvest the crops. Imagine if there was enough room for wildlife and explosive population also, and the farming practice healed and enhanced the land instead of creating deserts, jellyfish and algea blooms.
This video - if you are a bit of dreamer may fire your imagination. If you like it, do a Utube search on Geoff Lawton
Dont get me wrong, I am not a die hard greeny, and I am not entirely convinced of abnormal climate change. However, I am interested in sustainable win/win systems and in growth. Many practices in the world today, seam to work in the short term, by pushing problems into the future where they are growing in size and complexity, while our options are decreasing. Anyway, to me it is refreshing to know that beneficial solutions do exist to some of the world's looming challenges - like how are we going to eat, and why do we have no time for our families anymore.
If you are managing your own investments, you may be interested in which commodities may be in demand over the next few years.
Graphite, Tin, Tungsten, Rare Earths, Copper, and perhaps Silver - however a currency crises could send everything down the toilet again.
Also Fertilizers and Coking Coal, which is not putting the interests of the planet first, but guess what - that is where the money will move. Geo Thermal and other low impact energy production methods together with responsible food production will not be mainstream until we start to run low on Cheap Fossil fuels. For now only the more affluent fraction of humanity can afford to dream about clean air and organic food, till then - hope your one of them - keep surf'n
