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Tropical Storm Hanna brings wind relief to windsurfers and kiters
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By ANNE C. BOWERS

The summer of 2008 wasn’t great for wind, especially during the month of August. There wasn’t a Bermuda high or a tropical low to produce any significant wind. The wind gods offered the kiters and windsurfers only a handful of afternoon thermals that could be ridden only with big kites or sails, and super-sized boards.

Tropical Storm Hanna was a welcome visitor for wind junkies in need of some big wind and wave action. Hanna was a large storm, more than 300 miles wide at times but not strong enough to maintain hurricane status. Its track was nearly perfect for creating terrific wind and waves.

Because Hanna came onshore near Wilmington and moved north over inland areas of eastern North Carolina, the island didn’t get deluged with rain. There was no need for an evacuation, though visitors were urged to leave a day early in case the storm track veered east. But Hanna stayed on course and windsurfers/kiters were ready for action.

Two days of wind were forecast for Hatteras Island, and the predicted wind direction was east, then drifting slowly around to south before going southwest. The excitement only grew because that meant that the Cove might go off.

The Cove is a magical spot, located on the south side of Cape Point, and it is only good in east winds. East is not a common wind direction. Tropical systems are usually the maker of east winds, which can bring heavy rain. To boot, Park Service tends to close access to this area when a storm approaches.

Adding to the scenario was the fact that this area had been closed for most of the summer because of the consent decree that settled a lawsuit over ORV access on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. That kept people and vehicles off the most popular beaches on Hatteras and Ocracoke. By the end of July, most of these beaches were reopened to public access. If you put your ear to the ground as Hanna headed towards North Carolina, you could probably hear the locals chanting “Cove! Cove! Cove!”

Friday, Sept. 5, the day the storm approached, dawned with thick clouds and heavy rains that lasted until lunch time. Then miraculously, the rains stopped, and the sun broke through. The east winds built, and people filed out to the cove in ORVs.

The waves were head high or better, and the winds were east-southeast, which made near perfect conditions for experienced riders.

“It wasn’t epic, but it was really good,” said Don Bowers, a local windsurfer known for his love of big waves.

The cove was busy with people rigging sails, pumping kites, and taking pictures. Lots of folks looked on because these weren’t beginner conditions.

It was advertised on the radio that the National Park Service would close the beaches at 1 p.m. because of Hanna. However, the rangers didn’t run the wind enthusiasts off the Cove, which seemed right since low tide was around 6 p.m. and the storm was still far enough away. It was just a great day.

Throughout the afternoon, about 15-20 kiters and 10 windsurfers ripped it up at the Cove. As the tide dropped, the current increased, making it more difficult for people to get out through the impact zone. Lots of talented kiters and windsurfers drifted down the beach unable to make it out and had to make the dreaded “walk of shame” back to the vehicles, carrying their equipment.

Kite Point and Canadian Hole are great places to kite and sail on the sound. They are located on Highway 12 between Avon and Buxton. Most of the area is accessible without four-wheel drive.

These areas were also bustling with kiters and windsurfers. However, east and southeast winds blow the water away from shore, leaving the water dangerously shallow but very smooth even in high winds.

Riders struggled throughout the afternoon to find the deeper areas so that their fins wouldn’t catch the bottom and violently throw them off the board. There were some wild crashes and broken equipment caused by the shallow water. It was a good day of moderate winds. All eyes were focused on the next day – Saturday, Sept. 6.

Hanna came onshore as we slept and raced towards Raleigh. The morning sun hid behind the storm’s deep clouds, and the rain started to came down in buckets around 8 a.m. But the rains didn’t last long, and a quick glance at the Weather Channel’s radar showed that Hatteras probably wouldn’t get any more rain. The winds were whipping out of the south at 30 to 50 mph with some gusts easily over 60. The forecast held fast to winds going southwest and gradually falling out over the course of the day.

Canadian Hole was the call for most sailors. Trucks and cars were parked helter skelter as people tried to create wind blocks from the blasting sand. Rigging in these conditions can be painful and tricky because of the powerful winds.

Local sailor, Mark Skelton, was the first on the water with a 3.4 sail. One by one, others followed with similar-sized sails. They all struggled carrying their rigs across the beach and down to the water.

Before long, the winds shifted more towards the southwest, and the water levels quickly rose. The area over the deep spot, the actual hole at Canadian Hole, grew rather impressive rolling waves. The sailors who were out sailing were all great sailors. They were ripping it up with huge jumps and lots of loops.

On the shore, shielded by parked vehicles, were the other windsurfers and kiters waiting for the winds to drop a little. They were acting like the paparazzi with cameras snapping at all the action. It was a good way to spend the time while they waited for their turn.

Ever so gradually, the 60 mile-an-hour gusts dropped to 40, and the big wind sailors were tired. The kiters headed up to Kite Point with their small kites while the second shift of windsurfers rigged up.

Amazingly, the wind was still good as the sun lowered in the sky, though there were some holes. And as the sun set, there were still windsurfers and kiters out ripping it up, trying to absorb every breath that Hanna had to give. There was no wind in the forecast for the next several days.

At one point this week, there was the potential for three storms to impact Hatteras -- Hanna, Ike, and Josephine. A forecast like that brings fear and dread to the islanders. We were very lucky that Hanna never grew into a hurricane, Ike went west, and Josephine fizzled.

Hanna brought beneficial rains to the mid-Atlantic states and big smiles to the wind junkies in Hatteras.

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