Prasonisi, Greece
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From May to October, in Prasonisi,
you can learn to uphaul, learn to carve gybe
and learn to vulcan. From beginner to winner,
this place rocks! Very flat water on one side,
onshore waves on the other, very chilled, nice
accommodation, good food but most importantly...WIND!
Panoramic video:
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| Wind: |
15-30
Knots |
| Sail size: |
4.0
- 6.5 |
| Water conditions: |
Flat water /
Onshore Waves |
| Suitability: |
Beginners to Expert |
| Kit hire: |
JP boards, NeilPryde and North
sails. |
| Instruction: |
For all levels |
| Season: |
May - October |
| Night life: |
40mins. taxi ride away |
| For non-windsurfer: |
Sunbathing & relaxation |
| Flight time: |
3.5
hours |
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HOW TO GET THERE
Fly
If you are taking your own kit, Excel Airways has
the best deal on excess baggage. You pre book and
pay £40 per windsurfer. Even if your “windsurfer” is
spread across 3 bags its still £40. BUT your
bags will be weighed at Gatwick and if they are just
half a kilo over 32kgs you will be asked to repack.
(Try and weigh your kit beforehand or throw in a
spare board bag)
Their flight costs are fairly reasonable as well.
Around £150 depending on time of year from www.excelairways.com Tel
: 08709 98 98 98
Monarch Airways also go to Rhodes and charge £60
per windsurfer. www.flymonarch.com Tel.0870
458 2861
Ferry
Don’t be daft! |
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PACKAGE DEALS
The Boardseeker Team travelled with Sportif who send over
300 clients a year to Prasonisi. We were very impressed
with their service. Contact them on 01273 844919. Email
info@sportif-uk.com
Prices start from £429 staying at Lighthouse I,
half board including flight and transfer and using the
Pro Center Christof Kirschner.
Staying at the Oasis hotel and using the Fanatic Centre
costs from £439.
Pro Centre Manager mid-Spock
No wonder she's smiling!
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HOW THE WIND WORKS
It’s the NW “Meltemi” trade wind
that blows across the whole Med in the summer. Hot
weather in mainland Europe creates a very dry and
very stable high pressure which funnels this NW wind
through the Greek Islands. Due to local topography,
the wind funnels through the island opposite Prasonisi
and the large hill behind it therefore Prasonisi
will usually have a force stronger than elsewhere
on the island. The windsurfing season is May to mid
October with the strongest winds in July/August.
Don’t bother going in the winter as the Meltemi
wind shuts down and it gets pretty cold.
Typical daily wind: June and Sept:
6m in the morning, 5m in the afternoon, July and
Aug: 5m in the morning, 4m and less in the afternoon.
You do get the odd windless day but even then you
will get going on a 6.5m/freeride board by the afternoon.
The wind can vary in strength from day to day but will pick up as the day progresses.
Regular sail changes aren't a problem if you’re hiring
as they are already rigged for you!
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WATER STATE
There are two beaches:
Cross off side: flat as a pancake on the
inside with a very slight chop on the outside when it’s
5m or less weather, sandy bottom
Any hazards?: Other windsurfers. It’s quite a big
bay and a long beach but we all like to sail at full speed
into one area to show off are latest trick 6 ft from the
shore line. Do watch out for full power, Polish windsurfers
sailing on slalom kit with total disregard for other waterusers.
Suitability/levels: perfect for every level from beginner
to freestyle master to slalom guru.
Onshore side: Onshore to cross onshore with rolling swell outside the breaking waves. Average size of waves is waist to head high. The onshore conditions require more work to get big air but it is a great training ground for onshore wave riding & a real change from the super flat waters on the other side of the peninsula.
Any hazards?: The waves break onto a sand bar and can be
quite steep and punchy on a windy day so be careful of kit
and body breakage. If you’re really unlucky you will
step on a sand eel whilst walking your kit over the shallow
channel between the two beaches. This can hurt like hell
and ruin your day’s sailing.
Kitesurfers tend to favour this side and it can get quite
hectic.
Suitability/levels: need to be fairly
confident in waves if its head high, good practice for sailing
in chop, waterstart essential.
For more information on local weather, please visit
the Prasonisi
Pro Centre website
INSTRUCTION AND KIT HIRE
We went through Pro Centre Christof Kirschner. This
is one of three centres and is the most established.
The other two cater mainly for Polish sailors but
if you’re a Fanatic fan then it is worth going
through the Fanatic Centre and it is slightly cheaper
Speak to Sportif Tel. 01273 844919.
Kit hire
The Pro Centre stocks JP boards (full range) and Neilpryde
sails (3.3m to 7.9m Cores, Zones, Search, Jets and
Sabers).
You can hire kit from 1 hour to two, three weeks
etc. They are really flexible.
You choose a board and that becomes yours for the
hire period BUT you can change it or try other boards
if they are available. You help yourself to whatever
sails you require from the rig pool. No one was short
of a sail when we we’re there.
One week hire of standard kit (F2/Neilpryde): 175
euros + 25 euros optional but well recommended insurance
One week hire of upgrade kit (JP boards, F2 Maui
Projects, Neilpryde sails): 214 euros + 35 euros
optional insurance
Kit hire is part of the Sportif package.
Instruction
5 hrs Beginner instruction including kit: 88 euros
(10hrs : 150 euros) with 5 people max in group
5hrs Intermediate inst (no kit): 75 euros (10hrs
: 135 euros) with 3 people max in group
Private hour instruction for any level, no kit:
35 euros per hour.
Jem Hall is a regular at Rhodes running Clinics for Intermediate & Advanced sailors. For more info click on his name or phone Sportif:+44 (0)1273 844919
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Pro Center
View from lighthouse
The wave side of Prasonisi
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All of the above includes video feedback and can be paid
for at the centre by cash or credit card.
Rescue cover is provided (boat moored just off shore and
watch tower manned all day).
Bringing your own kit
The centre has an area for private equipment and the staff
are more than happy to help you rig it, tune it and fix it!
We got a small dent in one of our wave boards fixed for free!!
In fact the staff are a nice, helpful bunch who all speak
English but hail from Czech, Slovenia and Germany.
Email procenter.prasonisi@EUnet.a
ACCOMODATION
Camping in the specified areas is FREE and there are several
outdoor showers and toilets. In mid summer, the place is
full of camper vans who didn’t think the ferry was
such a daft idea.
However, most windsurfers go on package deals and stay at ONE of the following hotels.
Lighthouse I
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Lighthouse I:
Twin rooms with verandas,
fridge, fans, en suites AND half board.
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Lighthouse II:
These are studios sleeping up to 4 per room with kitchenette and air conditioning.
You can have breakfast for 6 euros and the set dinner for
14 euros.
FOOD
Prasonisi comprises of two restaurants and two not very
well stocked supermarkets. The nearest town is 40 mins away
so you’re stuck with what you can get in Prasonisi.
If you like feta cheese, smoked meats and dodgy flavoured
croissants you’ll be fine!
Best bet is to eat in one of the two hotel restaurants.
If you’re on half board you get two choices every night,
for example, Greek salad, meatballs, chicken and rice, spag
bog. You can also pay extra to have anything off their extensive
menus. The fish is excellent. Breakfast is typically European
with cheese, meats and hard boiled eggs. Again, if you’re
missing the traditional English breakfast, it can be cooked
to order.
Beware that credit cards are not accepted in the restaurants
so take plenty of cash.
WATER
The tap water is very salty and totally undrinkable. Bottled
water costs 1.20 euro.
NIGHTLIFE
Make your own entertainment & enjoy some drinks in the hotel bars. The locals are very friendly even if they do have a habit of playing awful Greek pop tunes! There is a varied international windsurfing community as well so you can swap gybing stories with Hans from Munich.
If you want a change of scene, head to Lindos (a 40 mins
drive away costing 40-50 euro one way for a 4 person taxi).
Lindos is a traditional Greek fishing town not yet ruined
by the tourist trade. Fantastic food on open, roof top restaurants
followed by some dancing in one of the Euro bars makes for
a pleasant evening.
Large beer: 2.50 euro
Home to Sky TV’s Greece Uncovered, Faliriki is over
an hour away. If you’re into drinking 24/7, flashing
your naughty bits and degrading your fellow countrymen, then
it could be worth the trip!
BORED OF WINDSURFING?
Here lies the small problem with Prasonisi, there is not
a lot else to do other than windsurf. The Pro Center will
organise car or motorbike hire so you can explore the Island
of Rhodes. Other than that it’s volleyball or sunbathing.
CONCLUSION
It blew every day over clear, flat water and we all learnt
loads. The Sportif package is hassle free and good value
for money and we can’t speak highly enough about the
Pro Centre. Yes, you can go it alone but we recommend using
the centre to at least pick you up and store your kit. Very
chilled place, maybe too chilled for some and boring for
non windsurfers.
www.prasonisi.com: Check it out for wind
stats and nice pictures of the beach.
THE TOURISTS WERE...
Name: Louise Emery & Adrian Jones from
the Boardseeker Team
Local beach in UK: West Shore, Llandudno & Troon
How many
years sailing: 6 yrs (Louise) 18 yrs (Adrian)
Last windsurf
move you cracked: 360 in the straps (Louise) Spock
540 (Adrian)
What
you’re working on now: vulcans (Louise) grubbies
(Adrian)
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