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Riding the Wind at Virginia's Belle Haven Marina
by Jody Lannen Brady

About thirty years ago, two California surfers came up with the crazy idea of riding the wind instead of the waves. They strapped a sail onto a surfboard-and voilà, the sport of windsurfing was born.

For those looking to ride the wind locally, D.C. offers a varied, if not remarkable, mix of wind and water in dozens of spots along the Potomac River. But, for the most part, Washington windsurfing is strictly B.Y.O.Board. For lessons and rentals there's just one place to go: Belle Haven Marina. Just minutes south of Old Town Alexandria, the Mariner Sailing School at Belle Haven Marina offers a beginners' course designed to introduce students to the sport. After two two-hour classes, most students can maneuver beginners' boards in moderate winds.

According to instructors, the secret to learning to windsurf is simple: Just listen and follow directions. In the beginning, even the most adept students should be prepared to fall off their boards, many times. Consequently, classes run only when the water temperature allows, usually from mid- to late-May through September. Instructors get students (maximum four to a class) started in a sheltered cove before heading out into stronger river breezes.

Once you've gotten the hang of windsurfing, the school rents boards designed for beginner as well as intermediate windsurfers. A word from the wise: Find out how the wind is blowing before you make the trip out to Belle Haven, and skip the surfing if the breeze is too weak or blowing from the west.

Practically Speaking
Belle Haven Marina (703-768-0018) is five miles south of National Airport on George Washington Parkway, about a twenty-minute drive from D.C. The four-hour windsurfing course ($85) taught by the Mariner Sailing School runs for two hours on Thursday and Friday nights or during the day on Saturdays and Sundays. Windsurfing rentals are $32/two hours, $55/four hours or $92/day. Besides boards, Mariner Sailing rents Scot's, Hobie's and Sunfish sailboats. Or, if you're in the mood for boating on a windless day, rent a canoe or kayak to explore neighboring Dyke Marsh, the last large freshwater tidal wetland in the Washington, D.C., area.

Related Links
Mariner Sailing
Washington Convention and Visitors Association
Jody Lannen Brady is a freelance writer based in Northern Virginia. Her articles about the Washington, D.C., area have appeared in numerous print and online publications.

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