Surfin’ safari
When the world gets a second wind after the virus scare, go fly a kite, says LUCY DOMACHOWSKI
STARING out at the pounding Atlantic waves, I never thought I’d get in, let alone close to surfing, standing up on a board. The breakers pulsed toward me as I patted my feet in the shallows while trying to stay upright in the unrelenting wind.
Surfboard under arm, I had one thought: “Absolutely no chance.”
Fast-forward five days and I’d conquered my fear of open water and fish – and learned to surf.
Thanks to a few one-to-one lessons from some very patient instructors, I’d stood up on my bright pink beginners’ board more times than I can count, to ride the waves of Africa’s windiest city.
Perched on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouria is where the best of North Africa meets the finery of the Mediterranean.
Its vibrant medina is surrounded by golden-stone city walls which enclose the bright blue and crisp whitewash riads and markets with flowing djellabas and the smell of spices.
Influences from Arabs, Africans, French – and Romans – all blend together to create a buzzing, relaxed beachside metropolis.
Formerly known as Mogador, the medina in Essaouria has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unusual mix of Moroccan and European styles. But unlike the medinas of other Moroccan towns and cities, walking into Essaouria’s medina isn’t like going into a maze, so you’ve got a pretty good chance of not getting completely lost.
The medina’s narrow alleyways are lined by tall buildings, adorned with vibrant plates, tagines, beautiful hand-woven baskets where hundreds of locals bustle and haggle with market stall owners.
While there are still plenty of twists and turns, the city is based on a Frenchinspired grid design which makes it a lot easier to find your way around.
The name Es-Saouira, the locals tell me, translates as ‘beautifully designed’.
How convenient for those of us navigationally challenged.
Essaouria’s liveliness bursts beyond the old city’s walls and spills onto the beach. Surfing may seem unattainable for those of us who have done nothing more than splash about in waist-height waters, but if you’re in good shape and up for a challenge, it’s never too late to learn.
I’d booked a seven-night hotel and surf tuition package with adventure specialists KiteWorldWide, whose very patient instructors showed me how to paddle, arch my back and pop up – but I wasn’t thinking about any of that. All I could visualise was how much it was going to hurt when my board inevitably smacked me in the head when I was dragged, washing machine-style, under the waves again.
But somehow I managed to do what I’d been taught, and suddenly I was up and moving, being swept
forward by the great hand of the sea.
With a huge grin on my face I paddled back out, basking in my self-pride, to attempt another wave. Gnarly, dude.
After a few days, erm, mastering surfing, I tried my hand at kiting with another of KiteWorldWide’s incredible instructors. It began with learning how to set up my kite and control it in the unrelenting winds, before taking to the water again. This is where I had my first ‘body drag’ lesson.
Every kite surfer must learn to control their kite from the water for when they inevitably fall off their board.
‘Body drag’ involves vigorously flying the kite left and right in the air while being dragged facedown through the breaking waves.
“Pull left, right, left, right,” my instructor Hamza screamed after me as I swallowed another wave.
It’s every bit as scary as it sounds but after mastering this, you’re ready to get on a board!
Kiting requires using all your core strength to stay upright, quads and hamstrings while clinging to and controlling the board, and upper body flying the enormous kite. It’s not for the faint-hearted and left me aching in places I didn’t know could ache, but it is exhilarating to attempt to master.
After all the hard work in the sea, I needed to refuel.
Ocean Vagabond and Beach & Friends offered the perfect setting to relax and try out the day’s freshly caught fish. They’re ideally located either side of KiteWorldWide’s base on the beach so one swift un-peel of a soggy wetsuit and I was good to go.
And the fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down in Essaouria. I took the chance to try some mouth-watering local cuisine in arguably the best restaurant in the city, Umia. This family-owned eatery offers a seasonal, Mediterranean-influenced menu made with Moroccan market finds.
Tucked away in the Essarouria Hills, away from the brisk desert winds, my base for the trip, Le Jardin Des Douars, provided perfectly serene surroundings to get my breath back.
There are two inviting pools set in lush gardens and a spa. In the rooms, there are tiled floors, deep pile rugs, colourful local artworks and spacious bathrooms. The inviting queen-size beds and luxury linen provided the perfect retreat to recharge. Flawlessly decorated in traditional Moroccan style with adobe-style walls, it’s a secluded gem.
It began life as a botanical garden owned by a French couple, who added a house amid the riot of palm trees, cacti, flowers and ponds. This magnificent oasis is now Belgian-owned and has been run as a family-friendly hotel since 2005.
With much less wind than the coast at 15km away, it provided the ultimate retreat after a long day at the beach.
All too soon, my final night arrived, which I spent gazing out at a glowing Moroccan sunset, while enjoying live music on the roof of Taros – a bar popular with locals and tourists in an old merchant’s house right off the main square in the middle of the medina.
I’d fallen in love with the waves and this beautiful Moroccan city and returned home with a new lease of life and the inspiration to take the leap and try something new.