LIAM DUNKERBECK: WINDSURFING DILEMMAS
LIAM DUNKERBECK: WINDSURFING DILEMMAS
LIAM DUNKERBECK: WINDSURFING DILEMMAS
We’ve all been there. The forecast is looking all-time…perfect wind, epic waves and then suddenly, real life comes in with a curveball to ruin your session. In this collection of classic conundrums, Liam tells us where his priorities lie. Whether it’s missing the shot of a lifetime, getting too much change at the snack shop or facing tough moral decisions that test your priorities in life…Liam gives his verdict on these tricky dilemmas. Whether you’d do the same… that’s another question!
Photos: Mauritz Mauch, Fish Bowl Diaries and John Carter.
Epic Forecast
The weekend is fast approaching, and the swell is supposed to be pumping with side offshore winds at your local! But you have promised to go for a romantic meal with your girlfriend far away from the epic conditions in the local city! Do you go for the meal and sit there miserably looking outside at the trees waving in the wind or come clean and tell her you would rather be windsurfing and try and move the meal to another day when there is no wind or waves…
LIAM “I will explain her the situation and I’m sure she will understand and we could go for dinner instead another day…Sailing comes first!”
Missing the Moment
Imagine you’re filming your partner’s best session ever, and suddenly, she lands her first forward loop. The scream of euphoria rings out across the water. But at that very moment, you’re scrolling through Instagram, completely missing the action. Do you pretend you got it but blame a “corrupt memory card” later or come clean and admit you were not even looking!
LIAM: “That would be a really sad situation but I would motivate her to go out again and land a better one! The best image it’s always in your memory I reckon… By the way my first forward I landed I have no video either…that is the way it rolls!”
Change Mix-Up
You’re heading to the beach and stop by the store for some snacks. You hand over a crisp 20 note, and when you check your change, the shopkeeper has mistakenly given you the change for a 50. Do you keep quiet and walk away, hoping karma doesn’t catch up with you, or do you give the extra money back and part with a clear conscience?
LIAM: “I usually stop always in the same places for shopping snacks so I know the workers! If I walk away and I notice too late, I will tell them next time and if I notice in the shop, I will tell them straight away! I am an honest guy and believe in good karma!”
The Bar vs. Family Dinner
It’s 4:30 PM, you’ve just had one of the best wave-sailing sessions of the season, but you promised your partner you’d be home for dinner with the in-laws at 5. The lads are heading to the bar for post-session beers. Do you fake a flat battery excuse and head to the pub for more banter, or take the hit and show up for the family dinner while everyone else is enjoying the post-session laughs?
LIAM: “I will try to explain the situation to my family and unless it’s an important day like a birthday or something like that I’m sure may dad will tell me to go and enjoy.”
Competition Quandary
Your mate just finished a heat at the local windsurfing championships and insists he crushed it. But you know the other competitors were tearing it up, and one of them landed a killer wave 360 in the last seconds. Do you hype up your mate’s performance, blaming it on “corrupt judges” later, or do you tell him the truth and let him know he got schooled?
LIAM: “In this situation, I’m really realistic especially if the other guy clearly won…you have to be honest! But also, if I see something that it’s unfair I will also tell my friend, so he can try to solve it with the judges!”
Wave Snake!
You’ve had a rough day on the water, but suddenly a perfect set comes in. Only problem: a local kook is deep down the line and it’s obvious the wave is his. Do you let him have it, cheering him on as he flubs the best set of the day, or do you pretend not to see him, steal the wave, and make a show of shredding it, sending a spray of water in his face?
LIAM: “It depends a lot who is the person of course! If it’s a local sailor from Pozo I will try to share the wave with him or if he doesn’t look in the mood I will let him take his wave! But if it is a random guy or someone that usually doesn’t respect me in the water I will take the wave!”
Missing out!
You just had an all-time epic session for the last hour but then all of a sudden the wind dropped to zero and swung onshore….at that precise moment another local rocks up and asks you how it was?…Do you rub it in his face and tell him it was all time and he missed it completely (as he would most likely do to you) Or would you be the nice guy and tell him it was garbage when you arrived and he did not miss anything!
LIAM: I will tell the truth and tell him that it was epic before he came, because in the end, anyone who is late to the beach is nothing I can control… the weather it’s the weather! Hard luck dude!”
Forecast Dilemma
The huge crew on your WhatsApp group reckon the local break is going to be firing at the weekend. But you know another lesser-known location just down the road is going to be way better. Do you share the info and risk the crowd following, or keep quiet and enjoy solo firing waves?
LIAM: I will only tell to my close friends who are mainly my sparring partners because it’s really hard to score uncrowded sessions now days! Sometimes you need to be like this.”
Windy Wedding
You get invited to a close friend’s wedding but on the same day a hurricane swell is forecast to hit an unchartered reef break. You’ve been waiting for this setup for years. What do you do…make a lame excuse and go storm chasing or commit to the wedding but try and sneak out early?
LIAM: “I will go to the wedding of my friend because it’s probably one of the most important days of his life and will love to be part of it! Sometimes you need to sacrifice yourself and trust you will score another storm soon.”
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