Imagine yourself on a windsurfer riding in the Pacific Ocean at speeds up to 60 KPH, climbing up a swell, then jumping and flying back down to take on the next. Sounds like fun for an hour or two, but now imagine doing this non-stop for months at a time. Add the danger of sharks and killer whales, the frustration of windless days, and the ultimate challenge of windsurfing over 7,000 kilometers around New Zealand — like Jarrod Armitage is doing.

Jarrod has held his dream of circumnavigating New Zealand — "crazy," some say — for a good portion of his young life. When he and his board zipped under Auckland’s Harbor Bridge in January 2003 he proved to himself and the world that his dream may not be so crazy. He had just completed a three-month-long, 3,000-kilometer circumnavigation of the North Island! This October he plans to start sailing around the larger South Island to complete the realization of his dreams.

The Dream Takes Shape

Jarrod, 27, started windsurfing 12 years ago. "My friend’s dad had recently gotten into the sport and he took us with him," explained Jarrod. He found balancing on the board difficult at first, but the more he practiced, the more he liked it. He found himself falling in love with the sport. "I started windsurfing every day!" he enthused. The more he improved, the more daring he became. Soon he started thinking big, and he developed his dream into a plan for windsurfing around the North Island.

Much effort, planning, and money went into the project. Industrious Jarrod sold one of his businesses for some of the cash that his plan required. It took two years of preparation, and this was not an adventure he could accomplish by himself. Accompanying him were two cameramen to film the action for an upcoming documentary, one person to drive the chase boat, and one person following on land to handle accommodations, fuel, food, repairs, and dealing with the local media. Three windsurf boards were brought along for different wind variables. "I had one board each for light, medium, and strong winds," he explained.

Jarrod started his physical training a good six months before the trip. "I would sail everyday, do lots of running and concentrate on preparing my triceps and back muscles for the long journey," he said. His body and his dream were taking shape.

Setting Sail

This wasn’t the case all the time as sometimes the wind was very light. "It can be very frustrating when the wind is only 2 KPH and you hardly move anywhere all day," Jarrod said. At one point he faced four weeks of little or no wind.

The Roaring 40

Lack of wind may have been a problem at times, but that wasn’t a danger. It was the high winds around the southern part of the North Island that was almost Jarrod’s undoing. As he sailed between Napier and Wellington in the area known as ‘the roaring 40’ the winds picked up quickly and powerfully. Jarrod soon found himself way out in front of his chase boat in four to five meter swells. "I couldn’t see anything except for a wall of water. My VHS two-way radio wasn’t working so I couldn’t keep in contact with my crew!" he explained.

Nearly two hours later, Jarrod was still alone in the rough water and conditions were worsening. Jarrod was remembering the story of a French windsurfer, Arnaud De Rosnay, who was lost at sea between China and Taiwan about 15 years ago. Just as he was really starting to grow weary and worried, a fishing boat happened upon him. No sight was ever more welcome. The boat’s crew contacted Jarrod’s chase boat and guided them in for the pickup, averting a "lost at sea" outcome or a remake of ‘Castaway.’

Whales, Sharks, Dolphins…All in a Day’s Sail

Another interesting experience came when Jarrod played cat and mouse with some Killer Whales. "They were chasing me and trying to figure out who I was and why I was there," he said. Killer whales are known for their playful attitude and rambunctious behavior. There have been reports of the mammals playfully nibbling on the fins of scuba divers, and then letting go, only to do it again.

Sharks are a different issue. While they usually scare easily and will leave a person alone, they are also very unpredictable. On one afternoon’s sail Jarrod noticed something ‘fishy’ just ahead of him — black and shiny lurking 18 inches under the water. There wasn’t enough time to divert his windsurfer and he hit an 8-foot Mako shark as if it were a speed bump.

Mako sharks are not as well known as their cousin, the Great White, but are considered as dangerous and can be extremely aggressive. The Mako is the fastest of the sharks and has been known to attack fishing boats, jumping into them and turning would-be hunters into the hunted. They can also jump twenty feet out of the water and snatch off the head of a windsurfer.

The Physical Ordeal

The elements truly presented a challenge for Jarrod. The water was often cold. "I would wear a dry suit in the colder water and switch to a wet suit when the water warmed up some," he said. There were other physical problems for Jarrod. Since his feet were constantly in water, he had to deal with skin damage and cracking. "It was very painful," he said. "I would use a special steroid cream and try to keep my feet as dry as possible. When I was actually in the water, though, my feet never hurt, so it was possible to keep going."

Another problem Jarrod had to handle were hallucinations. It’s a common occurrence for sailors to hear mysterious sounds when on the water for long times. "When I would become dehydrated I would sometimes hear someone calling my name," he said. One must wonder if it was Davey Jones, the royal scribe of King Neptune, calling him to Davey’s locker. "That was spooky but I just put it out of my mind and kept going," he related.

By Corey Russell
Photos by Jarrod Armitage's crew