Big steps

I guess it happens like this sometimes... one minute you can’t get a thing built square, or straight for that matter, everything is wonky and you’re tearing your hair out... and the next thing you know, you have a set of steps that really should qualify as a building in their own right.

Thanks to Adel, our latest addition to the carpentry team down here at the beach we now have a very solid, very nice (it should be noted) set of steps. They wouldn’t look out of place on a more substantial building, and once the hand rail is in even Codge will be able to get up them!

Things are moving on very nicely now, and we are really beginning to feel that out self-imposed deadline of the 19th Feb is achievable. This week the kit storage areas for the sails and boards, the workshop, and the staff kit rack (most important!!) should all be built.

Now that the fall out from the storm has abated, and the guys are all on site again we should have rapid progress. Check back for more pics, as hopefully the plan takes shape.

Schlep

New Toys.... New Toys.... New Toys....

As part of our X-Rack - All Carbon Kit Hire Experiment, some of our stuff has started to arrive. Our first batch of new Ezzy Wave Panther II’s have arrived, along with a new 2010 Twin Tip 100 and a whole stack of RDM’s...

With all these glowing reports raving about the new Panthers we are gagging to get out and try them. If only there wasn't a centre, a web site and a whole heap of other stuff to finish first... Oh, and the Ninja Green ones look epic....

Wadis run through it.... all of it!

Crazy times here at the beach... two days ago we were stuck in the middle of one of the most epic storms that Sinai has seen in many a year. Gale force winds, mm’s of rain fell an hour, and even sleet and hail stones... but without doubt the most impressive bit was the thunder and lightening... simply awesome... although outside was certainly not the best place to be the sky was constantly illuminated with the mountains at the back being lit up by huge forks of lightening... Meanwhile inside, we all battled to stem the flood waters, with staff accommodation, the office and even the main hotel building succumbing to the constant rain. 

                  Hail!

With all this rain, the desert reverted to normal service, with Wadi’s that have remained dry for years suddenly being called into service... whilst what seemed like an endless down pour of rain which lasted around 12 hours has really changed the scenery. Everything from the Wadi behind Moonbeach right down to the beach in front of the centre has been transformed, with huge amounts of silt, sand and even rocks being shifted. So much so in fact that the road has been closed and we are unable to return home, after escaping yesterday we are now holed up in Cairo waiting for the army engineers to clear the roads and allow us home, back to the centre build...

                       All the way along the coast... the roads are covered...

Surprisingly, even with the cliff falling on a few of the posts, most of our new building survive unscathed, a hopeful sign for the longevity of centre, and a true testament to the carpenters and their skills. Although it did get slightly damp!

Normal service will resume once we can get back to the beach, but in the meantime hopefully some of these pics will give you an idea of the last few days, and the last one shows just how far we’ve got... role on March 15th...

 Waiting for the next front..

Leaving Ras Sudr

Just before the rain...

Day Fifteen - A great day

Today was a great day... one of those days when you realize just how cool things can be...

What a day, with wind pushing 30 knots, air temp in the mid 20˚C’s, stacked on a 5.3m, and uncrowded water to play on, and that’s not even the best part.

The best part was today we somehow found our way to almost being back on schedule. Our contingent of carpenters from Cairo have worked exceptionally hard, and as of today we have the makings of a roof. Oh, and the last of the decking on the path has been laid. All is looking good.

Elsewhere, I’ve almost finished the brochure, a few pics aside that should finally be available early next week to download. Onsite, some of the lads have headed back home for Coptic Christmas, and whilst they’re away we’ll start planning the next bit. Oh, and my Skype video chat is finally working, happy days.

That’s it for now, hang in there with the winter weather guys, doesn’t sound like much fun.

Schlep

# HAPPY NEW YEAR! #

Okay, so it's a day late, and festooned with a giant hangover, but I would like to wish everyone a happy, prosperous, windy and generally all round great year... Happy two thousand and ten one and all...!