ROAD TO THE BLUE HIGHWAY

After jetting off to the Caribbean, John Carter gives us the full lowdown on the Aruba Hi-Winds event, which also featured the first Youth Slalom PWA World Cup of the year. Meanwhile, local legend, Sarah-Quita Offringa explains why it's her favourite time of year in Aruba.

- John Carter & Sarah-Quita Offringa

CALIMA - A METEORELOGICAL PHENOMENON

I flew with British Airways, who have one flight a week which flies to Aruba via a quick touchdown in Antigua en route. After checking in at the stunning Boardwalk Boutique Hotel, I was all set for an awesome week of flatwater action in the Southern Caribbean! I had arrived on Aruba two days prior to the start of the Hi-Winds hoping that I could score a few shots before the event even began. I was expecting blue skies and azure blue water from the get-go, but unfortunately the weather had other plans.

Over in the Canary Islands they often have Calima weather, which is when the dust from the Sahara blows into the atmosphere and creates a white sky and hot muggy weather. It’s about as bad as it can get in terms of photography as the sand in the atmosphere takes all of the usually vibrant colours out of the equation. Well, lo and behold, somehow that pesky Calima had made its way right across the Atlantic and it was now hovering over Aruba. How long would it last? I had no idea, but for the next two or three days it looked like game over in terms of photos at least.

Fortunately, by the time the event kicked off this rare weather phenomenon was slowly fading away, as the traditional blue skies and easterly trade winds returned with a vengeance.

ARUBA