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Interview: Windsurfer Angus Johnson

My name’s Angus Johnson. I live in North Uist, in Sollas, and, um, this is where I usually come windsurfing down on the Tràigh Iar and, uh, it’s probably my favourite spot in the whole of North Uist. You get quite good waves at times. Um, today it’s been quite calm, well flat. It’s been windy but, wind offshore and no waves.

There’s other good spots that are over on the west side, and over to Hosta and Bayhead, down Baleshare, all the way down really the west, west coast of Uist, and over to Tràigh Ear at, um, Greinetote, and Clachan Sands, and plenty places. This is the best spot for even beginners. It’s quite shallow, but also at the same time when they get good swell and good wind you can wave sail – sailing on the waves, and jumping. And, um, it’s probably the best spot in Uist right enough.

I do kitesurfing and surfing, mountain biking. Uh, usually I prefer windsurfing, but if there’s calm winds I’ll go kitesurfing, and if there’s no wind or there’s good surf I’ll go surfing. And when there’s nothing of these three I’ll go mountain biking up in the hills, and just running and general keep-fit sort of thing.

It’s probably better for surfing and windsurfing in autumn. You get – the water, water’s warm, warmer then anyway – best time of year for the water temperature. Uh, usually if there’s big swells and storms in America the swell comes over to us, so we get the wind and the waves, and wintertime you’ll get big waves anyway, but it is cold.

It’s pretty expensive to get going first of all. The boards are about – nowadays they’re – the new boards – over a thousand pounds, and sails are between three and a half, uh, three hundred, three hundred and fifty to four hundred pounds. You probably need a few sails to get out in all conditions – so four sails, maybe two masts, a boom or two, a couple of boards if you want to get out in all conditions. I think I’ve about four just now. But one of them’s a big huge thing just for going out in flat calm weather, and teaching people. My smallest board is 74 litres in volume, so that’ll hold 74 kilos above the water – but when it stops it just sinks, but it’s good fun.

Uist is great for outdoor sports, I’d say, one of the best places. I’ve been around different areas in, uh, around Europe and New Zealand, and places. The only thing I’d say is it needs bigger mountains, but, it’s a big playground. Yeah, great for all water sports – kayaking and sailing, everything.

I’ve been windsurfing since, I think, I was fourteen and now I’m thirty seven, so, uh, my brain isn’t working from the cold yet...

Clilstore Island VoicesWindsurfing

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