"This is a marvellous spot of earth"! Bernd Graf looks at us with satisfaction and immediately lights up another cigarette. You could almost think that Bernd is at peace with himself. The Sunday afternoon with plenty of sunshine and mild temperatures attracts numerous day trippers to the snack bar/café right on the water. All around, young and old chill out and watch the newcomers to surfing as the wind drops. The containers of Bernd Graf and Bärbel Wengatz's surf school are located a few metres further on - also in the middle of the greenery. A few PP beginner training boards lie in front of it and in the car park next door, satisfied and exhausted surfers are taking down the last sails. Couples of surfers sit in front of the camper vans and enjoy the afternoon. And somehow you get the impression that Bernd's almost stereotypical North German inner calm is also being transferred to his surroundings.
Even today, he is still highly addicted to surfing and even took part in the Sylt World Cup around 25 years ago, with NDR television reporting on his participation in great detail. But that is now a thing of the past, just like the "Surfzone/Kitezone" signs. Conservationists have prevailed, which is why kitesurfing has been banned here for several years. Anyone who thinks that Bernd is upset by this decision and the decline in kitesurfing courses is mistaken: "Oh no. Since kitesurfing has been banned, the number of windsurfers here on the Koog has increased." In fact, day and weekend trippers come from Schleswig-Holstein and the Hamburg conurbation. Many beginners and intermediates, occasional and holiday windsurfers, but also the German freestyle elite regularly come here. The Koog used to be the home spot of professional surfer André Paskowski, who laid the foundations for his European Championship titles here.
The Speicherkoog shines with its large standing area, which is still knee-deep between the short groynes and then has chest depth over a larger area. On the opposite side of the groynes, it becomes shallower again and many riders make their manoeuvres right there because they can get back on the board quickly after going down.
You can read the entire Meldorf spot report as a PDF download.
