Text: Franz Kühnlein
Every second on the water is valuable! However, every young, ambitious surf fanatic is faced with the dilemma: How do I manage to be on the water as much as possible in the time available to me and how do I solve the financial aspects? My answer to this is to work as a Beach Assistant in the windy Aegean during the semester break. Specifically, I chose the island of Karpathos almost four years ago. Friends told me about the unbeatable wind safety. The idea of not sailing a sail bigger than 4.8 for an entire summer simply appealed to me. So I applied to the Meltemi Windsurfing Centre, where Meiky Wieczorek also works. The guy surfs really well, I thought to myself at the time, so the conditions for freestyle must be pretty good there!
The application was followed by an interview via Skype with the station managers. For the job of beach assistant at Meltemi, neither training as a surf instructor nor a boat licence is required. What is important are reasonable surfing skills, basic English, openness and motivation. You learn the rest on site anyway. I was accepted for the job and was able to book my first flight to Greece. It soon became clear that this wouldn't be the only one. Now, almost four years later, I can look back with joy on several incredible summer seasons on Karpathos.
Why do I spend my summers on Karpathos? Life there is carefree for two months
Why have I returned to the seemingly one-sided and barren island every summer since then? Because my dream of being on the water every day and experiencing unforgettable moments has come true. Life there is carefree for two months. Accommodation is provided by the surf centre, you get lunch and discounts at the bar. It is possible to use the centre's equipment. I am happy to make use of this offer, as my own board is in need of repair at regular intervals as a result of the constant stress. Fortunately, I can carry out the repairs on site, learn a few things from the professionals and do it myself.
Of course, you also get paid for your work at the surf centre. You don't get rich, but after offsetting flights and meals on site you even come home with a small plus. For this reason, I sometimes refer to my time there as a paid holiday (but don't tell the station managers that). As a student, it would hardly be possible for me to stay at a surf spot abroad for two months every year without working there. So overall it's a win-win situation.
Working, surfing, sleeping - the Karpathos rhythm
The daily routine is as follows: You work six days a week from 9am to 6pm. During this time, you are allowed to windsurf for an hour. As this is not enough for me, I usually get up at 7 a.m. and go out on the water an hour before I start work. On days when the wind is too strong, this makes sense anyway, as it's a bit more moderate in the morning and you don't fly off straight away. The same applies to the evening, when the station closes for customers at 6 p.m. and the wind dies down again, so that you can perfectly celebrate freestyle manoeuvres with 4.4 in flat water. At this time, the entire team at the centre is usually surfing and enjoying time together on the water while the sun disappears behind the hill and colours the sky red. To round off the day, we have dinner together and toast to the great time. Preferably in the Greek tavernas. Naturally, parties are also part of the programme. But only to a certain extent, so that windsurfing (and work) don't suffer as a result.
Of course, due to physical exhaustion, you can't manage three sessions or three to four hours on the water every day if you are in a place where there is almost constant wind for two months. In my experience, however, this applies equally to working people and holidaymakers. Another point in favour of working at the spot.
You won't get rich. But in the end you usually come home with a small plus
Working as a beach assistant involves a lot of contact with other windsurfers who hire equipment from the centre. You always do your best to provide all customers with the right setup. The difficulty here is to assess the surfing ability and preferences of each individual. Part of the day is spent on the "Baywatch Tower", watching over the bay and ensuring the safety of all windsurfers. One of the most exciting tasks is the rescue by motorboat if something breaks on a customer's equipment or the person cannot get back to land under their own power. Rushing through the bay in strong winds and choppy water is a real adrenaline rush. Maintaining and repairing the equipment is also part of the job: gluing sails and replacing ropes are often on the programme - all tasks that require precision and little tricks, but which I always enjoy.
If you surf several summers at an offshore flat water spot with strong winds, you have little choice but to venture into the world of freestyle manoeuvres. My experience shows: Every seasonal worker who can't do them yet starts practising the Airjibe until it eventually works! Fortunately, I was able to learn Airjibe and Spock before my first visit to Karpathos and try new and more radical manoeuvres year after year. The feeling of mastering a new manoeuvre for the first time is incomparable and motivates me to try and crash again and again. Incidentally, this makes the water start the best practised "move". Working on manoeuvres together with my team colleagues, discussing theory on land and analysing videos helps tremendously with progress on the water. It's more than satisfying when you land manoeuvres like Burner or Normal Kono a little wet the first few times, which I managed to do last summer. Especially when you remember that these power moves were invented just ten to 15 years ago. Sliding moves and combinations are also great fun. Sliding over the surface of the water with grubby, eslider and similar moves gives you the feeling of being one with the wind and the sea. The will to keep going and to keep learning new things is far from extinguished. Every manoeuvre is so unique and every rotation feels incredible in its own way. That's why Culo and Skopu are at the top of my list for next year.
I hope this article has motivated some people to take the plunge into seasonal work at a surf spot. I'm sure you'll have a great time! If you have any questions or would like more information, should check my Insta accountn.
