Sound Side:

• Canadian Hole appears to be the Mecca of East Coast windsurfers. It's great when the southwester winds blow across the sound and yield some very clean wind. It can be wild on a big northeaster because the launch area and maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile offshore is very sheltered. Beyond this shadow you'll probably find out that you did rig to big. Show some respect for the fishermen that wade out on the bar here. They've got a right to a good time too! Watch out for the bar at low tide. I once put my knee through a Velocity Hollow Board when I forgot how shallow it can get and caught my fin on the bottom. If your looking for a deal on a rental or purchase in the vicinity of theCanadian Hole contact: Sun Realty at 1-800-334-4745

• Salvo Camp Ground is a good place to place to sail the sound. The Park Service has improved both the access and the parking situation here but the mosquitoes and green heads can be hell (remember to bring the Off).

• Rodanthe sound sailing centers on the area behind Emily's Restaurant. Last year the restaurant wasn't in business so a lot of windsurfers took advantage of the situation and drove out to the waters edge. The land owners don't like this so use the parking lot. It's still less than 50 yards to the water. If you've got to use your 4X4 go to ramp 23. Watch out during a big northeaster -- it'll blow most of the water out of the sound here and you'll have to drag your rig out two or three hundred yards before you can launch.

• Frisco Woods is a campground and its a windsurfing site (you'll have to pay for access). Camping here is not as rustic as the Park Service campgrounds and not as expensive as the motels. Best thing about it is that its one of the few places on Hatteras Island where you can drive a 2X4 up to the sound's edge.

• Windmill Point is popular with Nag's Head sailers. Good parking, good launch area, and decent sailing for the flat water enthusiast. And for sailing extraverts its an excellent place to sail at twilight. Almost everyone dining at Windmill Point is watching every move you make and wishing they could be sailing too!

Ocean Side:

• Oregon Inlet is famous for being one of the most treacherous inlets on the East Coast. This place is for macho experts only, bad life threatening currents are common, lots of boats, and lots of fishermen. Sail only on an incoming tide, don't lose contact with your board!

• Ramp 23 is just south of Salvo. It offers good offshore sailing. It sees a lot of activity during the summer twilight southwest blows. A lot of sailers put in there and sail to the Rodanthe Pier. You'll need a 4X4 to get your equipment up on the beach, but the beach in Rodanthe is narrow enough to make unloading without one resonable.

• Ramp 34 (Avon) is preferred by a lot of great wave riders. On a good northeaster they put in here and really put on a show. Access at 34 is pretty much 4X4 only. Don't be like a couple of women we ran into here. They had driven their rented Pontiac up on the beach and then couldn't get out. They expected me to push them out by hand. When I offered to send a tow truck they refused saying that they'd dig it out themselves. They're probably still digging. If your looking for a deal on a rental or purchase in the vicinity of theCanadian Hole contact: Sun Realty at 1-800-334-4745

• Canadian Hole is used for oceanside access as well as sound access. The walk across the street and over the dunes from the parking lot is definitely one of the shortest access routes to the ocean for those without 4-wheel drives. Watch out on big southwest blows, the dunes really shelter the ocean so rig big.

• Hatteras Inlet is for experts only. There's almost always some sort of break here, but like Oregon Inlet the tidal currents are extremely strong, so only sail on an incoming tide. You'll need a 4X4 to get there.

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