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Silent Sports Profile
Rolf Hadel- Windsurfer
By Margaret Carroll
Over
the weekend I interviewed Rolf Hadel, a veteran windsurfer who habitually travels to Baileys Harbor from his home in Oshkosh.
Rolf, who is 53 years old, and his wife Jennifer, a kayaker, load up their gear and head north every chance they get.
The excellent conditions they have found off Anclam Park in Baileys Harbor mean they are Door County regulars.
After a long afternoon on the water, Rolf agreed to answer some questions for me.
Q. How did you get involved in windsurfing?
Rolf: We were living in Florida for many years and about eight years
ago I took some lessons at Banana River Resort in Cocoa Beach, Florida. I really missed the ocean, and
when we moved to Oshkosh I heard about the great conditions in Baileys Harbor. We started coming up here
in the past few years because winds are so ideal here.
Q. Why is Baileys Harbor such a great place for windsurfing?
Rolf: To me, the water here is
almost like the Florida Keys. Today the winds are 22-25 mph coming from the south. The conditions here
are consistently good. It really blows hard, and there’s not a lot of boat traffic. The
air is so clear up here compared to where I live- it’s amazing.
Q. Was it difficult to maneuver out there today with
all the kite boarders and kayakers?
Rolf:
Even though windsurfing is a solitary sport, it’s nice to be here in Baileys Harbor
with a real wind sports community. The boarders are all out there having
a great time and everyone’s really accommodating.
Q. Are there other places you and your wife go in Door County?
Rolf: My wife is a kayaker so while she’s in the water, I stay
with the dog and act as a spotter. Last weekend we went to Peninsula State Park to kayak, but ran into some really nasty weather.
Jennifer celebrated her 60th birthday getting to know the park ranger who helped rescue her!
Q. So you don’t take your dog with you on the water?
Rolf: (Laughs)
Maybe some day.
