My head popped out from the murky green Bay water, my toes digging into the slimy, muddy muck below. I spotted my board a few feet from me, the sail bobbing in the water. Time to climb back on. Again. 

You spend a lot of time in the water as a novice windsurfer. This can be pretty frustrating. The whole point is to be on the water, gliding across it, not in the water, spitting it out.

It was my third day ever windsurfing, and it was beautiful and sunny. I was looking to see some progress, but I was still flailing, pretty much. The sail was still getting ripped out of my hand by the wind, or I’d attempt to turn with a tack or jibe and either fall in backward, or the sail would whip around a little faster than expected and knock me into the water.