When I left school my only prospect was an apprentice in a local factory, and while I didn’t appreciate it at the time, it’s those years that make weeks like this so special. I wouldn’t have dared to dream of the last weeks. I needed to pinch myself as I flew across the crystal clear waters covering the reef surrounding the Island of Rodrigues.

Surrounded by the Indian Ocean you’d imagine it would be a wave sailors playground, but while the reefs edge is battered by large ocean swells, its inside the reef where the true fun begins.

The protected waters provide a natural arena for speed, windsurfing or kitesurfing, you’d be hard pushed to find such a large area to train, and for those less ambitious, this is a gybing paradise, if you can’t gybe here, you’ll never gybe.

Kitesurfers have already discovered Rodrigues, it’s shallow waters and constant winds make it ideal spot to take your first flight, and with everything ready on the beach it couldn’t be easier.

Sportif took us out to test the waters for a potential speed event; it looked like the natural windsurfing course was right outside the hotel. We were there for high tides and high swells, which should be the worst conditions for speed, but as the water crosses the reef its smooths  off to provide a great speed course that lasts for miles.

On the lea side of the island a sand bank creates a shallow lagoon that’s ideal for speed kiters and again has more than enough room for a nautical mile. The hole of the island felt special, but sitting on the sand bank in the middle of nowhere felt unreal, like being transported into one of those holiday posters that only Photoshop can produce.

There aren’t many days I’d give up paradise for, a 16th birthday is one of them, and our annual family day out is another. It may seem like a scam to get me back out there again, but of all the weeks this is the one I had to cut short. With Reece’s birthday on the Monday and the picnic the following Sunday I could only go for a few days. Sounds like a good excuse to go back.