July 4 — Summer Enoshima is Here: Beach Huts, Crowds, and Playing by the New Rules

July 4, Sunday.

The forecast for today was calling for a 4 m/s south wind.

A classic, slightly mellow summer breeze.

With 4 m/s, if you pump hard enough, you can definitely aim to get on the foil.

With that expectation in mind, I headed to Enoshima just like always.

After last week’s shocking cancellation, I was extra hyped for this weekend.

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It’s Officially Beach Season!

Now that July is here, summer is in full swing at Enoshima’s Katase Beach.

Ever since late May, you could hear that constant clank-clank, bang-bang along the shoreline—the sound of beach huts being built.

And now, those beach huts are finally open for business!

This was my very first taste of “Summer Enoshima” this year.

When I got to the beach, it wasn’t quite as packed with swimmers as I expected, probably because July had just started.

Still, the whole beach had fully transformed into its summer mode.

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The Water Sports Zone Was Straight-Up Chaos

During the summer, the biggest and easiest beach area turns into the designated swimming zone, where water sports are strictly off-limits.

That means wing foilers, windsurfers, and SUPers all have to launch from a super restricted area closer to the island.

Since I usually launch from there anyway, getting down to the water wasn’t an issue.

The real problem was that everyone was crammed into that one spot.

Surfing schools.

Windsurfers.

SUP paddlers.

Wing foilers.

All sharing the exact same patch of water.

Foils have those sharp, underwater wings, so navigating through crowds means you have to be extra cautious.

Safety first, always.

Looks like I’m gonna have to deal with these crowded conditions for the next two months of summer.

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The Wind Fell a Bit Short

When I actually stepped onto the beach, the wind felt more like 3 m/s.

A bit weaker than what was promised.

I had a feeling it was gonna be a tough session today.

So without hesitating, I rigged up my 6m² wing, assembled my foil, got everything dialed in, and hit the water.

I carefully navigated past the group of surf lessons and headed out toward the open water.

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Even If You Don’t Fly, You Can Still Put in Work

Unsurprisingly, there just wasn’t enough wind.

I tried pumping a bunch of times, but the foil just wouldn’t lift today.

Bummer, for sure.

But hey, the wind wasn’t zero.

I focused on riding upwind, picking up speed going downwind, and dialing in my gybe timing.

Even when you’re not flying, there’s still plenty of stuff to practice.

Above all, it had been about three weeks since I last stepped into the ocean.

Just cruising across the water with the wind in my hands felt amazing.

At one point, I laid my wing down out in the open water and took a breather.

Just drifting there and staring out at the blue ocean felt like all my weekday work stress was melting away.

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Summer in the Ocean Is Just Getting Started

In the end, I didn’t get to foil even once today.

Man, if only we had just 1 or 2 more m/s of wind...

I lost count of how many times I thought that.

Still, just getting back out on the water, feeling the breeze, and moving my body felt totally worth it.

Honestly, maybe this is just what summer in Enoshima is like most days.

Which only makes you appreciate those epic, windy days even more!

Fingers crossed for a bit more wind next time.

Summer’s only just begun, baby!