HI All,

Mike Flannery and I were there back in September and he is still talking about his windsurfing experience (he was the beginner who wanted to win the Gold Medal! His photo is attached)
I noticed you had some windsurfing shirts for sale at your hut and meant to purchase one before I left. Unfortunately, I forgot! Is there any chance you could send one to me, if
I supplied a credit card number? Mike would really enjoy one and it would be a fun Christmas gift. I am interested in the long sleeve spandex-type, men's large.

We had a great time with you all and look forward to returning next year.

Marcia DeVine

Hey Wim,

I wanted to thank you, we had another wonderful trip to Aruba , and most of it was thanks to you and your great instructors. I attached a few photos, we were warned to send them along before we left.

We forgot to log onto the webcams the day of the Venezuela – Aruba race, but I hope it went well. Hopefully we’ll see you next year,

Karen Cook

Hoi Wim,

Ik wil toch even vertellen dat ik van het weekend tot 2x toe voor het eerst de Nederlandse branding heb getrotseerd en ook nog hoogte lopen. Geen vlak water maar redelijk hoge golven. 20-24 knopen wind. Ik heb gemerkt dat je met minder snelheid veel hoger kan lopen en die snelheid haal je eruit door juist in de golven te zitten.

Draaien is moeilijk maar zelfs golfrijden lukte een beetje. De laatste keer dat ik in de golven van de Noordzee zat was met mijn windsurfplank. Maar....die kan weg. Kiten is waanzinnig. Hoge golf ....kite naar 11/13 uur ....en het lijkt wel of je in de lift over de golf gaat. Waanzinnig.....

Ik zal binnenkort een paar foto's maken en naar jullie toe mailen.
by the way: die Omega heb ik gekocht....super kite.
Zonder die week les bij jullie was dit nooit gelukt!!!!
Nogmaals bedankt,
Groet aan de rest,
wel anders met surfpakken (5mm) dan in een shortie op Aruba
Anthon

hey wim,

We had a fantastic time at your place, learned a lot, and planning to continue wind- and kitesurfing in new york. AAV has a great "no worries, man" spirit, yet well run, with great instruction and equipment. Say hi to DJ and Francis. They did a great job "torturing" us with body dragging, water starts, etc Hopefully will be able to come back next year.

dmitri and melissa

Aloha,

hierbij een filmpje van Aruba van afgelopen february. Echt een toptijd gehad daar en verlang er vaak naar terug.

You tube Ook eventueel op continentseven

Groeten aan iedereen daar. See you on the water, Arnold

I want to send another thank you for the kiteboarding lessons you gave me during my vacation in Aruba in the middle of February.
I took an extended long weekend and went to the Gorge with a group of friends. It was the first time since February that I have been able to get my kite on the water. What a blast, I am up and riding consistently, relaunching my kite with no problem. I can't say that I spent a lot of time upwind, but I was able to ride upwind on quite a few occassions.

Long storey short, it was a lot of fun and I owe it to Francis and my other two instructors who provided me with excellant lessons. Everyone commented on how at ease I was with the wind and handling of the kite.

I was out in winds that I would of been afraid to windsurf in, but felt very comfortable with the kite.

Looking forward to coming back next year and learning how to do a backwards flip or something like that.

Pamela Glendinning

Wim,

We had a great time with the landsailing. The kids want to do it again in the future.
I attached pictures that we took during the landsailing. Your help and personal service made this experience a true adventure and I will recommend your attractions to my friends.
We look forward to use your attractions next time that we are in Aruba.

Best regards, Eyal Halevy

Wim,

I have sent you several email of photos that I took while Todd took lesson in Jan. Thank you very much we had a great time. Todd has gotten all the gear to start kite boarding on Lake Michigan. I am going to try a put a group together for next year. Please share photo with the rest of the gang, let me know if you need any of them in larger a larger size.
Thank you again Todd & Amanda VanderArk Grand Haven MI

Hi Wim,

Brad and I have been dreaming of Aruba ever since we left, and we are finally booking our trip back there. I’m definitely going to want to take some lessons, and I’m sure Brad will as well. We’re going to be there from the 6th – 10th of May, so I just wanted to give you a heads up to make sure you leave some room on your calendar for us. If we need to commit to certain times, let me know and we can figure something out. I hope the wind is blowing, and the sun is shining out there! It’s snowing here, but I’m skiing this weekend, so I don’t mind!

Say hi to DJ & Marcelle, and we’ll see you soon, Karen Cook

Hoi Wim,

Ik wil toch even vertellen dat ik van het weekend tot 2x toe voor het eerst de Nederlandse branding heb getrotseerd en ook nog hoogte lopen. Geen vlak water maar redelijk hoge golven. 20-24 knopen wind. Ik heb gemerkt dat je met minder snelheid veel hoger kan lopen en die snelheid haal je eruit door juist in de golven te zitten.
Draaien is moeilijk maar zelfs golfrijden lukte een beetje. De laatste keer dat ik in de golven van de Noordzee zat was met mijn windsurfplank. Maar....die kan weg. Kiten is waanzinnig. Hoge golf ....kite naar 11/13 uur ....en het lijkt wel of je in de lift over de golf gaat. Waanzinnig..... Ik zal binnenkort een paar foto's maken en naar jullie toe mailen.
by the way: die Omega heb ik gekocht....super kite. Zonder die week les bij jullie was dit nooit gelukt!!!!
Nogmaals bedankt,
Groet aan de rest,
wel anders met surfpakken (5mm) dan in een shortie op Aruba

Anthon

Hi Guys,

here back at work :( But happy with our Aruba Kite experience.

Thank you again for everything.

 

 

Hi Wim,

As promised I'm sending you a picture of my daughter and myself after winning the Polish Championship in windsurfing in 1976. I don't know whether this will be of any use to you because of the quality. I hope the winds have picked up and you are busy and business is booming.

See you soon,
Andy

Hi Wim,

just a quick note to thank you again. We all had a wonderful time and we all learn a lot. The whole team was great and very patient with us and the kids! Sorry we didn't have the chance to say bye to DJ and Francis. The kids were sad about that. So, please say Hi to them. We can't wait to be back and learn more stuff!

You all take care,
Karine, John, Alex, Thomas and Rafael

Hello Wim,

Thanks again to you and your crew for providing friendly advice and excellent equipment. You and Francis always managed to set me up with the right board and sail combination for the current conditions. To say that the wind was variable during my two week stay in February would be an understatement. I started the first week with a 7.0 sail and a 140 litre board. As the days progressed so did the wind, so I gradually moved down in sail and board size. One morning I was overpowered on a 4.7, what a ride! The wind speed that day reached 37 knots.

Can’t wait until next year.
John Frederick
Ottawa, Ontario , Canada

My husband and I were in Aruba for two weeks in Feb.
We have always wanted to try windsurfing.
We first took a lesson from one of your competitors - we were "confused" but determined. We came to you and signed up for another lesson.
What a difference - it was all about quality and what we needed!!
Our instructor was known as the "Hungarian Hunk".
He was very professional, patient, and helpful, ...and fun!!
We wish we had come to you first - the repeat lesson would not have been necessary.
We look forward to coming back to Aruba and windsurfing with you.

Thanks so much!!! Kurt and Judy

Hi Wim,

I will try and pick out the best pictures, Dave took so many great shots. Francis will get this, how many pictures of the Arubian Mountain Goats does one person need. Of course what group of pictures would be complete without the official Mistel Toe tree.

Thanks for all the patience your guys took with me in learning how to kiteboard. Hopefully we will be back again soon, we met a lot of great people.

Pamela

Just thought I would drop you a note. I really enjoyed your website! It is very user friendly and answers all questions one might have. Graphics, pics and maps are great. It is nice to see a site that actually works, and I am on dial-up.

Good Job! Star Frederick

Dear Wim, I hope you got the bike yesterday morning at Bananas. I stopped by around noon yesterday to say goodbye but you were not at the windsurfing site.

Anyway, I was pretty happy with the experience. Of course the wind speed had something to do wiith it. I really liked those Exorcet 160 boards. And there is plenty of room out there to have all the fun you need. I seemed to improve so much that I alsost wished I could stay and see how good I can get.

Anyway, take care and maybe I might see you again.
Matt

Wim,

Thanks again for the great service. I’ll be sure to pass on the word about your operation. I did have one question – “What time do you open in the mornings?” I must admit I am a bit sore after the other day. Hope to sail again next month. Take care.

Chris

Sincere apologies....

I meant to send you these photos a couple of months ago! My sons Parker tried the land sailing and Ross tried the wind surfing....

Parker now wants a blowcart for Christmas!

Anyway, all well now and we (Ellen & I) will be out again in early November to conclude the purchase of a villa in Tierra del Sol.
So hope to see you all over the Easter Break and again next summer.

Best regards, =Andrew=

Hi Win and co.

Thanks again for teaching us Windsurfing. If you or Francis or DJ like to go real good Snowbording you are welcome at are House in Switzerland .

Christophe and Dagmar D’Onofrio

Hi, Wim, DJ, Francis, and Paul,

Thank you very much for everything!! We really enjoyed windsurfing by renting your nice equipment. We also had a wonderful view of the blue sea, the white sand seashore, and the excellent sunset from your place. As I promissed with Wim, I attached the pictures with you, and videos of my windsurfing.

Video (video of my windsurfing)

I would say that the Fishermam's Huts is the best beach for windsurfing and just sleeping. And we were very happy to touch your much kindness just after coming back from the sea. That was the main reason why we choose your place during our stay.
Actually, when my wife could not manage to come back to the beach by herself, you got out of a boat to help her very quickly.
We, especially, would like to give you special thanks to him!!
We miss you and your nice condition in Aruba. We'll definitely be back!!

Best regares, Masa & Aki Takahashi.

p.s. Wim, Did your car finally come back? When we went to your place on Friday just to say good-bye to your staff, you and your car might not be there. We hope that your car is completely working on now.

Hey Guys,

It was nice meeting you guys last weekend while I was shooting in Aruba. This is the biggest website that I've ever published. Please check it out and share the address with anyone you like. You guys are great!

Klik here to see the photo's of Saturday
Klik here to see the photo's of Sunday

Steve From September 9 until the 18th we had a fantastic time at the beach with the AAV guys. Ewald from the nearby Beachhouse already recommended to get windsurfing gear and kite surfing lessons from AAV. The very friendly and laidback staff showed a lot of knowledge,experience and enthusiasm for both watersports. For me personally, the instructors, the location, the Cabrinha gear and the great conditions made me a new kite-surfer with only 5 lessons! Thanx guys for being so helpful. And compliments for the Saturday-Local Kids lessons.
Hang loose ... We'll be back.
Maarten & Barbara Washington D.C.

Hallo allemaal!

Nogmaals bedankt voor de goede zorgen en oplettendheid . Vincent heeft veel geleerd met kiten van jullie, en dat terwijl hij geen enkele les volgde. Werd steeds aangespoord tot grotere dingen door de crew! Geweldig zoals jullie omgaan met jonge kinderen en “oudere kinderen”.

Wij komen graag weer terug!
Groeten,
Jack en Vincent Hey DJ!

Thanks again for all your fun and help for Charu and me! We’ll be back very soon…hopefully December. Let us know if you’re ever planning a NY visit. Keep in touch!

Best, Matt & Charu Hey Wim!

This is Cori although you probably never really knew my name. I was a customer of yours last week for kite surfing. I was with the Feffers (Cole, Mike, and Carol), but only me and Cole kite-surfed. Hopefully now you have some recollection of who I am, if not that’s ok too! So first off I just wanted to tell you how awesome kite-surfing was! It was definitely the highlight of the trip for me, and is one of the main reasons I would wish to return to Aruba! The instruction was awesome, especially since they were exceedingly patient with me and my failure...ha! Basically it was just an amazing experience!!! thanks a bunch!

Thanks for your time Wim! Youre an awesome guy and it was a pleasure meeting you and using your facilities in Aruba!!! I wish you the best of luck with everything! O, and I hope they don’t build a hotel which will block the wind and eliminate kite and wind surfing in that area! That would be a tragedy! Sincerely, Cori Wright

Wim, DJ, Francis, Paul.

Thank you for your hospitality during our 9 days in Aruba. This was our first trip to Aruba and we will definitely be back to the AAV windsurfing club - we had the best vacation of our life during our 9 days with the guys at AAV.

I attached a few pictures below.
Steve & Adriana (Sarnia, Canada)

Hi, Wim:

Just a note to say that I had a great time in Aruba and thanks to you and your associates. I think that you guys have the best spot for windsurfing in the area and it's such a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Hope to get back there in the near future. Thanks to you and all the guys. Best wishes, Dr. Pat Kelly

P.S.: Tell Marcel to keep working on that guitar playing. He's doing great.

 

Wim,

I had a great time in Aruba this past week. It was a perfect vacation, "I woke up early met you and you team on the beach at 8 AM and kite boarded and Windsurfed until the sun set. I could not ask for any thing more. Maybe I will see more of Aruba than my hotel and the Fisherman Huts! David Hallo Wim, Paul en Marcel, ik heb zojuist de site even bekeken en hij ziet er echt mooi uit. Keep up the good work! En groeten uit Pijnacker Robin Hi Guys,

My wife and I have just returned from our 15th trip to the wonderful island of Aruba. For the last 6 or 7 years I have rented my windsurfing equipment at the sight now owned and operated by AAV. I have always encountered friendly and helpful people, and this year was no exception.

I especially want to thank Marcel for his input and advice the last couple of years. (I appreciated the larger fin on the X-Cite 150). Your launch site is the best on the island! John Frederick Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

We recently rented bikes from you, March 6th. We were on the cruise ship. We had a very nice time and the bikes made our day.

We will spread the word as far as our little sphere of influence goes, not far really. Also, thank you for the ride back to the ship. We were worn out and saddle sore by that time and that allowed us a little shopping around time before the ship sailed. We did not mean to insult you in any way with giving you a tip. It was all the small change we had and we truly appreciated the ride home and wanted to at least give you something for your gas and time. If we ever come back we will look you up for sure. We saw such a small part we would like to think of spending a week or two there sometime. If we do, we may want to ask you for suggestions on a good clean but not too expensive place to stay.

If you ever think of coming to Alaska, contact us and we will help with information in any way we can. Thank you again, Bruce Main

Hi Wim

We finally arrived in Switzerland after having been overbooked by SWISS in Miami. So, it took us a day longer and sucked out the last atoms of energy that remained after a week of surfing... Thank you, all the guys and Suzanne very much again for good time and Fine company during our stay last week.

Best regards Dusan and Jure

I just wanted to thank Paul for the kite surfing lessons a few weeks ago (May 10 &11).It was something I’ve always wanted to do and Paul worked patiently with me over 2 days to introduce me to the sport.I had a blast out on the water and appreciate your help tremendously.
Thanks again and I’ll be back if/when I return to Aruba. Thanks, Mike – Boston, MA

Beste allemaal daar in Aruba,

Hoe is het met jullie? Hopelijk alles goed op het zonnige happy island. Wij hebben zo'n leuke tijd gehad begin juni en missen het nog steeds. Heel leuk om jullie allemaal ontmoet te hebben, maar vooral om die kite lessen te hebben genomen! Inmiddels hebben we namelijk onze eigen spullen hier in Miami en vandaag was dan eindelijk de eerste echte goeie dag met wind! We hebben dus een Cabrinha Contra 14 kite met een Icon 144 board. Voor de begrippen hier (zomer in Miami is nooit zoveel) was het prima met zo'n 15 knopen. Voor de lol sturen we even wat foto's mee. Antoine doet 't echt hartstikke goed. Het was voor hem, na z'n laatste les bij jullie, de eerste keer echt vol op het board en perfecte down en upwind runs gemaakt. Helemaal happy en z'n smile kon niet breder. Helaas was de battery van de camera op toen het mijn beurt was....Ik doe 't ietsie langzamer aan. Heb toch even wat angst moeten overwinnen na die eerste "natte" les bij jullie en al die crashes en vrije vallen...heb nog steeds last van die vinger. Maar goed, mijn doel was om eerst heel goed te kunnen body draggen en dus die kite goed onder controle te krijgen en dat doel is bereikt. Vandaag zelfs meer bereikt dan dat, want ook ik heb een stukje downwind op het board gestaan!!

We houden jullie op de hoogte van de verdere ontwikkelingen. Mocht er eens iemand in Miami zijn, laat altijd even weten, want het is altijd gezellig om even te buurten en hopelijk (als er wind is) te kiten. We wonen ook hier op loop- of fiets afstand van het strand! Veel groetjes van Antoine & Ageeth Dons

Hey Wim!

I was a customer of yours last week for kite surfing. I was with the Feffers (Cole, Mike, and Carol), but only me and Cole kite-surfed. Hopefully now you have some recollection of who I am, if not that’s ok too! So first off I just wanted to tell you how awesome kite-surfing was! It was definitely the highlight of the trip for me, and is one of the main reasons I would wish to return to Aruba! The instruction was awesome, especially since they were exceedingly patient with me and my failure...ha! Basically it was just an amazing experience!!! thanks a bunch! Thanks for your time Wim! Youre an awesome guy and it was a pleasure meeting you and using your facilities in Aruba!!! I wish you the best of luck with everything! O, and I hope they don’t build a hotel which will block the wind and eliminate kite and wind surfing in that area! That would be a tragedy! Sincerely, Cori Wright

Hi Wim:

Thanks for sending that nice article along to me. Emiel did a good job. Marie and I are looking forward to Marcel and Sue's visit. We hope they will not be disappointed here in Delaware but there are lots of things to do within three driving hours.

Keep us in mind if you ever get to Delaware. We had a nice winter there in Aruba with all of you and are will be glad to get back in 2007. Thanks again for helping to make our stay a pleasant one.

Regards Walt & Marie

Hi Wim
Hope you are doing fine. I still have some pain in the neck and a tennis elbow from surfing in Aruba. But never mind. The sail has been repaired, so I am looking forward to having so much wind next year here in EU that I can use 5.4m2. I am enclosing 2 pictures from your place.
I hope you already consumed all the whisky.
Best regards to you, Marcel and Paul
Dusan

Hello Wim
After 3 days in hot Miami we landed safely in Zürich today. Bojana continued the flight to Slovenia. We were both very happy in Aruba and I want to thank you again for all your support.
Will let you know how the sail has been repaired.
Best regards, Dusan

P.S. Since a day or two we were observing a small "hurricane" close to Aruba on TV. Is that so ?

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know I had a great time in Aruba last weekend, thanks for being so patient with me and my "expert kite-body dragging" technique. Water is still pouring from my nose! I don't know when I'll get the chance to fly to Aruba again, but in the meantime we're thinking of coming down for a few weeks or a month in June. You mentioned that it's easy to find good houses to rent. We'd be looking for a 2-4 bedroom house close to the "huts". Please let me know if you have any ideas.
Regards, Dave Gluck Delta Air Lines

Greetings Wim:
Hey the land sailing was a blast on Aruba! I just need a little more seat time and I think that maybe I could keep up with you;-), well maybe I could at least get a 360 slide after the downwind sail. Thanks again for the Land Sailing afternoon on the red clay of Aruba.
grant...

Beste,
Ziehier wat foto's die ik met de video gemaakt heb. De kwaliteit is niet allerbest maar dat was te verwachten. De video zelf is erg goed. Groeten en nog veel kite plezier
Tony.

Hi Wim - just wanted to thank you the great bikes you rented to us for the week. We were the couple in the Marriott Aruba surf club. We made it down to the Natural Bridge twice, as well as downtown and around. We are planning on coming back next year, and will email in advance for bike reservations. Take it easy. Terry and Pat

Dear Wim,
Just wanted to thank you for the excellent service that you provided us over the Christmas/New Year vacation. And it was so nice of you to drive over to us at Playa Linda whenever we needed your assistance. I want to reserve the same bikes for the upcoming Christmas/New Year vacation: the nice Lady Trek w/ the woman's bar for me and the tall Male Trek bike with traditional tires for my husband. We will need them for 3 weeks (evening of Sunday,12/18 or morning of Monday, 12/19 through evening of Saturday, 1/7 or morning of Sunday, 1/8). I will be in touch as we get a bit closer. Please let me know when you want a deposit so that we will be sure to have the appropriate equipment.
Thank you very much,
Ricki Hoffman

Hi Wim,
I got back from that great little island of yours last night. Fortunately, my girlfriend/fiance was very happy to see me - sometimes you never know.... I had a great time and just wanted to drop a note to express my appreication for your consideration and hospitality. Most of all, thanks again for saving me from a very uncertain trip out to sea. At some point the sail would have been jettisoned and I would have had to paddle for a very very long time - not a good prospect. Also, thanks again for the windsurfing lesson - now such a trip out to sea should not happen again.
It was a pity that the winds were not more favorable for the past couple of weeks but I hope that the conditions have improved and that your business is booming. I will be sure to push people your way whenever I have the chance.
Also, it was a pleasure briefly chatting with your father and learning a little about the history and population of Aruba. Given that he works on statistics for the government I guess I learned a bit more than the average tourist. Please send him my regards.


All the best to you and may you have a very successful year!
Eric