Getting “Real” with Wingfoiling

A few weeks ago, Paul and I drove down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for our first-ever wingfoiling-dedicated vacation. Known as “Hatteras” to the wind-sports community, our actual destination was Real Watersports. To non-sailors, I would describe it as an all-inclusive resort for water-based board sports—anything that doesn’t require more than a few feet of water to launch.

To anyone who has already discovered the addictive qualities of winging or kiting, I would simply call it “Mecca.”

We stayed at the Watermen’s Retreat, the white building on the left side of the photo. And since it was shoulder season, we were able to book a room (circled in red) with a balcony view of all activities, on and off the water. Every day we fit in two sessions, with a lunch break in between. Thanks to both the Watermen’s Grill and a great kitchen in the apartment, we never had to leave the property to eat well—and, even when we chose to share meals with new friends, we never had to talk about anything besides watersports. 

The entire location is set up for easy water access. There’s a large grassy area for rigging, with plenty of sand bags to weigh down inflated wings. A hose to rinse everything, right next to a work table with tools. There’s even a large drying rack for wetsuits—though some looked like they’d been abandoned. The room rental includes a storage locker, where wet gear could dry out overnight; that kept us from tracking brackish water upstairs, a perfect example of Real’s carefully thought-out win-wins.

Oh, and did I mention the store? Though the entrance is crowded with generic beach-oriented softgoods, the back and upstairs areas had everything we could possibly need to improve our time on the water—including the entire range of Armstrong foils. When we decided during a lunch break to downsize our tails, all I had to do was walk upstairs and announce to a salesperson that “I need two Speed 180s.” (There was absolutely no judgment about whether that should’ve been “need” or “want.”)

Of course even the nice folks at Real can’t guarantee wind, but we happened to choose a week with breeze every single day—and two red-letter days when smaller, easier to handle wings provided plenty of power.

After sailing, whether we chose the privacy of dinner on our own balcony or joining new friends at the restaurant, we enjoyed watching the many local families who showed up to enjoy the sunset: kids running around, footballs tossed between siblings or friends, parents chatting. And unlike other resorts, the crowd disappeared as soon as the sun did—so those of us tuckered out from a great day on the water could go to bed as early as we wanted. 

Real Watersports rents gear and gives lessons, so it’s a great place to build skills at any level. One caution, though: foilers will need a short mast (the vertical piece that attaches to the board) unless they also get lucky with a southerly breeze. We had a northerly the last day, and it was amazing how fast the water level dropped a crucial foot or more. That morning, we had to walk our tall masts out a quarter mile before we could get going without touching bottom. By the afternoon session, that no-go line had moved out another 100 yards—and staying up on foil was a high priority, even well offshore. 

Want to learn to wingfoil this year? Real’s tagline is “We make new riders every day.” After listening in as their instructors motivate and inspire, I’m a believer—and I can’t wait to go back.