Dancers of the Sea: Meet Virginie Cabre, The Ladyslider from Guadeloupe

For Virginie Cabre, dawn patrol is a way of life. The ladysider from Saint-Claude is out in the ocean every morning before the first ray of light to enjoy an uncrowded lineup and a front row seat to a magical sunrise. We chatted with Virginie to find out more about her love for longboarding, local surf break, and passions. 

Name: Virginie Cabre
Age: 27
Hometown: Saint-Claude, Guadeloupe (French West Indies)
Homebreak: Petit Havre 

Day job: Bag designer. @northswell_ 100% hand made by me in Guadeloupe.

Dream job: Same with more travels.  But I try to fix it !
 

What is a day in your shoes like? 

When there are waves, I wake up very early, before the sunrise and I go out before the first ray of light. This is my favorite hour to surf. I love the sunrise atmosphere, it’s magic (and less crowded). Then, I go back home to work. I try to be really focused and effective so that at the end of the afternoon I can be free to go back surfing, taking pictures of my friends surfing (I recently bought a waterproof case for my camera) or just go walking with my dog at the beach or river.

How long have you been surfing for? What got you into longboarding?

I started 10 year ago, when I was 17. At the beginning, I was doing only shortboard. About 5 years ago, I bought a very old 9’ stewart and it was love at the first wave! My favorite thing is that you can move on the board and there are so many possible tricks to do. It’s really fun and you don’t need big waves to have an awesome session!

Above all, longboarding is also very stylish and graceful. I love saying that we are the “dancers of the sea.”

Favorite board? 

Currently, I have a longboard made by a local shaper. It’s a compromise between a noserider and a performance board. For the next one, I would like a 100% noserider (especially for small swell).

How would you describe the surfing scene where you are from? What is your surfing community like?

Guadeloupe is a small island but with a lot of different surf spots: Black or white sand, beach or reef breaks, left or right, shallow or not, for beginners to experienced surfers. The waves are not “perfect” every day, but most of the time you’ll find something to surf and there are days where it can be really good!  

We are a big surfing community compare to the island size (which means crowded spots sometimes). Almost everyone knows each other and the atmosphere is relatively cool and relaxed.

Where is your favorite local surf spot?

Port Louis (in the North of the island). This is a long left/right reef break. And most of the time, it’s glassy. The water is so clear that you can see all the sea life under your board, but do not worry! It’s not shallow. It’s such a perfect wave for longboarding. But if you are looking for a wave with big barrels, it’s not the best place.

Where is your favorite travel surf spot? Why here?

Waikiki. I know … a lot of people say that it’s a crowded place, but each session I did there was good and people were nice. I really have only good memories of this spot. Apart from surfing I love the atmosphere that there is on the island.

Three places on your surfing bucket list:

- Batu Karas (Java - Indonesia)

- Sayulita (Mexico)

- Noosa (Australia)

Favorite post-surf mean?

Eating chocolate “pomme cannelle” and a huge cup of tea.  The “pomme cannelle” is a local round bread with chocolate chips.

Who or what inspires you?

I admire people who are always positive. No matter what happens to them, they are trying to think positive and enjoy life as it comes.

One of my favorite quotes is “Happiness is not a destination, it’s a way of life.”

Wise words for aspiring female surfers?

“The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.” - Phil Edwards

To follow all of Virginie’s adventures, you can follow her Instagram @virginie_cabre!