Wednesdsay September 8, 1999 T H E O A K V IL L E b E A V E K A J Holger Allerellie totes his wind surfing board to the lake and (above) in full flight Top photo by Peter J. Thompson, above photo by Barrie Erskine Senior windsurfer lives for the thrill But Holger Allerllie will only admit to being a grandfather B y S a n d ra O m a n d SPECIAL TOTHE BEAVER People tend to stop and watch when one longtime resident of Oakville launches his windsurfer from Bronte Beach and heads out onto Lake Ontario. In a physically demanding sport dominated by youth, Holger Allerellie is unusual because he is a senior. Allerellie refuses to reveal his age. "It's the only secret I've got," he replies when queried. He will only admit to taking up windsurfing shortly after retiring from his work as a carpenter. Allerellie, who still lives in the modest bungalow he built himself 50 years ago and where he and his wife raised their three children, said he was drawn to wind surfing because he does not have to depend on anyone else to do it. And that is a good thing because Allerellie admitted he has not been able to find anyone his age who would dare to go out on a board with him. Clad only in a Speedo bathing suit, the grandfather of one can be found launching his windsurfer from Bronte Beach time there is sun and a good wind from April to September. Using his body weight to offset the pull of the wind fill ing the sail, he skims off across the choppy waters of Lake Ontario without a second thought. "I go out so I can't see land, Oakville, Toronto, anything," said Allerellie. "Distance and depth doesn't bother me at all." A widower for the past 15 years, Allerellie said that although his body may be "worn", in his mind he is the same now as he was in his twenties with the same love of watersports. An avid water-skier as well as a sailor, Allerellie said his fascination with watersports began in Denmark where he was bom and spent his youth. Sailing anywhere from one to three hours at a stretch, Allerellie said in the many years he has been windsurfing he has never had to be rescued and always keeps a life jacket attached to the boom. "I look at it this way, I got myself out there so it's up to me to get me back onto shore again." Occasionally he falls off. All it takes is one wrong move, he said and "you are in the drink. " When that hap pens he climbs back on his board and lets the wind dry him off while the sun and physical exertion quickly remove the chill from the Lake Ontario dunking. While Allerellie taught himself to windsurf, he rec ommends anyone considering the sport invest in lessons. He would not attempt to learn on his own again. Allerellie recalled how in the beginning the insides of his knees would be rubbed raw from the many times he would have to get back on the board after falling in. Now, he said, while he may not look professional and at times appears even awkward, he rarely falls in and knows his limitations. "I leave high wind boarding for the younger fellas," said Allerellie. When asked to explain what it is about windsurfing that draws him out on the water again and again, he uses words like "peaceful", "delightful" and "calming" to describe the experience of riding the wind far out onto the Lake. Allerellie said this season's boarding, however, has been "very, very bad" due to the large amount of algae present in the Lake. The algae collects in his dagger board and dries hard if not washed out immediately mak ing it very difficult to clean. He is looking forward to a better season when he heads down to the Caribbean for some more windsurfing and water-skiing in October. Five times during the win ter months he will go to different destinations sampling the water sports for two weeks at a time, then come April early May is ready to head out onto Lake Ontario again. Down south Allerellie enjoys water-skiing as well as the windsurfing. His proficiency at water-skiing is such that he has appeared in four watershows demonstrating a method of water-skiing he invented incorporating a chair. After he passed his 50th birth day, Allerellie got the notion of water-skiing using a chair because he thought there might be an easier way to water-ski than standing up all the time. His sense of fun is evident in the pictures he shows of skiing on the Muskoka-type chair attached to water-skis on Crow Lake north of Toronto. Wearing a straw hat shaped like a bucket, a dip net tucked into the back of his life jacket and holding a rod with an enormous red plastic hook at the end of it, he is pictured alternately sitting, standing and astride the chair with the words "Chairman" clearly labeled across the back rest. When questioned about the outfit, his sense of humour becomes evident as he explained it was to tease the local fishermen. Allerellie would like to pass on the chairs (he made two of them) but so far no one other than himself has been able to ride them. To keep in shape for his watersports, Allerellie rides his bicycle and claims the secret to his youthful energy is eating lots of vegetables -- many of which he grows in his own garden -- and avoiding alcohol. "I haven't let aging get in my way," said Allerellie who also designs intricate brain teasers made from wood that he sells once a year at the Arts and Crafts sale held at Eastview Elementary School. 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