I come from an Island with beautiful beaches; Jones, Rockaway and Coney Island, but Essaouira offered more than my beloved hometown shorelines. Its gusts whipped off our hats while pushing us backwards.  It was my first experience with summer winds. (Jones beach is blustery in winter, but nothing like Essaouira.) A brightly colored banner overhead announced, “The Wind-Surfing capital of the World,” which is almost true- With its 70-80% wind reliability, it’s one of the top 10.