Sunday, November 28, 2010

Poor Judge of Character

I seemed to be a poor judge judge of wind today. I went to 2 different spots, put up 2 different sets of gear, but couldn't get it right. The wind looked good but I shlogged both times. I thought that I was losing my grip on reality such as it is. I finally gave up and went for a stand up paddle thru Center Street Marsh and Bass Hole.

I checked the meter when I got home. It showed that each time, just about when I got my kite up, the wind dropped by 10 MPH. It's Mama Nature's favorite joke.

Mayflower & Chapin, Kitersurfed, Skunky, with Frank, Jamie.

Bass Hole & Center St. Marsh, SUP.







Picture- Jamie slow dancing with his kite.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Bring it all

I bring it all- windsurfing gear, kiting gear, landboard, extension ladder

I wanted to go to Horseneck with Jean to get a good pounding in the waves but I was supposed to meet someone at First Encounter to look at a kite. The friend with the kite never showed. I found out later that he went to Horseneck.

Well I had a nice session at FE anyway! I was getting sand blasted in the parking lot when I first got there. I did a few runs on a windsurfer, 3.5 sail on 85 liters, but the wind dropped as soon as I got on the water so I switched to a kite and launched at Hatch where there was more beach and less pavement. High tide had some jumpable chop and when the tide let out there were some nice slicks in between the sand bars. It's a fun spot but a long drive.

First Encounter, Kitesurfed, WSW, 15-30, 10M Bularoo/Surf 148, with Kristoff, Des, others.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Does Your Mind Wander During Sex?

Not if you're doing it right. Same thing with kiting, (and windsurfing, surfing, skiing, unicycling, playing soccer...). All of these activities demand your full attention.

A new study says-
-Our minds wander about 50% of the time.
-People are happier when their minds aren't wandering.
-The only activity in which no mind wandering occured for the subjects was sex.

I'll bet none of the subjects in the study were kitesurfers. If your mind wanders when you're kiting your screwed. Same as sex. Although with sex you're screwed either way. Is your mind wandering right now? Go have sex, (or kitesurf, windsurf, surf, ski, unicycle, play soccer).

Light Winds- I had a nice light wind session with Igor but I ripped a strap out of my Mad Cow on a bad landing. It's always something.

Chapin, Kitesurfed, NNE, 4-12, then 8-18, 15M Flysurfer/Mad Cow, with Igor, Andre, Colleen, Jeff, others.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Wave Lesson # 1

Never drop your kite in the waves- I edged a little too hard in the waves and my board slipped out. I went up and my kite went down. This is what the waves were waiting for. They ate my lines. I felt my bar go slack and watched in disbelief as my kite drifted away across the wind blown whitewater, in slow motion. "What did I do to deserve this?!" I thought.

Hungry Waves at Mayflower


Jason kited to it, like superman flying to the rescue, grabbed it just before it hit the dunes and houses. His girlfriend ran down the beach and held it until I was spit out onto the beach by the mushy waves. Flo was there too, swimming out to help me. It's nice to kite with friends! Some I hadn't even met until now.

2 bridle lines had snapped and 2 flying line were dangling from the kite where they had snapped. The lines remaining on my bar were a wild frizzy mess. I was pretty pissed that I couldn't go back out.

Flo's smallest kite was a 9M. He was grounded too. So we hit Plymouth on the way home for a flat water session on bigger kites, lighter wind. We got to kite into a fantastic sunset! The smooth water felt good. I had fed the waves enough for one day.

Mayflower, Kitesurfed, N, NNE, 20-35, 7M kite/Surf 148, with Flo, Frank, Jamie, Phil, Junior, Jason, others.
Plymouth-Nelson St, Kitesurfed, N, 10-25, 12M Varial Kite/Surf 148, with Flo, Air Temp 45 F.

Update- My kite did hit the dunes. Over 40 holes were patched by Rodrigo.