Don't Tangle With a Kiter

I'm at Hardings beach, laying out my lines. An elderly man approaches and asks in an earnest voice, "are you insane"? he looks at me quizzically. I don't tell him that this sunny, warm day feels tropical to me after kiting all Winter. "Some people say I am," I reply, "but I'm happy." That seems to satisfy him. He walks off right through my gear, getting himself completely tangled up in my lines. 2 Sessions -First Encounter, Kitesurfed, WNW, 8-22, 12M Rally/Flx 138, with Charlie, others. -Hardings/Ridgevale/Monomoy, Kitesurfed, SW, 13-23, 10M Rally/Mako150, with Keith, Lisa, others. Picture- Ridgevale Beach Slick

A Magic trick in the Newburyport Breakwater

It's a snotty, rainy, gusty day. We're kiting inside the Newburyport Breakwater, offshore wind, fierce outgoing tide. I've never kitehammered my kite hard enough to pop a valve. I decided this was a good time to start. It's a few runs after the kitehammer when my kite starts to flutter like a wounded bird and it occurs to me that something might be wrong with it. My wounded bird hits the water belly up. Before I have time to swear more than 10 or 20 times, Jay materializes out of thin air and pulls me to shore. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Jay the Joker. Thanks Jay! I didn't feel like visiting China today. Nor did I feel like releasing my kite and watching it float out to sea although I would have. You pulled a rabbit out of your hat by getting to me before the outgoing tide could flush me out into the great gray yonder. After the excitement, I take a few cautious runs on Brad's 6M kite, then finish off the day on my 8m in Hampton Harbor. Some days you tame the wind. Some days the wind tames you. I'll be back though. Note- Hampton Inlet is best in NW, W, too gusty in SW, S, N. East winds are best on oceanside. Salisbury State Park/Newburyport breakwater, N, 15-35, 6M RPM/Mako 150, with Jay, Brad, Christophe, Jim. Hampton Harbor/Harborside Park, 10-25, 8M Rally/Flx 138, Solo. Top Pic- Boostin' Brad  Bottom Pics- Jay the Joker

Going Downhill Fast

Sunday River- It's 29 F., snowing. The skiing is great. The hot tub is bubbling. Life is good. I hear it was 60 F., sunny in Boston today, 30 degrees warmer than here. I'll bet one or two kiters I know got out on the water. After this snowy weekend, I'm feeling acclimated to Winter. It's going to be sad to see it coming to an end. I guess I'll just have to adapt. Sunday River, Ski Weekend, With Al, Josh, Mom. Photo- Al, Josh

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Lose

The minute I step into the water to kite I know there's something wrong. My right foot gets cold immediately. Uh oh! I know that feeling. That's the feeling of water leaking into a drysuit bootie. But it must be a slow leak cause I start kiting and I don't get hypothermia and die. In fact I have a fine session. It's a solo session cause I got here late and everybody packed up when they saw me starting. When I peel off my drysuit at the end of the day I have a surprise. There's no leak. My left foot has 2 wool socks like always. My right foot has 2 cotton socks. It's tough growing old and losing your mind. Apparently, I can't even dress my self anymore. No wonder nobody wants to kite with me. A kiter without a mind is a hazard to everybody. I'm relieved and happy though. It's much better to lose your mind than to have a hole in your drysuit bootie. West Dennis, Kitesurfed, 10-20, SW, 12M Rally/Flx138 & 6' Surfboard, Solo.

The Winter of My Discontent

The problem with this Winter hasn't been the cold. Kiters know know how to deal with cold, mostly. It hasn't been the storms. It's been light winds. We've had way too many light wind weekends! If this is the wind we're getting during our windy season I don't want to see what we get in the light wind season. The wind forecasts will have negative numbers. In spite of another dismal wind forecast a few of us desperadoes got a windy morning in the Chapin pools. The sun was shining, wind was on, sky was blue, water was turquoise, smiles were big! Chapin, Kitesurfed, NNW, 12-22, 14M Rally/Flx138, with Frank, Andrey, Colleen, Chriz, Sam, Brad, Shane, Kitermike.  Photos:     Top- Colleen     2nd- Frank     3rd- Andrey     4th- Chriz

The Iceman Cometh

West Dennis- The pond is gone! Somebody stole the pond. In its place is a skating rink. Ice, where we were going to kite. I've had just about enough of this Winter's little tricks. O.K., high tide breaks the ice into bite size pieces, wind blows it to the far side, we kite. When I get near the edge of the pond, where there is still some ice, I slice through it with my board cutting hard into the flow and making channels. That's what I think of ice on West Dennis Pond. Photo- A playful seal pup on West Dennis Beach looks like a kindred spirit. West Dennis, Kitesurfed, SSW, 10-17, 14M Rally/ Mako150 & Surfboard, with Frank, Andrey, Colleen, Sam, Barak, Noel.

Back in the Horseneck Saddle

I can't remember the last time I kited. It's been at least 3 or 4 decades. It's amazing how out of shape you can get in just 3 or 4 decades. My arms and legs have lost their superb manly toning. My brain has atrophied. But I still know how to fly a kite. And my losing-my-board skills are just as good as ever! I have a very nice swim and recon for my board as a welcome back. Ahhh, it's good to be kiting again. Horseneck, Kitesurfed, SW, 10-25, 12M Rally/Mako 150, with Skyrocket. Photos- Skyrocket being skyrocket. Click on pics for full size.

Birds of a Feather.

It's stormy, rainy, windy, snowing in Boston. A good day to be at the beach. The main attraction at West Dennis is a Snowy Owl that's snoozing in the dunes. Everybody's so excited to see him. He seems bored. I take some photos, paying my respects from one bird of prey to another.  Then I put up a kite, spread my wings, and set off across the water looking for what I need to sustain myself. West Dennis, Kitesurfed, 16-24, SE, SSE, 14M & 10M Rally, With Frank, Andrey, Colleen, Chriz, Sam.

Beware the Wobbling Wind

The wind is supposed to be W but it's wobbling NW. Horseneck W good. Horseneck WNW doable. Horseneck NW bad. I tell Brad I'm going to check it out. Brad tells me he's impressed with my optimism, (code word for stupidity). Yeah, that's me. One of my biggest strengths is my poor grasp of reality. Brad pulls into the parking lot right after me. Waves are big!! Wind is 5 to 30, swinging between WNW and NW. Bill is here too. He goes out on a 10M kite but can't fly it thru the lulls. Brad and I head to Mayflower, where most people went to start with. It's fun, good session, but I miss that Horseneck foam. The Mayflower foam doesn't pack the same punch. Someone's watered down the bottle. Mayflower, Kitesurfed, NW, WNW, 15-25, 12M Rally/ Mako150, with Brad, Chris, John, Alex.  Picture- Bill gets his feet wet at Horseneck.

I'm Dreaming of a White Horseneck

I love the Horseneck foam. It's delicious. After a good set of waves goes through, the water is covered with a fluffy blanket of white. It's like kiting in a huge beer mug with a good head of hops. I like to crash so I can get a mouthful. I had some swigs today. Oh yeah, I was feeling pretty good. No worries, no cares. The only thing on my mind was wind, waves, and where that next slug of happy juice was going to come from. But I'll pay for it tomorrow. Do I need to go to Horseneckaholics Anonymous? Horseneck Beach, Kitesurfed, SSW, 16-28, 10M Rally/Mako150, with Walter, Brad, Alex, Peter, Jay, Bill, Dylan, Others.

It's Only Stupid if You Die

The Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year. It's always windy on the shortest day of the year. It's compensation for being such a dark miserable day. This particular Winter Solstice is also warm, with hazy sunshine. A perfect day for kiting deep into the First Encounter marsh. I love the Winter solstice. I'm having fun popping little jumps over a corner of the marsh grass and landing on the other side. This is great. It makes me feel like I know a little about jumping. Then I see Brad doing it. Brad knows jumping. Chris L and I watch as Brad comes in fast, jumps an island, maybe 50 to 100 feet wide, and lands in a tiny channel on the other side. A perfect 10 of a jump. Then he disappears downwind winding thru the long channel that goes nowhere. Who was that masked man? Later Brad says that his island jump was probably a stupid move. It was a bigger hunk of real estate than he thought. Well it's only stupid if you die. Then we have to dig a shallow grave and bury your body at the place of impact with a marker that says Stupid Kiter. If you live, you're a hero and all the other gunslingers will come from all over the country to test themselves against you. Certainly all the local quickdraws are going to want to prove that they can do it. Mostly to keep Brad from getting a big head. The marsh may soon be littered with dead bodies. But don't look at me. I'll stick with my cautious little jumps around the edges. I may be stupid but I'm not crazy. First Encounter, Kitesurfed, SW, SSW, 15-30, 12M Rally/Mako150 and skimboard, with Brad, Chris L, John L, Walter, Jeff, Peter, Alex. Temp 52F.

This aint no Foolin Around

So it's not winter yet. So I spend the morning shoveling my truck out of frozen snow and slush to go kiting. And my wiper blade brakes off on a hunk of ice when I'm getting on the highway, making it kinda hard to see the snow plows I'm stuck behind. So it's 51 F. on the Cape when I'm home shoveling but it drops to the 30's by the time I start kiting, upper 20's by the end of my session. So what? This is way too important to let a few minor inconveniences get in the way. This aint no party. This aint no disco. This is kitesurfing. Chapin/Mayflower, Kitesurfed, WNW, 15-30, 8M RPM & 12M Rally/ Lotsa boards, with Brad, Frank, Kristoff, Chris L, John L, Phil, Noel.

Don't Let the Wind Push You Around

The wind likes to play tricks. Don't be afraid of it. Be firm. Make the wind respect you. It's been strong all day. A few of us kite the Chapin pools, the Mayflower waves, then into the Bass Hole marsh. Colleen and I are pretty far in, heading out, when the wind decides to take a nap. The incoming tide doesn't. There is some swim time, some messing with kites on the bank time. Colleen's hot launch on the muddy bank shoots her across the slick surface like she's a rocket on skates, really funny. At least I think so. I'm sure the wind is enjoying this. We're not deterred. We end up kiting out through the marsh grass on the far side of the boardwalk, high tide treat. Hah! Take that wind. You thought you could outsmart us but not this time. We showed you who's boss. I hope the wind learns something from this little episode. I celebrate our victory with a solo sunset session on my surfboard at Mayflower. How did the days get so short? It must be another one of nature's tricks. Chapin/Mayflower, Kitesurfed, NNW, 15-25, 14M Rally/Mako150, 6' surfboard, with Frank, Andrey, Colleen, Chriz, Brad. Temp 41F.

Making Change

I embrace change. Change is good. I kite West Dennis ocean side, pond side, then over to South Village ocean side, pond side, then back to W Dennis. Dead high tide, mid tide, dead low. I use my surfboard, my Mako, my Flx, my Sawed Off Board. The wind is mostly light and shifty but it's just strong enough to have fun. Why so many changes in gear and location? It keeps it interesting. No moss is gonna grow on this kiter. Picture- Kristof playing in the pond. Click for full size. West Dennis, Kitesurfed, SE, ESE, 10-16, 14M Rally/6'Surfboard,Mako150,Flx138,SawedOff83, with Kristof, Frank, Jamie, Andrey, Colleen, Chris L, Peter, Shane, Noel, Ivan.

Test Pilot

Chapin- Nice day! Sunny, crisp, windy. I use my twin tip, my surfboard, and my fantastic new experimental piece-a-junk board. It's a long narrow antique kiteboard that has been carefully re-engineered to look and perform just like a modern, hi tech ride. I hacked off all the excess board on either side of the footstraps. New size is 83 x 40. No fins. I can't believe this pie plate works! It's fun. Like kiting with nothing on my feet except straps. It's especially fun when I let my weight get a tiny bit forward on the board. I take an invigorating ride over the handlebars. Maybe I should change the name of this blog to Stupid Shit with Kites. Kerri's idea- Thanks for that. Chapin/Mayflower, Kitesurfed, NW, 12-25, 10M Rally/ Mako,Surfboard,Pie Plate, with Frank, Andrey, Chriz, Sandie, Kerri, George, Brian, Brad, Ed, others.