Busted Board, Bar, and Butt

I busted my board, cracked the chicken loop on my bar, and repulled the butt muscle that I pulled last Sunday playing neighborhood football with Ben. Other than that it was a great session. Busted Board and Chicken Loop Don't worry. I'm not going to post a picture of my butt. Horseneck, Kitesurfed, SSW, 15-22, 12M Rally/ Mako 150, with Jean, Brian, Christophe, Bill, Peter L, Paul. Bottom Photo- The morning sun smiles on Peter L.

Blinded by the Wind

I'm walking down the path to the beach with me eyes closed. It's fun. And it keeps my corneas from being scoured by projectile sand. If I can make it to the water without being blinded, I'll be able to kite. I'm happy because flying sand is a good sign. I think there might be enough wind for a session. Horseneck Beach, Kitesurfed, SW, 25-35, 8M Rally/Mako150, with Peter, Bill, Dylan, Jamie, Tom. Photo- Bill says hi

Ignorance is Bliss

According to most forecasts, a session wasn't going to happen today. I'm glad I didn't listen. Horseneck, Kitesurfed, WSW, 12-18, 14M Rally/Mako 150, Mako King, Solo.

Winter Light

Temperature barely above freezing, wet snow falling, wind blowing a gale. Perfect day to go kiting. Oh yeah. When the clouds start to lift there is a stormy light show. Photos- Diehard Dylan kites until the last color drains from the sky. Wingaersgheek Beach, Kitesurfed, NW, 15-35?, 6M Rally/Mako150, with Dylan, Jay, Jean, Joe, others.

Coming Home to Chappy

Peter T riding on the winds of time Chappy. In prehistoric times, I used to windsurf here. It was mostly a quiet spot with just a few of us poleboarders plying the Buzzards Bay waves. Today it's a gumbo of local kiters, windsurfers, surfers, and 1 bikini clad swimmer with an immunity to hypothermia. Time and technology march on but wind and waves sing an ancient song. Chappy, Kitesurfed, NNW, 20-30, 8M Rally/Mako 150, with Peter T, Paul M, others.

TD-11

ThrowDown11 kite weekend brought good wind, bad forecasts, rain and sun. It also brought the Mass kiting community together to raise $5000 for the Dana Farber Breast Cancer Center and to have some good wholesome fun on and off the water. Thanks to all the organizers for putting on a stellar event.  Sleeping Beneath the Boards My favorite moment- Chapin Beach parking lot. Waking up in my sleeping bag Sunday morning before the sun is fully up, looking out of the window of my truck to see if it's windy, seeing a kiter walking by loaded with gear on his way to the beach. It's on! I love kiting before breakfast.

Well Suited

Fall is here. Wind is back. Summer doldrums are nothing but a very bad, no good, terrible memory. I've had a few sessions since August- Hardings, Nahant, Duxbury, Yirrell, West Island, Horseneck. But there are more skunks in that list than I'd like to believe. All it takes to make a kiter look forward to the Winter is having a new drysuit arrive in the mail! Kokatat. I'm going to put their lifetime guarantee to the test.

Summer Drought

It's mid summer and the winds in this neck of the world have mostly dried up. Lots of people I know are having sever withdrawal symptoms. It's a sad thing to see. But it only takes one windy weekend day to bring relief and restore hope for so many! Or at least for me. Hardings, Kitesurfed, WSW, 15-22, 10M Rally/Mako150, with Peter, Others.

Work, Work, Work, Work, Work, Work, Play

If your schedule is 99% work, 1% play, like mine, you a need a fast acting, concentrated recreational activity. It should be quick, reliable and effective to maximize the return on your play time. Kitesurfing! It's like a mini vacation every time. Summer beach scene. Yeah, this is definitely not a scene I'd see at work. Hardings, Kitesurfed, SSW, 14-20, 12M Rally/Mako 150, with Frank, Andrey, Colleen, Chriz, Sam, Denn, Others.

Kiting in a Bottle

Some day scientists will develop a pill that captures the kiting experience...  To live life to the fullest take BOOST- 5 Hour Kitesurfing. But until then I'll have to do it the old fashioned way. By actually kitesurfing. Pic- A big crowd doing it the old fashioned way at Chapin, out on the sand bar at low tide. Chapin Beach, Kitesurfed, NW, 12-22, 14M Rally/Mako150, With Andrey, Colleen, Chriz, Chris, John, Noel, Jermy, Jean, Tom, Eugene, Ivan, Lotsa others.

Not Telling

I can neither confirm nor deny the rumor that there was wind at Revere this afternoon and evening.  All I can say is Yee Haw!   Revere, Kitesurfed, S, 12-22, 14M Rally/Mako 150, with Donny, Andrey, Colleen, Sam, Others. Top Photo- Colleen jumps over the camera with a smile. Bottom Photo- Andrey captured in a painting by Van Gough.

Nice Doggy

Dog Beach- Everyone knows the mean dog. Gusty, scrappy, will bite you if you give it half a chance. Today we have the friendly dog. Steady wind, perfect tide, sunny, warm. But only for 1 hour. Then the old dog comes back. 1 hour is enough for a round of smiles for those that got here early enough. Dog Beach, Kitesurfed, 12-24, NW, 14M Rally/Flx 138, with Dylan, Frank, Jamie, Andrey, Colleen, Tom, Others.

Outer Elbow Downwinder

Downwinder. Nauset Beach to Chatham Light. We're out in the middle of nowhere when Jeff's kite springs a leak. Bad luck! He gets a ride back to the starting point from a saintly fisherman in a 4x4. Good luck. Otherwise a great trip, total 8 miles, 3 to 4 hours, lotsa waves- biggest were about head high. We ended our trip at, "The Cut", one of my ol favorite windsurfing spots. Photo- The Cut, head high waves on the outside, slicks on the inside, Great Whites in between.  Kitesurfed, 15-30, NNE,10M Rally/Mako150, with Brad, Walter, Jeff, Peter.

Kiting in the Gene Pool

Barnstable Harbor, Sandy Neck, Chapin. I put a few miles under my board today. Kiting has a way of bringing out my wanderlust. It's not my fault though. This kinda stuff runs deep in my family. I can't be held responsible for this. I blame it on my genes. Barnstable Harbor, Kitesurfed, NNE, NE, N, 10-20, Rally12M/Mako150, Solo.

Live to Kite Another Day

Conditions are just right for a session in the mouth of the Merrimack River. Yee haw! Then they aren't. The wind shuts off. I have a healthy swim. Salisbury/Newburyport, Kitesurfed, SSE, 10-20, 12M Rally/Flx138, Solo.   My consolation prize is a sunset session at Horseneck. I lose my prescription sunglasses in the mouth of a predatory wave. It spits me out and my sunglasses are gone. Damn! I go in and get my other glasses. After my session, when I reach up to take off my wetsuit, there's my sunglasses. They were hanging around my neck the whole time! Hah, they live to kite another day! We both do. Horseneck, Kitesurfed, SSW, 15-25, 12M Rally/Mako150, Solo.