The Jaws of a Dismal Forecast

The forecast was for 10-16 MPH dropping off around 8:00 or 9:00 AM with rain coming in, temp in the low 50's. I knew there wasn't going to be a crowd at the beach. I set my alarm for 6:00, woke up from a windsurfing dream at 5:00, was at the beach just after 6:30. It was just me, a few dog walkers and a sunrise that wouldn't quit. The wind was perfect, 15-25. The sunrise that keeps on giving Around mid morning, instead of dieing, the wind began to build a little. So much for forecasts. There was some light rain. Kiters and windsurfers kept showing up and we had about 10-15 on the water, more on the beach. It was fun to see Frank, Chris and all the others. At 2:00 I was done and packed up. everyone else was gone. The sun was out. I should have felt exhausted from the long session, all those botched jumps, body drags and swims, but I just felt relaxed, happy, and recharged. It was such a good session, pulled out of the jaws of a dismal forecast. W Dennis, Kitesurfed, WSW, 15-25, 12M kite/152 ply board, Frank, Chris, Gregor, Sammy, Colleen, Andre, Kristoff, others.

Kiting- Toeside Torture

I was more underpowered than powered today but I had a great time because I was trying a surfboard and having beginners luck with some new moves. Compared to a windsurfer this thing is tiny New Moves- my first time riding a surfboard, riding strapless, carving to toeside and back to front, riding toeside, waterstarting toeside. I was also good at crashing while doing all of the above but I don't particularly want to remember that part. Pretzel Logic- Of all of the new tricks for an old fart, it was riding toeside that felt the strangest. It was very confusing. I was backwards, standing on my toes, facing the wrong way, my body twisted up like a pretzel, and hiked out over the water with all my weight on the kite and nothing on the board. One little twitch and I was going to explode into a crash, which I did but not all the time. This was great fun. How do you like the surfboard? Nice of you to ask. I dunno. It took me out of a comfort zone that I didn't know I had. I've been told that kite surfboards feel a lot like a windsurfer so I expected a gliding feeling but it seemed to plow more than that. I tried putting my feet just in front of the straps to get the board to flatten out but I think it just rides like that. It's pretty small. This baby does great in waves though! There is no way that nose is going to pearl. Make a Surfboard? My idea with the surfboard was to try it and, if I like it, make one as close as possible to the original. I'm sure I'm way overestimating my surfboard building potential but maybe I'll have more beginners luck. Chapin, Kitesurfed, 8-18, NNW, N, 12 M Kite/6'x19" surfboard, Nehal, Ken, Ilya, Greg, others.

Horseneck- Round Pegs and Square Pegs

Horseneck, Jean stares down a wave How to Stand Out in a Crowd of Kiters? Windsurf. I didn't want to sail by myself at the state beach so I crashed the kite party at the town beach with my windsurfing gear. I only knew 1 kiter there, Jean. Everyone else probably saw me as a hostile intruder but they were friendly. I knew I couldn't kite in these conditions. I saw one kite blowing away downwind thru the waves, detached from it's owner, and I thought that would be me. Besides, the wavesailing was nice! I'm a round peg and a square peg. Good waves and gusty wind made for an intense session- You get a ride and feel great, a lull hits at the wrong time and you get knocked down like a bowling pin, the set passes, you get clear and drain your head, you do it again. Horseneck Town Beach, Windsurfed, 10-30, W to WNW, 7' waves, 5.2/Acid94, Jean, Hepp & Others. Bottom Picture- Chris.

Windsurfing and Kiting at the Same Time

Josh windsurfed, I kited. My genetic material was doing both sports at the same time. This put a smile on the face of my genes. It was a smiley kinda day- sunny & beautiful, 50's, windy enough. The Cove- was good for us beginners except for about 2 or 3 hours at dead high tide when it was too deep to stand and recovering from crashes was harder. The wind was offshore and gusty but not too bad. Fogland Cove, Kitesurfed, 10-20, SSE, 12M /152 Ply Board, Josh Windsurfed 6.2/ Carve 123, with Igor, Davide, 1 other. Picture- Josh on cruise control.