Little Frank, Big Jamie

The wind didn't fill in until just before sunset so I squeezed every last drop of fun out of a brief dusk session. Packed my kite up in my headlights. Picture- Big Jamie about to squish Little Frank because Little Frank can kite in 10MPH. Frank was O.K. I talked Jamie down. W Dennis Beach, Kitesurfed, S, 11-19, 17M Zephyr/Mako King, with Little Frank, Big Jamie.

Deep Hole

Deep Hole launch at low tide I was a teenager the first time I went to Deep Hole. My older brother, Greg, was giving me surfing tips. "How do you avoid the rocks that are just under the surface?" I wanted to know. My brother impatiently replied, "they're easier to see when you're standing up on the board and riding down the wave at them". That didn't really answer my question. I rediscovered Deep Hole for windsurfing when I was in my 40's, trying to recapture some of that teenage bravado that I never really had. I had my best wavesailing days here. Now I'm in my 50's. I fart a lot and have hair growing out of my ears. It takes bravado to look in the mirror. But I forget all that when I'm on the water. And wave spots like Deep Hole require more focus and commitment, which makes forgetting easier. So I've been waiting for my kitesurfing to catch up to my windsurfing. I wanted to kite here when I was experienced enough to avoid endangering rescue personnel. I'm there, mostly. How was it? The launch is meaner looking for a kite than a windsurfer, but it's fine as long as there is someone there to assist, still sketchy at dead high tide. The kiting was fun! Easy waves today, didn't hit any rocks, farted some and still had hair growing out of my ears but it completely didn't matter. I loved it. Deep Hole, Kitesurfed, WSW, 17-30, 10M Rally/Mako 150, with Mitch, Steve, Chris E, Sergey, others.

Small waves, big crashes

Johnny D Horsing it up Horseneck- Waves weren't big enough to be scary. It didn't keep me from getting knocked around though. I can't figure out how to do a fast enough bottom turn to shoot up the wave vertically, hit the lip just as it's breaking, but I am figuring out how to go over the falls and have some really fun crashes. My Rally 10M feels so good on the waves. I can make all the stupid wave mistakes possible and that kite will just sit up in the air, lines completely slack, patiently waiting for me to smarten up and fly right. I think it will give me the confidence I need to get in some real trouble when the waves are big. I'm looking forward to it. Horseneck, Kitesurfed, SSW, 15-25, Rally10/Mako150, With Walter, Jean, Johnny D, Tim, Paul, Others.

Another day, another downwinder

Prepping for adventure

This was a partial rerun of last weekends downwinder but in reverse, with a deeper tide, and a bigger crew. Same beautiful coast. Same fun.

We didn't get the tidal pools and speed trenches of last time cause the tide was high to mid. It was more about wave riding and bashing with an ever changing line up of different wave angles, shapes, and sizes. I bashed some waves. Some waves bashed me. I'll call it even.

Brian made the sacrifice of volunteering his car for the return run from Paine's Creek. We stuffed 5 dripping guys and all of our kite gear in his SUV, boards sticking out of windows and sun roof, elbows and knees digging into ribs. It's all fun and laughs until somebody farts. Sorry Brian. I hope the smell dissipates someday. Another great adventure! 6 miles. 2 1/2 hours.

Downwinder, Mayflower to Paine's Creek, WNW, W, 17-37, 10M Rally/Mako150, with Brad, Brian, Walter, Jean.

Eco Tourists

Beautiful Skaket Beach Brad, Gabe and I roll the dice that the wind will last long enough for us to do a downwinda from Skaket Beach to Chapin Beach, 10ish miles. It does, just barely. We are excited tourists, gawking at the sights we see along the way. Flocks of birds ascend like a cloud as we kite through miles of waist deep water. Waves are breaking 1 1/2 miles out on the edge of the flats. We thread the interlocking maze of tidal pools on the inside, finding slicks, speed trenches, and endless sand bars to face plant on. Brad has to be home early. He kites with us for awhile then strikes out ahead. Gabe and I explore the seascape, taking our time, alternating between waves and flats, whooping it up like we'd hit the lottery. About 2/3 of the way in, the wind goes light, making us kinda nervous. No more whooping. We book straight past Cold Storage Beach and Corporation Beach, making a beeline for our destination. I can see the Chapin kites in the air from miles away like a beacon guiding us home. We have to sine our kites to stay afloat. It's a relief to pull into Chapin, 3 1/2 hours after we started. We are happy tourists. We had our adventure and nobody got stranded, nobody got hurt. The only sacrifice made was my cellphone which was in a waterproof case that wasn't waterproof. Also, my memory got short circuited. I forgot about the AMC windsurfing potluck that Barbara an I were planning on attending, got home too late. Damn! This downwinder took me to a foriegn country. It took me too long to come back. Bottom Photo- Brad warming up for our journey. Downwinder, Skaket to Chapin, Kitesurfed, NNE, 8-24, 13M Octane/ Mako 150, with Gabe, Brad.