The Smell of a Kiter

I notice when I'm putting on my wetsuit that Hatteras seems to have done it some good. I guess getting wet every day for a week brings out the best in a wetsuit. It's slimy, smelly, and it feels a little thicker, warmer. It's like wearing a petri dish of live bacteria. Don't you love that fishy aroma!? It just makes me want to sing... Ooooh that smell / Can't you smell that smell  Ooooh that smell / The smell of death surrounds you -Lynyrd Skynyrd In spite of my stench, I have a lot of fun at Chapin, kiting the vast outer sandbars at sunset. It quiets the longings in men's souls.   Chapin, Kitesurfed, 10-20, WNW, NW, NNW, 14M Rally/Flx138, Mako150, Plywood Skimmy, with Brad, Flo, Chris L, Steve, Marcello, others.

In the Company of Rocks

It's windy. Hah! They didn't forecast this. Where to kite? Revere? Where all my friends are? Or Deer Island, where the wind is 5MPH stronger but I'm often on my own. Hard choice. I go with the solo session. Wind trumps everything else. In the end, I'm glad my friends aren't here. They don't get to see me bobbing around like a discarded cork when the wind dies and strands me over at The Five Sisters. The only ones who get to snicker at my floundering are a few dog walkers and 1 little boy who runs down to the water's edge to inform me that my kite is really big. The long walk back across the fist size stones makes my plantar fasciitis thrive. All in all, a great day. Not expecting any wind makes any lame session seem like a fabulous adventure. Yirrell Beach, Kitesurfed, ESE, 12-22, 14M Rally/ Mako King, Solo.

A Public Service Announcement

Early onset lunacy. You, or someone you know may have this disease. Do you know the symptoms? -Complete obsession with ______. You fill in the blank. -Avoidance of showering, eating, peeing. Takes too long. -Drooling and speaking in broken sentences when excited. -Getting up in the middle of the night to start the day because can't wait. -Keeping a blog about lunacy. This is a disorder that is treatable! Most sufferers of this degenerative disease don't recognize or acknowledge that they are ill. Early diagnosis and treatment leads to the best outcome.  Be honest. Tell yourself or your loved one to get help. I don't know anyone with this disease but if I did I would tell them to straighten up and fly right. I certainly don't have it! Not me. Chris, flying right. P bay, Kitesurfed, SSW, 20-30, 14M Rally/Flx 138, with Chris L, John, Kristof, Alex, Others.

On the Ninth Day of Hatteras

I say goodbye to Kite Mecca with a short oceanside downwinder. It's back to perfect side shore wind, NNE. This is the best riding of the whole week! The waves are nice, friendly trolls. Smaller than yesterday but still overhead, easy, fun. Goodbye Hatt! I camp on Chincoteague Island. I'm thinking about kiting at Tom's Cove, Assateague Island, but I'm running out of light, decide it isn't worth it. I throw my camera in my bike bag and take a sunset ride around Assateague. When I crawl into my sleeping bag, in the back of my truck, I'm happy, contented. It's been a great vacation of listening to my heart, exploring, and following the call of the wind and waves. It may take a few days to get the fine sand out of the folds in my brain. Hatt Downwinder, NNE, 15-35, 8M RPM/Mako150, Solo.  Picture- Baby Blue Heron strutting it's stuff on Assateague.

On the Eighth Day of Hatteras

Another oceanside downwwinder. Today the conditions aren't so easy. Side on wind, big shorebreak, waves breaking out as far as you can see, gusty, fully depowered on my 8M kite. I'm glad to have Denn's company on this one. I'm on the edge of my comfort zone. The waves are lumbering trolls. Some are friendly. Some are not. I ride way out, getting lost in the deep valleys of the troughs. There's really no place they aren't breaking. I'm not taking my eyes off of them for  a second. I'm cautious for the first mile or so. I don't drop into anything. Then, I look for smaller ones to ride. Finally I start to loosen up and ride some waves. Oh yeah! Scary fun. It seems like I'm just starting to get into the zone when we're at the endpoint. Frank walks over the dunes at Kite Point just in time to help us pack up and give us a ride back. Thanks! Later, Denn says that he thinks the wave height on the outside was 20'. I can't tell if he's joking. He must be. I do know that I had to pay attention to the angle of my kite when I was down in the troughs. It felt like I could easily loose my wind or snag a line in a lip if I let the kite get too low. I've never felt that before. Tired muscles! It's not a question of which muscles are tired. They all are. It's just a matter of degrees. Hatt Downwider, Kitesurfed, NE 15-35, 8M RPM/Mako150, with Denn Picture- Frank sets the water on fire.

On the Seventh Day of Hatteras

Oceanside downwinder. Soundside downwinder. This is what Hatteras is all about. The ocean is great! After 6 days of NE wind, the waves are showing some spunk but the perfect sideshore wind, NNE, makes the kiting easy.  I kite in front of the house for awhile. If you stay in one place you get to see all the other downwinder traffic blowing thru. One minute I'm kiting by myself. Then I see kites approaching. Suddenly other kiters are all around me, like a pod of dolphins frolicking in the waves. Then they're gone downwind, and the next group approaches. So fun! Just another day in beach bum paradise. Tired muscles. Hatt Downwinders, Kitesurfed, NNE, 15-30, 10M Rally/Mako150, Solo.

On the Sixth Day of Hatteras

Downwinder from Mikes house in Frisco, near Frisco woods campground, to Frisco washout. Strong wind. Denn and I are the only ones who enjoy this downwinder. The other guys are too overpowered on their 12 meter kites. I tenderize a rib on a bad 720. I'm buying an impact vest tomorrow. And a big bottle of Advil. Beautiful sunset session. Our crew is the last to leave the beach. Tired muscles. Hatt Downwinder, Kitesurfed, NE, 15-30, 10M Rally/Mako150, With Denn, Yuly, Alex, Paul. Picture- Yuly carving hard