Deep Sunrise

Deep Hole again. What fun! Deep Hole, Kitesurfed, W, WSW, 10-22, 14M, 12M/Surfboard and Mako150, with Brad, Tom.

White Xmas

Deep Hole- Xmas session. There's plenty of white rolling in to get revelers into the holiday spirit. Photos- Brad celebrates the season in style. Camp Cronin- I go to Camp Cronin when the wind switches WNW. The access road is closed and the parking lot is full of rocks thanks to the restoration of the breakwater. Ten minute walk from the gate isn't enough to keep rif raf like me out. Beautiful day! Camp Cronin access road Camp Cronin parking lot buried under rock pile Deep Hole, Kitesurfed, W, 10-25, 12M Rally/Mako 150, with Brad. Camp Cronin, Kitesurfed, WNW, 10-25, 10M Rally/Mako150, solo.

Gnarly and Nice

I'm planning on taking it easy today because my pulled muscle isn't feeling so wonderful but I can't resist the chance to to try a new spot. Picture- Sandwich marsh gets completely covered at astronomical high tide. Town Neck Beach, Sandwich. Slicks in the marsh, friendly little waves at the mouth to the ocean, gnarly, lumber jack waves on the outside. You can get a lot of variety here in 1 run. I'm taking it easy. The lumber jack waves are big, fat and ugly. They're the kind of waves that make me feel small and inconsequential. Don't you love that feeling? I'm taking it easy. Overall this is a fun spot for a NNE wind with an astronomical high tide and a gale but I don't think it made my pulled muscle any better. It feels fine as long as I don't have to sit, stand, or walk. I'm glad I took it easy though. Town Neck Beach, Kitesurfed, NNE, 25-45? 6M (fully depowered) /Mako150, with Brad, Jay.

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.

The Gloves are Off

Warm session! No drysuit, no gloves. Seems strange kiting with naked hands. It's almost too easy to grip the bar. I guess I'll just have to adapt to the hardships of Summer kiting. I have fun circumnavigating Woodbridge Island at low tide. Almost no water in the channel but the slippery mud helps me get through. The slick in the lee of the island is like glass! Wind is gusty, completely dieing at times, but still a very fun session. Plum Island- Newburyport Harbor, Kitesurfed, W, WNW, 5-27, 12MRally/Flx138, with 1 other (on a Flysurfer).

Love and the New Cut

It's so beautiful out here! I start at Hardings, kite upwind, around Monomy Island, and out thru the newest cut in South Beach. I'm playing in the tiny liquid glass waves rolling in over the sandbars. I go in one cut and out the other, then back again. The dunes, made of fine windswept sand, are constantly shape shifting. Their smooth white curves recall a sunbathing woman reposing in the nude. I'm in love. Nature is coy. She plays tricks on us poor kiters. She teases and taunts. But not today. Today she's stretched out in the dunes, blowing us a kiss. This is nature at her best. Harding's/Monomoy, Kitesurfed, WSW, 15-37, 8M Rally/Mako150, with Keith, Des, Luke, Eric, Others. Picture- Eric working on his strapless jumps at Harding's Beach.

Roman Candle

Romain, from Canada, Lit up Chapin Beach today even though the wind was light. It's inspiring watching what this guy does with a kite! He uses it like an anti-gravity machine. I also do a downwinder to Sandy Neck parking lot, take a taxi back. I've been wanting to try this for awhile. The taxi idea opens up a lot of possibilities! It's all about that feeling of freedom. Chapin, Kitesurfed, 6-18, N, NNE, NE, 12M Rally/ Mako150, with Romain, Fariz, Noel. Downwinder, Chapin to Sandy Neck, 17M Fat Lady/ Flx 138, Solo. Click on picture to see full size.

Big Kite, Little Wind

This is not an adrenaline session. Josh, Matt and I make the most of what little scraps of wind we can find. At least we get some beautiful Spring sunshine to whet our appetites for the warm season coming up.  Revere, Kitesurfed, NE, E, 8-13, 17M Fat Lady/Mako King, with Josh, Matt.

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.