Saturday - KITED! I had my best day ever kiteboarding.
In the morning, it was a little lite but was able to ride some. And.... 12 meter on the WILD Board. I did try to kite using my Wild Board windsurfer as a floaty directional kiteboard. It was fun but will require some more work.
Then in the afternoon it cranked up a notch and we (PIP, Gary B and I) had a long session past Mirlo Beach. It was a S/SW wind which is perfect. We did a downwinder (going north from our house) to the super shallow water, about 1 to 2 feet max, and we had the place to ourselves with plenty of room to work on stuff. I'm working on my turns and sailing up wind. AND I was able to sail UPwind all the way back to the house where I finished the session with a big splash when I missed my final turn. Big Al flew his kite some and is working on his board riding but didnt do the downwind part. FUN FACTOR 9 of 10!
This kiting stuff really is fun. I think alot of it is the learning something brand new. Think back to when learning to windsurf and you planed for the first time, or when you finally made a jibe (kind of,) and how great that was. It's like that. And I think the learning curve is kind of like Windsurfing where it's not too hard to get the basics, but when you see the good kiters doing their fancy turns and getting major air, you know it's going to take awhile to get really good.
Hatteras is the perfect place to work on kiting and I do love this place!
Gene
Gene Mathis
Thanks for the reports. As you know, we plan to drive up to Nags Head on Saturday and look forward to a good time and possibly a day together on the water. If the wind is good, come join us. The next three days are forecast to be windy in Atlanta.
Barrett
Sunday - Kited again, lots of fun, making some progress on going upwind and turns. All three of us (Pip, Gary and Me) made it back up wind to where we started. Fun factor 8 of 10.
Monday - Started out stormy with no wind, then mid afternoon it started to pick up. I got in a short session Kiting and made a few turns, and then it cranked on up. I got the kite down on the water and had to walk it back a few hundred yards. Fun factor 8 fo 10.
Then finished off the afternoon on the 5.2 and 86 liter board, and this setup was actually alittle too big alot of the time. 10 out of 11 people in our house sailed which was really cool. Good time, 7 of 10.
Gene
Gene Mathis
Tuesday - See Monday. I'm not making this up. Kited a couple of hours around noon, then sailed 5.2 on 86 liter board the rest of the day. 8 of 10, LOVE THIS PLACE!
Gene
Gene Mathis
Wednesday - It's really going to look like I'm making this stuff up but ..
http://www.iwindsurf.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=110&geographicalAreaID=16&siteID=140&Isection=Last+7+Days
3.7 ON THE WILD BOARD. Gusts in the low 40s, pretty tuff sailing but fun. I am starting to get a little bit tired. Fun Factor 7 of 10 as it was tuff.
The guys coming next week better bring all their small sails as this has been the windiest trip I think I've ever been on. Must be some of the Energy Flux Transfer stuff. In a week in a half, I've had only one no wind day.
Love It!
Gene
Gene Mathis
Thursday - Had another fun session with the kite in the morning. then the wind started dropping and I RODE the Wild Board with the 12 meter kite. Actually rode it down the beach, pretty cool. The wind briefly tried to come back but then shifted to the east and shut on down.
Not much in the forecast for today (Friday) so I may head on home this afternoon, but what a GREAT 2 WEEKS, 3.7s, 5.2s, 6.0s, kite.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!
Gene
Gene Mathis