We all need to keep busy.
I used to be addicted to windsurfing. I started in the early 80's on Crosby Marina in Liverpool. Within a few years I was a 'wavehead' and spent as many weekends as possible in Rhosneigr, Angelsey. We used to stay at the best guest house in the world, The Bungalow, ran by the amazing Voula. Greek hospitality,friendship,mugs of tea, cake and enormous breakfasts (and endless chatter). The sailing was fantastic. Sadly, I've never been back since I left Liverpool in 1993.
The conditions can be pretty good on the IOW, but it's not as windy down here. Too many windless summer weekends disillusioned me, and I got bored of windsurfing. I suppose I needed a new challenge, and a new adrenaline rush.I was in Biscarosse, SW France in 1998 when I met a kitesurfing pioneer, with his tales of this incredible new sport.
When I got into kiting, it was such a buzz. There was nobody to show us how to do it, no videos, no one to copy and no shops.Tim West and myself got hold of some of the first Naish kiting equipment to be imported by Naish UK/Solent Sailboards.
We struggled to get upwind, the equipment was crude, and we were in constant danger of dying every time we went out. We were using two line kites with no ability to depower and no chickenloop. Scary.
The jumping element was totally exhilarating, and we were often out of control. The local beach is small, rock strewn and lies underneath a 30 foot cliff. Not a good idea. Now, we kite when it's sunny and the waves are up.
I used to be addicted to windsurfing. I started in the early 80's on Crosby Marina in Liverpool. Within a few years I was a 'wavehead' and spent as many weekends as possible in Rhosneigr, Angelsey. We used to stay at the best guest house in the world, The Bungalow, ran by the amazing Voula. Greek hospitality,friendship,mugs of tea, cake and enormous breakfasts (and endless chatter). The sailing was fantastic. Sadly, I've never been back since I left Liverpool in 1993.
The conditions can be pretty good on the IOW, but it's not as windy down here. Too many windless summer weekends disillusioned me, and I got bored of windsurfing. I suppose I needed a new challenge, and a new adrenaline rush.I was in Biscarosse, SW France in 1998 when I met a kitesurfing pioneer, with his tales of this incredible new sport.
When I got into kiting, it was such a buzz. There was nobody to show us how to do it, no videos, no one to copy and no shops.Tim West and myself got hold of some of the first Naish kiting equipment to be imported by Naish UK/Solent Sailboards.
We struggled to get upwind, the equipment was crude, and we were in constant danger of dying every time we went out. We were using two line kites with no ability to depower and no chickenloop. Scary.
The jumping element was totally exhilarating, and we were often out of control. The local beach is small, rock strewn and lies underneath a 30 foot cliff. Not a good idea. Now, we kite when it's sunny and the waves are up.
In the early days it was about surviving. We progressed to manic jumping, and then looping, flipping and rotating.
Now..... it's gone full circle and it's all about waveriding again. The kites have evolved to allow much quicker changes of direction with the ability to depower on the wave face. Bottom turns, off the lips and rollercoasters are back, and the twin tips have been replaced by fish-style surfboards with footstraps.
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