Blue Lagoon or Lagoon Blues?

The closest place to Cape Town where you can kite surf in warm water and get the "blue island style" feeling is on the lagoon at Langebaan. This is a very popular spot for kite surfing beginners as the water is nice and warm and when it is high tide then you can walk in knee-deep water for large distances making it easier to relaunch your kite or recover your board if you had to. This is also where I had my first two lessons, none of which went well. The third time I went there was without an instructor and with my recently purchased kite gear. That day I got dragged through the mud and eventually pulled my emergency release to prevent myself from getting dragged over driftwood en eventually over a fence. Ever since then my relationship with Langebaan Lagoon has not been a memorable one.

I eventually taught myself to Kite Surf at Dolphin Beach and I have always wanted to go back to Langebaan to spend a nice day on the lagoon kiting in warm flat water with no worries of sharks and blowing out into the ocean. As a matter of fact I was hoping of getting some nice pictures with my GoPro and possibly some of myself as well. My photographer unfortunately were running after my children so I had to depend on my GoPro footage alone. Two attempts to go to Langebaan after the mud dragging episode did not work out either. The first time the wind was too strong and the second time the wind never picked up as promised by Windguru. Driving out 110 kilometers only to turn around "empty handed" is not my idea of money and time well spent. Today was going to be the prefect day and my family was going with me, so I was rather excited. What I completely forgot was to check the tides. Low tide leaves you with not much water in the lagoon and taking into account fishing boats and the distance you have to walk to get to the water, it is actually better to face the cold water of the Atlantic than to arrive at the lagoon during low tide. With the full moon hanging around the last two days I could have had either the best day or another Langebaan disappointment. When I reached the lagoon I was in for the latter. Spring low and not much water to play on.

I first rigged up my 10. I walked all the way to the water's edge but soon realized that the wind was way too strong for a 10. Fighting my way back to where I left my family and the rest of my kit on drier sand, I changed over to my 7 kite. Pumping two kites in one day is already more than what I am usually prepared to do. I took my board with the GoPro secured and went for my session hoping to get some nice shots, despite everything that has been against me so far. Maybe I could revive my relationship this time.

As usual the water was nice and warm but as expected with not much room to move and in between some rather irritating fishing boats. My GoPro for some reason also did not want to stay up. I took about 20 pictures of my board and not much of myself. The foot clip of my GoPro also broke off and after making sure that I didn't lose my second GoPro in a year I decided enough is enough and packed up. For some reason I just cannot get the rewards that Langebaan Lagoon has given many kite surfers before. The place is beautiful and perfect for kite surfing, but for some reason for me it never works. I guess I will just stick to the cold water at Dolphin Beach and Kite Beach and leave the lagoon for the beginners and other more fortunate kite surfers out there.

Getting Airtime

I was fortunate to be at the Red Bull King of the Air competition which was held in Cape Town recently. The event which went into a dormant stage for 8 years because of the lack of sponsors was brought alive again by Red Bull. Choosing Cape Town as a venue cold probably not be matched easily. Most pro’s are “hibernating” in Cape Town during the “off” season in the northern hemisphere.  I guess most of the participants were not invited, they were here already. This also gave the opportunity for some locals to enter as “’wild cards”. Talent there is in South Africa, they just need a stage like they had at Big Bay. Well done to the Saffas who competed and did exceptionally well against some of the world’s best. 

The jumping was amazing. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for the photography. I realized that a photographer cannot be a spectator at the same time. I went early to get a nice spot with a good view over Big Bay. That is where I stood most of the time trying to get a good snap of some of the jumps. It wasn't long before I experienced the difficulties of taking action pics from one spot over a long distance. Apart from the fact that the distance was a bit more than what my lens could handle, focusing was also a problem. Secondly the backdrop of the ocean was also “interfering” with the outcome of the detail.  I have certainly not mastered the skill yet of capturing kite surfers from a distance. I guess in the end one has to decide what is more important; getting nice shots of the action or keeping your spot where you can view the action.

Whatever the outcome of the pictures, the day was still awesome. It is amazing to see what some guys are capable of doing with their kites. Maybe I should work on my own jumping skills and leave the photography to the people who know what they are doing. 

The Downwind Drop-out

I wasn't aiming for a spot under the first 10, for that I had too little experience and skill. My aim was just to finish. But it was not that simple...

The Langebaan Downwind Dash is an annual sailing event starting from Langebaan and ending after a 20 km slalom course in Saldanha. If my kite choice was correct and I didn't loose my board on the way...OR my way on the board, then finishing would be no problem. I was walking around the beach earlier in the day to see what size kites the guys were rigging up, but was still concerned that I might be over-powered on my 10 Cabrinha Switchblade. The wind prediction for late afternoon was quite strong and one never knows how strong the wind blows on the open sea. The option to take my 7 Nomad was scrapped when the event organizers announced that the race will start 30 minutes later than planned due to their "only problem for the day"....the lack of wind. 

When we lined up for the start I could already feel that even my 10 might not be able to get me smoothly to Saldanha. After I dropped my kite on the first leg of the course while trying everything in my power to get decent pull, I knew I was in for a tough race. Everyone was frantically throwing their kites up and down to get speed. After the first turn I eventually got momentum but still wondering if I should continue or terminate my attempt at the second turning point which is close to Mykonos Beach. 

The third leg was going quite well. I overtook a few wind surfers who obviously are more expensive on wind consumption than me. I realized that the next turning point was quite far so I decided not to look ahead, but to take it ripple by ripple just following the guy in front of me. At some point, just to make sure I was still heading in the right direction, I looked up and realised that someone must have switched off the fans ahead of me. Around the area where the iron ore jetty runs into the bay, kites were scattered all over the water surface. I realised that the wind must have dropped and it wasn't long after that when my kite also starting giving up instead of staying up. I slowly sunk back into the water and knew that all I need to do now was to keep my kite in the air and wait until the wind picks up again. I didn't want to sail into the "doldrums" and also end up with a kite on the water, so I decided to hang around where I was with the hope of getting wind again soon and watch when they start going again. I was about three and a half kilometres from shore. I knew that if did't get my kite in the air again I was going to drift downwind towards the iron ore jetty. My aim was to finish the race, not slowly collide with a protruding iron obstacle. All I could do was wait.

After a couple of minutes struggling to keep the kite up, my kite dropped to the sea surface like a red autumn leave. Unless the wind pick up considerably I knew I was NOT going to get it in the air again. With only my kite board for support and feeling that I cannot stay afloat any more I decided to reel myself in towards my kite so that I could at least hold on to my kite. This is the standard procedure for rescuing yourself in the event of a kite "failure" deep at sea. The next step is to start praying but I was not there yet. I wasn't too worried as the organisers promised at least 10 rescue boats and I was not the only one at that point with my kite in the water. From where I was floating I could see at least 10 more kites down. Only after a while my thoughts started wandering towards programs I have seen on National Geographic Wild and the shark cage diving I did a few months ago. The water was quite murky and I was sure that underneath me were spectators of a different kind checking out the Downwind Dash from a different angle and different reasons.

After spending about 30 minutes going nowhere other than closer to the jetty, a boat with a friendly couple came past and offered to help. At this time there were already 40+ kites in the water and no NSRI boats in sight. I got in, was offered a Heineken and started helping pulling out other drop-outs from the water. Funny though that they have all watched the same programs on National Geographic Wild and seemed to have had the same concerns I had.

In the end there were probably 90 or more kiters who did not make it to the finish line, including me of course, so I don't feel to ashamed for my "Downwind Drop-out". It was a big disappointment though, but I guess if your largest kite is a 10 and the wind stops blowing then it can be called "circumstances beyond my control". There were even size 14 kites that did not make it. All I can do now is wait for next year and try again. This time I am only entering if gale force winds are predicted.

Thanks to Mark And Alli who was so kind to rescue us. Mark is also a kite boarder who decided on the day to skip the race and do the boat thing because he had concerns about the lack of wind as well. In the end the boat ride back to shore was quite pleasurable as well. I might not have come back with a prize, but I do have a nice story to tell....

Securing your girlfriend

OK, so I have not mentioned that I lost my GoPro a couple of weeks ago. I used the head strap while kite surfing and despite tying my wetsuit's zipper-chord to the head strap the knot somehow came undone. A wave hit the camera and head strap off and it dropped in the water. Unfortunately before I went in I also removed the little spongie that is supposed to keep it afloat because it was preventing me from setting it at the right angle. The idea was to capture the kite surfing action and not the sea gulls so I had no choice. In the end I captured the sea bottom but unfortunately I will never be able to see that footage.  It felt like I've lost my girlfriend at sea. I was heartbroken because of my loss. To avoid falling into a deep depression I did what any other guy would do to heal a broken heart and got me another one.

I learned from my previous mistake and this time I made sure that I was not going to lose this one as well. So instead of using the head strap which is probably only good for capturing the chicks in front of you while doing a fun walk for a local charity cause, I decided to do a proper mount on my bmx/skateboard/paragliding helmet. Not only did I screw in the GoPro bracket instead of being content with the 3M adhesive tape, I also made sure that I have at least two tethers attached to the helmet. One made out of steel (wire leader for fishing) and the other of unbreakable nylon string used in rock climbing. As if that wasn't enough I connected a leash to the helmet which clips onto my harness, just in case I lose the helmet. I doubt whether I will lose the harness. I put the orange floating sponge back on and secured the waterproof casing clip with a piece of bicycle tube cut into the shape of a calamari ring. To make double sure the helmet will not go down as fast as the previous one, I cut a piece of my son's swimming noodle to size and attached that to the helmet as well...in bright green colour. To some it might look like an overkill but if you do not want to lose your girlfriend again you do just that; you spend the money and time, put various of rings on her finger and hope for the best. I think I have turned my ordinary helmet into more than just a GoPro carrying device. I think it can now be used as a life saving device as well, I just need to have it certified. This one might be for life.

So yesterday I went in again to see if I could capture my first kite surfing video with my GoPro and manage to bring the evidence ashore. The wind was around 10-12 knots so I just managed to get away on my 10 kite. There were no waves but the water was really an awesome colour. I managed to get this 8 minute video with absolutely NO action whatsoever on it. WARNING: If you don't have 8 minutes to waste in your life, don't watch this. I think the only person that will appreciate this is my mom, so this is for her.

Now I am waiting for better conditions and then I will work on my clip selection and editing.

Kite vs camera

I read the other day that kite boarding was considered to be an extreme sports. I've always wondered what the definition of extreme sports is. I guess when you can end your life with it, then it must be extreme, but I have heard of golfers getting struck by lightning. Does that make golf and extreme sport too?

Anyway, I was kiting again yesterday in 20 knots wind and after a few minutes in the water decided to get my camera again with the hope of getting better pictures than the previous time. I was in for a couple of minutes enjoy myself when I lost my board in a less than spectacular jump. In my effort to grab my board with my GoPro connected to it, I lost control of the kite and that hit the water head first, if you can call the leading edge the head. I was in the surf and I knew that my board was heading towards the beach and I was really worried that my camera would get damaged on the sand. The wind inflated my kite again but when I wanted to pull it up I realised there was something strange going on with my steering bar. I couldn't move it. With the kite now basically ready to take off, I couldn't steer the kite and eventually the kite started dragging me through the water while the waves were taking my board closer to shore. 

I tried to work out what was most expensive to lose, the kite or the camera. I realised that I was screwed either way. Either my GoPro was going to get smashed on the beach, or my kite was going to get smashed by the waves. What was worse was the fact that I couldn't untangle my bar and the kite was actually pulling me under the water. I struggled to keep my head up and realised that I can actually drown like this, which might be a bit more extreme than losing a camera. Gasping for air I tried to deploy my safety release but that didn't work either. Fortunately for me the waves were pushing me to shallower water and I finally managed to get my feet on the bottom. By this time my board was rolling around in the shallow surf. Extreme sports indeed.

Someone saves my board

After I managed to get out and get my kite under control, I realised what had happened to my steering bar. The end of the bar that is designed to act as a place to wind up your lines, got hooked inside the chicken loop. Because I couldn't see under the surface what the problem was, I didn't know how to solve it and get my bar straight so that I could launch the kite from the water again. As a matter of fact, even on the beach I struggled to get the whole tangle apart. In the meantime someone ran to fetch my board. 

Fortunately my camera was still intact and still taking pictures. When I had a look at the pictures later I saw that some pictures were actually blank. I guess that was when the camera was getting knocked on the sand. I was so exhausted after fighting the kite and the waves that I didn't bother going back for more pictures. I waited a while to get my breath back and spend another half an hour in the water without worrying about a camera. The pictures I got from the couple of minutes before I crashed were not as good as the previous ones, which btw was not good either. Next time I will try the camera on a safer place...like on my head.

Candid Camera

I was very fortunate to open my 2012/13 kite surfing season today with a very nice southeaster and an opportunity to try out my new GoPro camera. I have to admit that I was rather worried that the camera was going to fall off, so I wasn't too adventurous on my first session. As I see the camera staying put and I convince myself that it will not fall off, I will try and get better shots with more action.

When I mounted my camera on my board there were basic two options, on the left or on the right. I wasn't sure which side to choose, but considering which side I will be facing when wave riding and which side the sun comes from most of the times at Kite Beach, I opted for my right side. The angle was a bit of a problem as I could not see which angle would capture the best picture, so I just went with my gut feeling. I think I didn't do too bad on that. I can still use some of my other brackets to change the angle a bit if I have to. 

I had to laugh at myself because after 20 minutes in the water I thought I should have enough pictures by now. Then I realised that my setting was wrong again and that I only took one picture. After getting the setting right so that I could take a shot EVERY ten seconds and not only one AFTER ten seconds, I went back in. Here are seven of my 155 shots. Obviously most of them were rather poor, blurred and just shots of water splashing so I only posted the better ones....

The problem with having a fixed camera is that all the shots basically looks the same. Taken from the same spot with the same angle does not give much variation, so instead of focusing too much on the angle, focus on the difference in lighting,  water, colours, etc. For instance on one my face is visible, on the other my kite is. Finding droplets on the lens is something that one has to get used to when taking pictures in the water. At least they change the whole time, not like a black spot on the mirror of your SLR.

What I love about this picture is the water splashing. I think one the things I love most about kite surfing is the constant splashing of water in my face. I had plenty of pics where you could only see the water and nothing more. Here you can at least get a feeling of what I must've been feeling while skimming across the water. 

These two were probably my best two pictures of the day. This was taken on my way towards the beach, opposite direction from the first two pictures. Also from the same angle, but two completely different pictures. After seeing the second picture I realized that I had my camera mounted on the best side, I managed to get Table Mountain in on the back. There were quite a few pictures with Table Mountain, but this one was the best. The brown colour of the water is actually the sand. It is probably about 5 to 10 centimetres deep here. I have to work on my toes that are always bend upwards when I kite, they are too prominent on these pictures.

When you have your camera set on taking pictures, don't think that you will only get good shots in the water. Sometimes you might take pictures where you didn't expect to see anything nice. One usually get people coming to you and asking you about kite surfing, like this gentleman did when I got out. The last picture was taken just before I switched the camera off. I can hardly wait for my next session. 

Wind"GURU"...?

I make a lot of use of the website called "Windguru" to plan my kiting. Although I have a lot of respect for this website, I have to admit that sometimes what they have predicted and what is experienced is not always the same....

Wind predicted for today on Windguru.....12- 17 knots

 Wind reading on the local anemometer....0-3 knots

Proof that there is not a breeze at all from the local webcam....

I guess I had my hopes up for nothing. No kiting for me today....

Why would I want to blog...?

A friend of mine recently asked me why is it that I blog more when I am working and when I am on vacation I hardly ever do any posts. Well, look at this and ask yourself where you would rather be during your vacation, on the beach or behind your laptop???

Nice Shots, Dear

(This post is dedicated to my wife who walked onto the beach today while being sandblasted by a 20 knot wind, nonchalantly lifted the camera, took about five shots and then left because the wind and sand was too bad. Still ending up with three nice shots of me kite surfing. Job well done.)

So, the story behind the pictures. When I went to the beach today after I had my lines fixed, I was still hoping of using my new lines and my new harness. When I reached the beach the wind was really getting strong and I knew that this was not the time for testing lines and harnesses and immediately took out my old trusted hardware. I was really looking for a nice session rather than struggling against hanging myself on a new waist harness. So, it was back to square one where my harness was concerned, but the aim today was to at least have a good session before I take the plane to Angola next week. Mission accomplished.

I think that after today will do the following. When the wind is gentle and I go out with my 10, then I will use my waist harness. When the wind is strong like today and I go out with the 7, then I will use my seat harness. In the meantime I will look for some protective wear that my wife can put on to protect her legs and my camera against the sandblasting. But all-in-all, today was just a great day.

Where to draw the line

Today was another awesome day in Cape Town. I put in a day's leave because I had some important issues to sort out before my next trip into Africa on Monday, like fixing my pool pump and sorting out my kite lines which has been left since I bought the kite. When I bought my Cabrinha Nomad earlier this year, I found that the lines where not the same lenght. Because I had another bar with lines, I kept on using that and never went back to have my lines sorted. Today was the day for fixing that problem, so I went to the Cabrinha shop at Eden On The Bay. 

When I arrived at Eden On The Bay, I could see that the holiday fever has already hit some people around Cape Town. The restaurants were full and girls in bikini's were distracting my thoughts as I was heading for the Cabrinha shop. I immediately thought "Camera!", but then realized that taking pictures of girls at my age is a crime....so I stayed focus and went on with my intended business. As usual the guys at the Cabrinha shop were very helpful. They looked at my lines and realized that some replacements will be needed. Because it was going to take a few minutes, they offered me a free coffee at Vida e Caffe which I couldn't refuse. As a matter of fact I would've bought my own coffee just to stay longer and watch the scenery. The beach vibe was just amazing.

When I returned to the Cabrinha shop Pongo was still working on my lines. I took the opportunity to watch what his was doing and asking him about his childhood and the meaning of his name. "Praises to the king", he said. After Pongo had finished with my lines I went to thank the guys at Cabrinha, took a few more shots with my phone and left to go check out the wind at Kite Beach. Although it was still windless the wind prediction looked good and I was hoping to have another session later today.

Test-driving the Mystic Warrior III waist harness

I have been waiting a while now that the wind will be favourable for testing my new waist harness. I have just converted from a seat harness to this new and fancy waist harness with the hope of improving my kitesurfing skills. Apart from the things mentioned in my previous post on my new harness, I was really hoping that with the new harness I would progress faster and be more maneuverable in my lower body for wave riding. So, the first day that came for me to test my new harness was 2 days ago.

Day 1

The wind wasn't very strong, around 10 knots. I used my Cabrinha Swichblade 10 and hooked in. The first thing I found was that there was something missing on my harness to click in, but then realized later that the missing safety hook I have on my waist harness is just positioned at a different spot. So I eventually went in without being clipped to the safety hook. No real issue, the only problem is that I might loose my kite in case of emergency, but with such a weak wind, I very much doubted that. The sea was a bit choppy with a lots of sets rolling in, so no clean face waves, just whitewash spoiling an otherwise beautiful day.

My first concern was the take-off. Was I going to be able to stand up, seeing that the kite will be pulling from a different point? No issues in getting up, actually managed to get up in very low wind with no effort. Approaching the first small wave, clearing it was no issue. So basically everything was feeling the same. It did however feel as if my lower body was doing its own thing underneath me, but isn't that what I was hoping for...?

Day 2

If the conditions were "bad" on Day 1, then Day 2 was worse. The wind was at 20 knots gusting to over 30, the waves were significantly bigger and the sea more choppy. Definitely not the perfect day to further test my harness, but I still wanted to feel what it can do and if the transition was going to be easy. I was quite pleased after Day 1, so I was hoping Day 2 would seal it. I went out with my Cabrinha Nomad 7 seeing that I was just about to have "lift-off" from the beach where I was standing wondering if I should take my 10 or 7 kite.

When I entered the water I realized for the first time that this was not the seat harness I was used to. Because of the strong wind I inevitably had to keep my kite straighter up than normal and that immediately did what everybody else was complaining about....it pulled the harness from my waist up to my torso. I still managed to start relatively easy and was heading to encounter my first wave when I felt a bit reluctant to do the first jump. Unfortunately for me the decision wasn't mine and I made quite some air before I landed perfectly and continued my ride further in. I did feel different than my seat harness jumps and instead of feeling like I was flying (like in my paragliding harness), it felt like someone was lifting me from under my arms. The position of the harness was uncomfortable and I could feel it.

The second thing I noticed was that I was losing ground and was going downwind with each turn. Because the harness was further away from my feet, I was finding it harder to dig my heel in, resulting in losing grip that prevents me from going upwind. I stopped on the beach, pulled the harness down and went in again. This time it was better, but then the third problem arose. When I did my jibe and brought the kite over, the harness was pulled back up to my torso, leaving me back from where I started. Even with the jibe I couldn't dig in to do a short turn and at times I was actually lifted from the water as I brought the kite over. I lost my board twice while doing this, something which haven't happened in many months now.

What bothered me the most was that the harness close to my chest was actually making it difficult to breath, so more than once I pulled in my stomach with the hope of getting it down. This had the opposite effect. I remembered someone telling me that I should fly my kite lower, but with the strong wind I was going too fast and was thinking that if the sea wasn't that choppy that it might actually work. Today it didn't, I was going to hit a speed bump and swim hours to recover my board. I was not not in the mood for that.

So to be honest, today I felt like a beginner again. The kite was pulling me around, I lost my board on various occasions, I swallowed water and I had to do the "walk of shame" about four times.  I will however keep using the harness until I am just as comfortable with it as I am with my seat harness. I have already experience the possible "freedom" I am going to have on the water and waves with this new harness, but for now I need to work on getting my heel in and keeping the harness around my waist. I might also have to fasten it tighter, get rid of my beer belly and work on my pecs. That might keep the harness down and solve the problem ;-)

Wrong Harness, Dude!

I have been kitesurfing with a seat harness since I started kitesurfing. The only reason why I have never changed over to a waist harness was probably financial reasons. It is hard to support all my hobbies with my mediocre salary. I should've considered barefoot running instead. Anyway, lately I have realized that I have to make the harness change, for three reasons basically. One...the seat harness looks like an adult nappy. Two...lately it has been crushing my nuts as my kiting is getting more ambitious and daring, and three...I find the seat harness a bit restrictive when wave riding. So, as I usually do before I go out and buy something, I did some research on the Internet first. I typed in "body harness" and what I found was a bit of a shock to my system and not exactly what I was looking for......

Eventually I narrowed my search down to "kitsesurfing waist harness" and along with the help of a kitesurfing buddy I eventually found the harness I was looking for, the Mystic Warrior III. A bit on the pricey side but one cannot go skimpy when your life depends on your equipment. Not really hey, but telling myself that makes me feel better for the money I spend. I was told that the switch over to a waist harness is going to be tricky at first. I will not be pulled from my nuts anymore, but from my back. It might pull me over and I will end up with "excruciating stomach pain". I was a bit worried about the "stomach pain", but when I heard that the stomach pain would be the result of abdominal muscles now doing all the hard work instead of my ass, I was comfortable with the idea. Six-pack exercise included in the price, not a bad deal at all. I wonder where the dude in the photo got his six-pack from though? All I can do now is sit and wait for the next southeaster to return so that I can try out my new gear....

Read more: Waist vs seat harness

Mother Nature's Therapy Session

Isn't this amazing. Two days ago I was searching the Internet for more information on SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) to unravel the mysterious connection between the change in weather and my mood swings. For a couple of days now it has been raining on and off, and although this is basically what is to be expected for the Western Cape this time of the year, the thought of having to survive another three months of winter is pulling me down into the deepests dephts of depression. I'm trying to establish if it is the actual weather that works in on my general well-being, or if its secondary effect might be responsible. Could it be the fact that bad weather just means no outdoor activities and that this leads to a dull unexciting life which silently kills me? I think I might have to do more research on SAD because my earlier self-diagnosis of possible manic depression didn't go down well with my wife and friends. They think I'm crazy, whatever they mean by that. Seasonal Affective Disorder might be closer to the truth I think.

I once read that a person's life is over when the only reason he or she gets up in the morning is to have a wee. I have asked myself that question many times. Why do I get up in the morning? I guess in my case the answer changes along with the changes in weather conditions. When the weather is cold and wet like it has been for the last couple of days then it was definitely just to go wee. Of course I need to work as well to support my family and get up because of that, so maybe I should rephrase that question and ask what makes me feel alive instead of what's making me get up. I don't think it is sunny weather per se, but the ability to spend time outdoors would probably be closer to the right answer. Cape Town has miserable weather this time of the year, but fortunately when it's not raining then the sunny windless days are just amazing. Then I feel fine. Perfect outdoor weather for most outdoor activities, except kitesurfing of course. In winter most kitesurfers either migrate to the northern hemisphere or they pack away their kiting gear and take out whatever else they prefer to do in either rainy or windless weather. Today however Mother Nature was very kind to us. She threw in a free therapy session when everybody was needing it but no-one was expecting it. And when Mother Nature gives you a bonus session you better make good use of it.

It was about 4:30 when I reached Kite Beach this afternoon. I packed in both kites just in case, but as expected my smaller Nomad 7 was the obvious choice. There were already a few guys in the water, so I wasted no time in getting the  kite rigged up and getting into my wetsuit. It was a cloudless day, except for the familiar cloud formation on top of Table Mountain which is nature's reliable indicator that the southeastern is blowing. The wind was chilly, but the water temperature was surprizingly warm. It is a fact that the water on the Atlantic side is usually warmer in winter than in summer. This is caused by upwelling, but that if for your geography teacher to explain. The sea was a bit choppy, but nothing serious. At 20 knots I knew that I would be touching the water only here and there. I don't know when last I actually were in the water, but kitesurfing is like riding bicycle. For some reason you can get on and ride again no matter when last you've been on a bicycle. I was yet again very pleased with myself for adding the Nomad to my toy collection a few months earlier. If I didn't have a smaller kite today, I probably would've been typing my suicide note right.

It was only after my kite session while taking some pictures on the beach when I realized that my spirits are back where it was a few months ago when I couldn't find enough time to do everything I love doing. And the best part of it is the fact that it was still windy and cold outside, definitely not the summer weather I believed to be the main ingredient for a raised spirit. I thought about my SAD concerns and realized that the weather might not be the activator of my mood swings after all, but rather the inability to do the things I love. The things that keep me alive is not weather driven, it's adrenalin driven. When the constant wind was dragging me down a few years ago I took up kite surfing and now I actually wait for the wind to blow. I might want to look into something that can be done when it is cold and wet outside. Unfortunately it does not get cold enough in this beautiful country of ours to take up snowboarding. I am sure that would've rid me of the winter blues as well. At least tonight I know that I can feel good when it's winter too, I just need something exciting to do to give me that much needed lift.  Mother Nature did not only provide me with a reason to feel good tonight, she also provided me with an answer to my SAD question. Maybe my life is not so "SAD" after all.

Cabrinha Nomad Review - the first kiss

Taking the Cabrinha Nomad out into the water for the first time is like taking a first date out to the movies for the first time. You have your trousers full of plans for this girl, but you know you have to pace yourself otherwise you might end up with a slap in the face and a wrecked reputation.....

When I stopped at the beach this afternoon it was after 5 with a brisk wind (20 knots) blowing. I already had my "number 10 girl" pumped up on the beach when I realized that the wind was getting stronger and that I might be overpowered. This was the perfect opportunity to try out my new girl. When you take a girl out for the first time, you have to be very careful though. The only way you progress from base to base is by testing the water continuously and deciding how far you can push without allowing yourself to get a kick between the legs. What you do not want to do is to push too hard and end up with a swollen face and a popcorn box on your head. The Nomad was no different, or so I thought at first. I hooked her up to my old lines and bar (which was already lying on the beach from my first rig-up). Sometimes when dating a new girl it is good to use some tested pick-up lines, and knowing that my old "lines" worked well on the other girl I didn't hesitate using them on my new girl as well. When the lights go down, you have to start implementing your plan of action. You don't go for the fourth base immediately, she can respond very violently and hurt you real bad. There is no "home run" on a first date either. Slowly you feel your way down until you get hold of her hand. Watch her reaction. Plan your next move based on the feedback you get from her. Do not overstep the line unless she takes the initiative and gives you some sort of indication that it is safe to proceed. Once you are comfortable knowing what you can do and how far you can go, the rest of the night belongs to you...

So this was the approach with my Nomad; take her out and see how far she would allow me to go, no pressure. If I have to put my new girl on the Promiscuity Sliding Scale of 1 to 10 where "1" represent "Conservative deluxe", then sadly I have to admit that my Nomad girl turned out to be a "10". "Slut delux"! She absolutely showed no shame or remorse for her actions. She literally grabbed me by the balls and said:" What are you waiting for cowboy, let's ride!" I still tried to show some respect like my mom tried to teach me me years ago, but she wouldn't take no for an answer and showed no respect in return. She took me out into the deep blue waters with no restrictions and no strings attached. I barely managed to hang on in the first couple of minutes, but after a while of sussing her out I was prepared for all her tricks. I caught up with waves from behind and ripped them to shreds. I cleared three waves simultaneously with one jump. I turned around in split seconds to smash approaching waves before they could smash me. I was having the best time any guy could have on a first date. My Nomad was showing me moves that I thought only happened on movie screens, not in movie theatres. Only once did she manage to catch me by surprize and make me lose rhythm, but pretty soon I was in control again, pulling the right strings one after the other and getting the rhythm back. Man, she was so responsive I could steer her with a feather. I reached third and fourth base long before the popcorn box was half-way empty. We had an awesome time in the water...90 minutes of sheer joy. My new Nomad is one sexy and willing woman. She definitely made a man out of me today. I am already daydreaming about our next date....

2011 Cabrinha Nomad

OK, so for those who has not heard the good news, I have just bought a new smaller kite for stronger wind conditions. I took my broken spreader bar in for replacement and walked out not only with a new spreader bar, but also with a new black-&-blue 2011 7m Cabrinha Nomad kite. OK, it only happened the next day after I got permission from our household's "Minister of Finance", but it was quick decision nevertheless. I got it at such a bargain price that I could not say no, so now I have two kites, a 10m Cabrinha Switchblade for lighter conditions and a 7m Nomad for stronger conditions. This mean that I can double my "water time" and not have to sit out while the other guys are having fun in stronger conditions. More time in the water also means faster progression. I am still very far from doing kiteloops and whatever the good guys call all those fancy tricks, but I have already reached a point where I know that having two kites would not only give me more water time as mentioned, but a smaller kite will give me better manoeuvrability and ability to learn new tricks. The Cabrinha Nomad is a very fast kite with a quick turning ability and apparently perfect for wave riding. I mean, what more do I need? The only problem now is that we are fast reaching the end of the kiting season and approaching a long windless winter with frontal rain and darkness after 5pm. This does not give me much time to start practicing the coolest kite surfing move I have ever seen, and no, it is not the "nuclear grab hook and pop" or the insane "psycho kiteloop", it is a tail sliding technique called "The Darkslide". It just looks so cool, I am sure it will wow the crowds on the beach (after I've equally entertained them with a couple of hard crashes and salt enemas). So, my goal for next year is to perfect this trick. All I need now is more time in the water, lots of optimism and a photographer to capture this move once I have perfected it....

Craziness in Cape Town

This kite surfer climbed onto one of the cranes on the Seli 1 and then jumped off, landed and carry on as if it was just in a days's work. I think he is crazy, but apparently he has done many crazy jumps like this before....

Malfunction! Emergency, Emergency!

Year ago go when I was still a skydiver hoping to achieve a thousand jumps, we once watched a few students doing their training for their first jump. The biggest part of the training consists of the emergency procedure when you have a malfunction. When you jump from a plane for the first time your body is in completely unfamiliar territory. If something should go wrong you won't be in the right state of mind to figure out what your next step should be, you will try and find a place to stand and there will be one, so drilling in the correct "emergency procedure" is of utmost importance. You want your reactions to be spontaneous and the only way to do that is to do the drill while peforming the cut-away process and shouting the steps out as loud as possible..."ARCH, LOOK, RIGHT, LEFT, ARCH!" ("Right, Left" does not mean looking right and left for traffic or someone to help you, it means you grab the cut-away handle on the right and then the reserve handle on the left and you pull as hard as you can). So you get hung in a harness (or nutcracker as it is sometimes refered to) while you do all the exit moves until the jumpmaster/trainer starts pulling you around shouting that you have a malfunction. You then immediately have to do the emergency procedure, cut away your chute and deploy your reserve. This one student (I still don't know how he made it through the course) was pulled around by the trainer and in stead of executing the emergency procedure he started shouting "Malfunction! Emergency! Emergency!" at the top of his voice.  I don't think shouting "Emergency! Emerency!" is going to help you much when you are 1000 ft in the air and coming down very fast to collide with Mother Earth, but it sure gave us a good laugh.

Well, today I was in a very similar situation. My kitesurfing equipment failed on me and I guess one could call it a "malfunction" in kiting terms. Although I don't believe that my life was in danger at all, my equipment failed and had it been a parachute (or a paraglider) I would've been in serious trouble. The hook on my spreader bar onto which the kite is hooked broke off just as I was negotiating a sharp turn. The kite pulled away at full force and dragged me through the water while I was trying to keep it under control. Because I couldn't bring it closer and hook it back on to the harness, it was just relentlessly dragging me along. Fortunately for me I reached shallow water and I could get my feet on the sand, giving me enough anchor to keep it still. On the beach a cute girl (she's from Johannesburg she told me later) was taking pictures while I was in the process of having my name getting dragged through the mud (or is that the ocean?), but all I could think of at that time was shouting "Malfunction! Emergency, Emergency!". Some guys on the beach came to my rescue, grabbed the kite and put it down safely on the beach. If this had happened in deeper water I would'be been in real trouble, but luck was yet again on my side today I guess.



Spreader bar with hook intact



After I managed to get everything under control I walked up to the cute girl on the beach and asked her kindly to delete the pictures. She solemnly swore that she didn't take any pictures of me and showed me one of her classic Table Mountain pictures hoping to convince me that she was taking pictures of the scenery and not of a man who just uncontrollably got dragged through the surf. Maybe I should've asked her to send me the pictures for my blog instead, but I still want to believe that there is no evidence of what happened with me today floating around on social websites for the general public to see.

Update:
Cabrinha at Eden on the Bay was kind enough to replace the spreader bar free of charge. Thanks Cabrinha.

What a day....!

It is not often that I have my own photographer at the beach when I am having one of my most enjoyful sessions in the water. My wife was there this time and even though she missed my best jump yet, she did get some other shots in that allowed me to make this little kitesurfing collection.

Exit and entry

What an awesome exit of 2010 and entry to 2011. Since my arrival back from Mossel Bay on Tuesday the wind has been pumping around the peninsula. Even the smaller kites at Kite Beach were too big and had to be folded and packed away. Then yesterday the wind died down slightly and I had one of my best kiting sessions for a long time. Well, three weeks since my last "best session ever",  but this was definitely the best one after that one. Last night it was perfect weather for that new Year's Eve Braai and even though I did not manage to see 12 o' clock, I am sure many people out there were celebrating until dawn.

This morning most Capetonians must've been surprized to be woken up by rain on their roofs and thunder. Yes, thunder is something we hardly ever hear in the Western Cape, but this morning it was raining softly with the occasional thunder roars somewhere in the background. I thought it was going to be a wet New Year's Day. I was hoping of spending the day at the beach, so I had no plan B ready. While my wife made breakfast (the best budget breakfast EVER), I took the camera and took a couple of snaps in the garden. Under an umbrella of course.

 At around noon it stopped raining so we headed down to the beach to see if there were other people around. When I reached the beach I immediately turned around to come and fetch my surfboard. The waves were not big, but the sea was glassy and the waves just mellow and right. The sun was also starting to come out and the water was crystal clear. I could see the bottom of the ocean and at times thought that the water might be clearer than my pool's water at this stage. Mother Nature must've emptied a few bottles of her own Blue52 in the sea last night. I took a couple of waves in water that was colder than the water in my fridge. It was freezing, I guess around 13 degrees Celsius. But starting my new year with a surf session after finishing last year of with a kite session was just what I was hoping for. After the surf session I went to the beach with my family and got sun burnt just for the fun of it. (Yeah, I know about skin cancer and all that stuff).

The weather over the past two days were awesome. If this is an indication of things to come in 2011, I am sure that this is going to be a fun ride year. The best for 2011, may the skies be blue, the waves keep rolling and the sun keep tickling your back like a kinky lover with a pink ostrich feather.