After my previous disastrous attempt to get kiting at this beach the guys on the desk suggested that I might enjoy their boat trip, where they take you out in a boat, and dump you in the water far from shore, you kite, and they keep an eye. Sounds like a great idea.
Again, the reality turned out different from the ideal.
Firstly, we had to swim out to the boat from the shore, which was not a long distance, but carrying a packed kite, board and bottle of water while swimming turned out as tricky as you might imagine.
Anyway, in the boat and we set off out to sea. Over the waves. And they were waves. Good grief, musch everywhere, and a 2m constant swell, the boat driver was constantly on and off the power just to keep us in the water. It was a tough 5 minutes, clinging on for dear life.
We made it to our destination, got briefed on the conditions and location, and got set up, and dumped into the water. I went second, so I had been in this horrible rocky boat for about 30 minutes before getting on the water. That was grand, as I got to watch the process of inflating, rigging and launching a kite from a boat, which was quite intriguing.
When it was my turn I jumped into the idyllic turquoise water, and got up and going in no time. However, it was horrible. The swell was so big, and there was so much chop that just riding was quite tricky. And it was no fun. All the time was spent trying not to fall, there was no possibility to try anything or learn anything.
After a while I lost the board, and with the swell and chop it was unusually difficult to get going again in the deep water. I suppose I wasn't familiar with the kite etc, and I'm not used to so much deep water either.
I struggled so much that it wasn't any fun. And when it's no fun, it is time to stop. So I got picked up by the boat and stayed there. I didn't even take my second go, especially as I was feeling a bit queasy with the constant undulations of the boat in the huge swell. I don't often or really ever feel seasick, but I definitely did today.
I've never been so glad to get back to land.
In one way it was good to try it. In another way it was a waste of 60 euro. In yet another way, it made me appreciate what we've got back home, miles of golden sand, hardly any rocks, excellent surf, really magical conditions, if a little cold. But I'd take the cold anyday!
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