Kitesurfing - Benone - 19th August 2020

 Great wee session, there has been no wind at all for weeks (which is quite nice) but tonight we were getting the start of a storm. The forecast was for E or SE, but I thought I'd chance Benone, to see if the wind was strong enough, and had come round far enough - and it had.

It was cross, sometimes very slightly cross off, but at Benone that's ok, as with the curve towards Magilligan you'd always blow back to shore.

It was 9m weather, on the meter blowing between 15mph and 21mph, although on the water I never felt underpowered, if anything a bit overpowered sometimes.

It was my bad direction, I dont like it, but I used it as practice. The wave frequency was high, it was one after another, relentless on the way out, but on the way in it was great. I did some toeside riding, which is the first time I tried it to that side, and it seemed ok, better than I thought, I also tried some jumps on the way in (my good direction) and I also *almost* pulled off some jump transitions. I say 'almost' because it wasnt that beautiful.

Short but super session.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - Sunday 19th July 2020

Short session today at Downhill, perfect wind on the 9, big to huge waves, at least 10 ft at the outside. Short session as the tide was coming in. No problem staying upwind today. Huge flats between the waves, but very deep very quickly today.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - Monday 13th July 2020

What a lovely evening - with the bank holiday the beach was crowded at the entrances, I had trouble finding a quiet area on the beach today!

The wind was cross, blowing nicely, sometimes too much for the 12 sometimes too little, but I was going fine for around 2 hours on the water with some trim.

Didn't get to try much today, the chop was unreal, it actually reminded me of Fuerteventura (without the razor sharp rocks :) ) but it was very difficult sometimes just to ride. There was also a weird wave pattern, where waves all came in twos, and it was the second one that was the good ramp, but it wasn't possible to get to it because of the first one.

Very little flat water today, even in the shallows, although the flats came and went a bit. Upwind was fine today, even with big jumps I was staying in the same spot - maybe something to do with the currents?

I had one incident today, the kite went down (a few times today!) and as I was steering to get it back up, it suddenly powered up, but the centre lines were wrapped around the bar, or more accurately wrapped around my hand. It powered up, trapping my hand on the bar; couldn't pull it out at all, very painful. I got it freed, got the lines round the side, and was able to sail on. I was a bit concerned that I'd done something, but the pain quickly subsided, and I kept going. When I got home, I see a little swelling and a couple of small bruises - not too bad!

Anyway, it was a great session out on the water, and I came in just before it looked like it was going to rain (although I'm not sure it ever came)

Kitesurfing - Downhill - Friday 10th July 2020

Another after work session today, I was determined to try to improve some skills today, so I spent a lot of time standing and falling. I decided to work on a non-sitting waterstart, but that turned out to be a disaster in the fast moving shallow water. The board is moving too much, the sea is travelling too fast. If you stand on it, it sticks to the sand etc etc. It didn't work. Or more accurately, I couldn't make it work.

The second thing was backrolls. It is quite some time since I tried this stuff, and I haven't tried it since I got my new kites last year. This was a lot more successful, nice flats, nice ramps, and I was able to land a couple sometimes plopping into the water, sometimes riding on. 

It was really enjoyable, the next time the conditions are right, I'll be doing that again!

Kitesurfing - Benone - Thursday 11th June

Bit of a rollercoaster of a day/evening today. This was the only forecast day for this week, and so I wanted to make the best, hitting the beach at 6am I spent an hour on the water before work. By the end I was completely juiced on the 9, it was actually a bit too strong.

I was expecting the wind to drop completely by the time I finished work, but it turned into a beautiful sunshine day, and the wind seemed to stay, so I headed back to the beach after work. However it did seem a lot lighter, I tried a couple of places on the 12m from Downhill to Benone, but it didn't work well at all.

A nice surprise, I was chatting to one of the guys I used to kite with, and he said he was going to try. I watched him struggling to get going in a light direct onshore wind, and it wasn't going too well.

Just as I was about to pack up, I thought since it was so nice with sunshine, warm sand, and gentle wind, and since I had the kite ready, I thought I'd have a quick fly on the beach before I went home. When I launched, it seemed to pick up, and I ended up out on the water for about 45 minutes. Direct onshore meant no deep water, and no real opportunity to jump, but it did mean you could cruise as far as you wanted, and it ended up being a lot of fun (and good exercise!)

Kitesurfing - Downhill - 7th June 2020

A real quick one today, with a driver. Started off at the main river, and got picked up at the next wee river. There seems to be a choppy spot between the two, and a quiet flat spot at the wee river.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - Friday 5th June 2020

Third day in a row, wind great again. Brought a driver for some downwind action today.

Also made a video.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - 4th June 2020

Bit more grey today, a little mist, but still epic conditions. Wind a bit further around to the west, so better for waves, and nice ramps.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - 3 June 2020

What great weather! Twice to the beach today, morning and evening, very straight onshore wind, but great. Out on both kites today. In the morning it was so straight you could have sailed from Benone the whole way to Downhill!

Kitesurfing - Benone - 9th Sept 2019

Back out again tonight on the new kites, arrived at the beach after work at about 5:30pm, and was glad to see another couple of kites already there. The wind was quite up and down, but I set up the 12. This is the first time this 12 had ever been on the water.

The wind was quite onshore, which is not my favourite, and it was also quite weak, even on the 12, and so I did a couple of runs and then came in. Tried again a little later and it was the same. One of the other lads was going home so I asked if he'd help me leave my car downwind, and do a downwinder, and he obliged :)

What ensued was a fantastic hour of travelling about a mile downwind, sometimes lit, sometimes underpowered, some big waves, some big flats.


With the lighter wind I tried a couple of bigger boosts in the quite shallow water on my 12, and it is definitely a lot more boosty than my old kites.

With the lighter winds I also managed to do a few downloop transitions, both sliding and toe to heel, all sketchy, but fun, and definitely something to have in the toolbox for these lighter winds.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - 6th Sept 2019

First opportunity to try the new kites on the water tonight, went to Downhill as usual, and it was blowing well.

I was going to self launch by pulling the kite around, but the wind felt a bit uncertain, so I used the car as an anchor to launch, and that worked very well.

The session was epic, the waves were nice, the conditions were almost directly cross shore, and there were nice flats between the waves. With the shifting of the sand this year, it is almost like there is a lagoon in the shallow water, with knee deep water for quite a distance out before it gets deeper.

Staying upwind no problem tonight on this kite, not sure if it is the kite or the current or other conditions, but it was pretty good to be able to jump etc and still make it back easily to the same place.

Kite is fast, light, and easy to fly. Didn't do too many exciting things, as I don't want to tempt injuries; I'll go out a few times before getting too overexcited :)

Kitesurfing - New Kites - 5th Sept 2019

New kites arrived yesterday, second hand Naish Pivots, 9 and 12, 2019 model. It was a bit dark when I got to the beach, but I took the opportunity to blow them up and have a quick fly to make sure everything was ok.

And it was.

The 12 had literally never been out of the plastic, it was still folded in the factory fold, I've never seen a brand new kite before!

The kites only have 3 struts, which is a bit handier, but even nicer is the one pump system, which makes inflating the kites a lot easier.

I pumped them up, flew them for a short time on the beach, and packed up again. Can't wait to try them on the water!

Kitesurfing - Flag Beach Feurteventura - 29th July 2019

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!

Kitesurfing - Flag Beach Feurteventura - 28th July 2019

Kites everywhere! This beach looked great, a load of kites in the air, a kite school who offered hire and a rescue service, and lots of wind. What could be wrong?

Well, it turns out, plenty. First of all the only 'safe' place to enter the water was about 100m or so upwind, so they launched me and the first thing is you have to walk backwards up the beach against the wind.

Then I went into the water at the spot I thought I was supposed to, but it turned out still to be rocky underfoot - I hadn't gone far enough. Kite in one hand, board in the other, jagged rocks underfoot and big waves are a recipe for falling - and so I did. I ended up with a pretty nasty cut on my foot and a few on my hands.

Then when I got out into the water, somehow I lost my board, got it back, and then lost it again, as I came onto the rocks. I had to come in, I couldn't get to my board, and had to come back in across the jagged rocks again. What a horrible disastrous start to kitesurfing in Fuerteventura.

Kitesurfing - Downhill - 21 Sept 2018

Broken Ribs

Three weeks ago today I had a kite-surfing accident and broke/fractured rib(s). At the time it was uncomfortable, but I carried on surfing for a few minutes, and it was time to pack up anyway.

I was able to pack up, get home, unpack the car, get out of my wet-suit etc, all a little uncomfortable, but really not too painful. The next morning I went to drive to work, and I got about 100 yards in the car and the clicking and pain was almost unbearable. It still makes me a bit light-headed to think about it.

I limped home, and ended up at home for 3 weeks.

The first week I really did no activities at all. I wasn't away from the house for the first week.

I got some stronger painkillers on prescription, and began taking them immediately. I struggled to do basic things like getting up the stairs, or standing and sitting. All week I lay exactly flat on my back all night without moving. Very uncomfortable.

By the time one week had passed, I was able to be a passenger in a car. I was able to get in and out of a car with a bit of care. However, at this stage I was struggling to get in and out of bed, I made sure I only made the transition from horizontal to vertical once per day. No laying about on the sofa, I only spent time sitting straight up during the day.

After about 10 days I tried driving a short distance, but it was still very uncomfortable, so I gave up driving for that second weekend. Each day I felt more comfortable, and at this stage I was able to sleep a bit on my side; my good side only, not the injured side.

Today, 3 weeks after my injury I returned to work. I'm still clicking a bit, and to be honest, driving is probably the activity I find most difficult. I'm much more comfortable sleeping, in fact last night was the first night I got to sleep on my injured side.

I still have some way to go, but I'm feeling incredibly better than I was, and each day brings an improvement. It wont be long before I'm strapped to a kite again ;)

Kitesurfing - Downhill - 11th September 2017

Epic conditions tonight at Downhill, nice wind for my new 9 and the longest flats between the waves I've ever seen. Out after work, on the water for about 90 minutes.

Then I tried a down loop waterstart. Epic fail, crashed kite and face plant. Sore, but quickly recovered. Then I tried a back roll, and I really have no idea what happened, but I fell hard on my left side.  Real hard. So hard in fact that I think I have broken more than one rib. They are cracking and popping like mad. 

I suspect I'll be out of the water for a week or two :(

Kitesurfing Benone 9th September 2017

Today was forecast to be good north west all day, but better in the afternoon with more sunshine. I went to Benone after lunchtime and there were 4 other kite surfers already setting up. They were strangers to me, seemed nice, and also mostly learners, I think.

I set up and set off, but it quickly became apparent that these guys were in my way. Being learners their kites were almost always at 12 o clock and I was upwind of them, meaning I couldn't easily sail past them. The wind was quite onshore too.

So I packed off down the beach, downwind of them. It was great. Great conditions, and the new kites boost a lot more than the old ones. Really enjoying them. I was there for a few hours, just getting to grips with the new kite, and how quick it is compared to my old ones. Great Saturday afternoon!!

Kitesurfing - Benone - Friday 8th September 2017

Forecast looked good for this evening all week, and it actually happened. I don't think I have been this nervous about kitesurfing for ages, taking to the water on a new kite, and not knowing its characteristics.

Anyway, after work I headed straight to the beach, someone else wa kiting, so I went to near them. I took a lot longer than normal to get set up, as I was making sure everything was ok with the gear.

It was quite showery, but between the showers I had a great wee session. This is the first time I easily stayed upwind in a long time. Totally juiced on the new 9.

Kite 5th September

Tonight I went to the beach to try out my new kites. They arrived in the post today, two Ozone C4 kites, 9 and 12.

I was really only hoping to set them up and see what they flew like, but unfortunately there really wasn't enough wind to even do that. Maybe another day.