Posts Tagged ‘kite surfing’

Kiteboarding is brilliant fun, and for many people it’s also far more accessible as all you need are some wide open spaces – and not the luxury of a sea or large expanse of water. An extra bonus is that you can kite landboard in lighter winds and with a much smaller kite than kiteboarding on the water.

Riding Hard, Flying Low! Extreme Kiteboarding from www.pushkiting.co.uk from Dave – PUSH Kiting on Vimeo.

But there’s a dilemma? How do you know which board to choose?

A kite landboard is not so different to a skateboard with longer decks and trucks to give stability and with larger wheels to allow you to use them on rougher terrain.

Using the kite for traction, a kitelandboard can be manoeuvred around an open space kind of like snow boarding without the snow or surfing without the water. A skilled rider can achieve speeds of over 40mph and do all types of tricks and manoeuvers.

Right, that’s the basics, but if you walk into a specialist mountain board shop and take a looksee at the selection you will be stymied by the choice, so here we will try and break it down into a few simple choices.

The first thing you need to know is that the heavier or stronger you are you may require a heavier, stronger and more stable board whilst a lighter weight person will often require a board that is easy to manoeuvre to enable him to do tricks or get air.

If it’s speed you are into then you will need a longer board for stability. A long board helps with balance and allows a rider to reach high speeds with ease. Long boards are also good for carving.

But if it’s manoeuvrability, tricks and air that you are wanting to do then the shorter board is what you should be looking for.  These are lighter, more flexible  and more responsive to rider input. They are not ideal for speed.

However, the intermediate length board is favoured by most people as it is capable of doing both speed and tricks.

A mountainboard, on the other hand, is better if you are planning on going up and down hills or doing what’s called freeriding. It’s a more rugged beast. You will need 9″ wheels for smooth carving on rough surfaces and a brake for safety. Freeriding is really the core of mountainboarding.

A MBS Core 95 Mountainboard is a great place to start. This board features a truck system that allows the board to turn at lower speeds making it easier to make adjustments in your angle with the kite and the wind. Ultralight and designed for use as a KITE Landboard it will make it easier to learn and you should be kiting like a pro in next to no time…

So what’s the thing about the wheels? Some landboards have much bigger wheels than others. Why? What’s the difference?

The larger the wheel and tyre diameter – the less the initial rolling resistance will be… very useful if you’re on soft beach sand for example.

We have done several articles on scuba diving around Europe recently, so I thought I’d go off at a tangent today and take you somewhere a lot further away, but somewhere absolutely glorious and completely unspoiled. It also has seriously fantastic diving…

… Mozambique, Mocambique or, simply, Moz.

Most dives in Mozambique are run to South African standards which means, generally, PADI dive centres catering for all levels of experience including the beginner. If you are a true lover of this extreme sport you will be glad to know that Mozambique is an ideal location for obtaining your open water or advanced  diving qualification license.

“I learned to dive here and many of the people I dived with were very experienced and they all agreed that it was the best diving they had ever seen. Better than the Red Sea, better than Australia… the best”, says one contented visitor, and thanks to 2flyndive for this vid. of diving in the Inhambane/Tofu area, surprisingly not as clear as the sea can be but still abounding with marine life.

“Tons of tropical fish, honeycomb eels, parrot fish, turtles, and beautiful coral. I also saw two Humpback Whales up close at this site. There is a great swim through here too.” says Tiffany from the USA, about Paradise Island or Santa Carolina as it is also known – a particular favourite of ours. It is part of the Bazaruto Archipelago, a proclaimed marine national park.

There are numerous sites for diving in Moz. and most of them can guarantee crystal clear and uncrowded waters. It is a very special place. Prices on the whole are great – small change compared to the rest of the world. Friendly people, seriously addictive way of life!

The Bazaruto Archipelago is one area we know well and there are dive sites everywhere – in fact the marine life is so prolific that you can just walk into the sea off the beach and spend many contented hours snorkeling or scuba diving. But 2 Mile Reef is a favourite spot for scuba diving. It is neither 2 miles long nor 2 miles away from Vilanculos on the mainland, but it is the name that has been given to the reef lying outside Benguerra Island and Bazaruto.

The site is actually a long barrier reef that breaks the water at low tide and can be dived at various depths down to around 20 meters. Due to its length there are numerous dive locations offering a variety of different environments, including swim through walls and coral outcrops. There is a great chance of seeing one of the 5 species of turtle that live in the area along with a friendly reef shark, an inquisitive dolphin or a skulking nurse shark. There is a wide abundance of reef fish and big Game fish and Devil Rays regularly swim in from the deep. If you’re very lucky you might even see an elusive Dugong.

The lure of Mozambique are the unspoilt crisp squeaky-white beaches, the warm azure sea, and the vast proliferation of marine life from Nemo to manta rays, from seahorses to whale sharks and dugongs. There is an immense variety of hard and soft corals which provide a diverse and productive ecosystem. Marine life includes many brightly coloured tropical fish, sea anenomes, starfish, crustacians, triggerfish, wrass, Moorish Idols, Parrot, Angel and Butterfly fish and many species of gamefish, sharks and rays – and that’s only a few of the hundreds you will see.

Five of the world’s eight turtle species are found along the Inhambane coast and around the Bazaruto Archipelago. Green turtles are the most common here with leatherbacks and hawksbill being spotted occasionally. They are still relatively common here although their numbers are threatened worldwide.

“Lots of small stuff and big stuff. Nudis, so many, leaffish, Potato grouper, turtles, jacks, shrimps. Everything but sharks……..for them do Pinnacles, but no guarantees,” says Edwin from the Netherlands in 2008.

And he is right. Diving at Pinnacles in 2008, Melinda had this to add: “Pinnacle at 35 m with Shark on every dive; Bull, Tiger, silver tip, Hammerheads, Manta, devil rays.” as did Richard in 2009 “Hammerheads and tons of mantas. 40 m viz and 28 deg C water temperature.”

If this is the sort of excitement you seek, then you can find Pinnacle at Ponta do Ouro in southern Mozambique just 10 kms from the South African border. It is a brilliant deep reef dive at 28 – 40 metres and is renowned for its sharks, and “Bass City”. where “Bert”, a huge Potato Bass, has made his home. It’s about 20 – 30 minutes out from Ponta do Ouro and is a difficult dive to find, so don’t waste time trying to find it on your own. The beauty of this dive, apart from the adrenaline kick of swimming with sharks, is that it is very very uncrowded.

And if you’re wondering what else you can do in Mozambique, get an eyeful of this video from pipasforjaz.

If you’ve got some time on your hands you could do both a dive and a safari tour of Mozambique… now THAT’S something to think about isn’t it! And quite apart from that, check out the wind in the first video – at Tofu… great kite surfing area too.

p.s: I’ve only mentioned a handful of places to scuba dive – the whole coast is a gem… and it’s a very long coast.

And another postscript… most of these beautiful photos come from Odyssea Dive in Mozambique. If you’re looking for someone to organise the perfect diving holiday for you, please contact them directly at: www.odysseadive.com

What to do when there’s no wind….

Well, there’s always someone somewhere who will make a plan, and this time we have to thank tomasleeman for the entertaining video.

However, a cautionary tale here. My husband did something very similar in his mad and misspent youth, although in his case they were doing it off the back of a pick-up truck on a farm runway in the middle of the bush. He got up nice and high – 100 ft probably – when the driver of the truck, under the influence of a few too many beers, put his foot on the accelerator thinking this would send him higher. Of course all it did was snap the rope. All 100′ or so of it hit him in the face like a coiled spring and knocked him out. Luckily he came to just before he hit the ground, and having done some parachuting, went into the classic roll on impact.

But it didn’t stop him looking like the Elephant Man for several weeks!

Having just explored Cornwall’s rock climbing regions I thought I might just duck across into another of our favourite topics – kitesurfing – and see what Cornwall has to offer here…

Needless to say – it looks fantastic. Cornwall has the largest area of coastline in England, nine river estuaries and about 300 beaches… not bad, not bad. Whether you’re a first time flyer or a sponsored pro, there is something to challenge everyone.

As with most beaches in the UK, high tide in Cornwall can be a problem and it is not advisable to kite at least 2 hours either side of it at any of the beaches. And, as with many beaches all around the world now, some  have restrictions so you do need to check this out about before launching. It is this sort of thoughtless error which is resulting in more and more restrictions being put into place…

Watergate Bay,near Newquay.

An indication of the quality of this 2 and a half mile long beach for kitesurfing is that in 2002 it was chosen as the perfect site for the first European Kitesurfing Championships.  It is now used annually for the BKSA tour and it is probably the most famous kitesurfing beach in the UK. There is plenty of room for everyone to fly and, with a variety of winds, something for everyone. The beauty of this beach is its safeness (apart from high tide). There is a prevailing SW, but if it veers W, NW or even N it is still safe to stay out. Big Atlantic swells do come in quite often, so you need to be ready to turn quickly if trying to get out the back. However, it is still safe to stay on the inside and play on the large flat sheets of water where it remains shallow – although you stand the risk of being beached.

The main dangers are a small strip of rocks, just to the right of the beach when looking out to sea, and the high cliffs that effect the wind if you get too close.  There are no restrictions on this beach, but you are expected to walk up the beach to the more quiet areas before setting up.

Marazion, south coast and near the island St. Michael’s Mount

The sand on Marazion is coarse so it would probably be a good idea to wear protective booties. There is a small concrete wall separating the road from the beach and although this is useful – it can be a hazard for a kite surfer! Swells are smaller on the south side, but the S, SW or SE winds can still generate messy breaks for you to contend with. There is an outlet pipe further up the beach towards Penzance and also Longrock beach. Some kitesurfers will head over there for flatter conditions but there is the odd small rock and thick kelp so it is adviseable to seek local knowledge.

The main hazard here is getting the tide right because when the waves hit the steeper bank they create a lovely shore break that totally destroys kites! Restrictions are coming into place to stop people kiting above Red River near the town end of Marazion and to prevent any kiting activity near to the road and sea wall.

Sennen and Gwenver

Sennen Cove – also great for climbing, is NW facing. It is just 2 miles round the corner from Lands End and is suitable for all levels of kiteboarding. It has excellent access from the car park. Even at high tide there is usually a sand bank in the top corner where you can rig, launch and land in safety. The waves here are frequently monsters, making Sennen a favourite beach in anything from SW to N winds. Beginners should not attempt this beach at high tide, or in heavy surf. Also be careful of the rip currents outside the lifeguarded zones. These can be ferocious. If you are not confident in rip currents, don’t go out.

But when the lemmings have gone at the end of the day, then Sennen comes into its own – surfers and kiteboarders do battle in style.

Hayle Towans on the north coast in the bay of St. Ives

Hayle, otherwise known as The Bluff, is regarded by some to be the best place to kitesurf in Cornwall, but you can only go there when the wind is N, NW or NE. It is a river estuary providing flat shallow water as well as some swell where the water deepens. It is a great place for working on new tricks. However, as with all river mouths, there are strong currents so keep in the shallows where you can stand up to launch your kite and retrieve your board. Boards are often lost here, so a retractable leash is advisable.

No kitesurfing is allowed in the river when the water is above knee depth or boats are present. Fishermen are making complaints about kitesurfers and this is jeopardising the future of kitesurfing at Hayle. Enjoy it while it lasts…

Gwithian Bay in St. Ives

This is the longest continuous piece of sand in Cornwall but it is named differently depending upon where you park. It is NW facing and is an excellent wave riding spot with N, NW, W, and SW winds. There is easy access from the cliff top carpark and there is generally plenty of space. The beach sand is hard which makes it perfect for buggies and mountain boarding too. There are a couple of big rocks that you need to pinpoint before the water covers them and the water tends to come right up to the cliffs on big tides so watch out.

This beach can get busy with holidaymakers and surfers. There are no restrictions on this beach as yet so make sure you stay in the clear area and then with a bit of luck there will never be restrictions…

That should keep you busy for a bit… there are a lot more beaches down there – 300 didn’t I say? but we have picked out a few on both the north and south coast. Once you start exploring Cornwall you will no doubt be bewitched by a beach I have neglected to mention…

Just one more thing.

It is adviseable to have valid insurance of at least £5m.The BKSA (British Kite Surfing Association) offers worldwide cover which covers all kite activities, even snow-kiting. It costs £30 and can be bought online from the BKSA.

The race between two New Zealanders and 2 Aussies has begun after an epic voyage to the starting gates…

It took them 6 and a half days for the Antipodeans to get from their respective countries to Agadir – a torturerous journey of flights, cars and ferries with a healthy dose of jet lag  included.

Having flown via Los Angelos to London, they collected their two landcruisers, trailer and kit which had been sent ahead in containers and barely stopping to catch breath caught the 24 hour ferry past France and began the long journey down through Spain where they caught another ferry across the Straits of Gibralter  to Africa - at last. However, there were still the Atlas Mountains to cross to reach Agadir – the starting point of the race. Altogether about 2,500 kms  from London to Agadir.

It might amuse you to know that I have skied in the Atlas Mountains (Morocco) – a whole different experience! It was a while ago so things have probably improved, but when I did (not that long ago) our equipment dated from roughly the 30/40’s era!!! The skis were not dissimilar to planks and the enormous buckets on our enormously long ski poles gave rise to many an amused chuckle. As for the yards and yards of bindings…. Well!

However, I digress…

Yesterday, 4th August, was spent checking all the gear and getting it ready for their extreme journey. As Steve Gurney says:

“We soon become aware of how close to red-line many of us are. We’ve had very little sleep and some tempers are getting a bit frazzled. It’s testimony to the team spirit that is growing stronger by the minute that the caliber of the team members is strong and we have the resources to achieve our high goal. I’m also aware how many “MacGuivers” we have! This Sahara adventure, like moths to light-bulbs, has attracted resourceful, solutions men. We’ve already been building brilliance with bare hands and duct-tape! Nothing is gonna stop us!” – and this despite the fact that he was knocked off his motorbike shortly before embarking on this trip and is already suffering from a bruised rear end!

The four men, Christchurch’s Steve Gurney, Ashburton’s Craig Hansen, (for New Zealand) and Australians Geoff Wilson and Garth Freeman, are hoping to average 40km/h…

This trip is not all about extremes, endurance and breaking records. They also hope to raise money for the She Rescue Home charity, which helps girls escape the Asian child-sex trade.

The other day we had one of our regular rants about the environment, global warming and the awful destruction of the rainforests, amongst other things, and we showed you the video made by The Prince’s Rainforest Project.

This video has now been viewed more than 500,000 times over various sites and their next initiative is to launch their Supporter of the Week.

This week it is Richard Branson, entrepreneur, adventurer and founder of the Virgin group, who was filmed with ‘the frog‘ to demonstrate that there is a global determination for change on this issue.

Although he had little success on the video in changing the frog into a beautiful woman, there was obviously, from the following photo, a delayed but successful result to his efforts:

Richard Branson and Denni Parkinson. ‘I only wish I had eyes in the back of my head’ he told the Daily Mail. (Photo credit: Stephane Gautronneau)

In fact, so successful was his kite surfing weekend on Necker Island, that the Alinghi (defender of the America’s Cup) coach and and performance analysts, Pierre Yves Jorand (SUI) and Peter Evans (NZL) spent a lot of time studying and analyzing the photographs from Mr Bransons kitesurfing weekend and were able to give this exclusive report for World Sailing News.

¨From what we can tell it looks like it was blowing on shore at the time, suggesting an afternoon seabreeze, as the wind would have been sucked onto the land – probably in the region of 13 knots to begin with the pressure rising steadily throughout the afternoon, maybe up to 17 or 18 knots. The technique is good, his feet are in the correct position and he seems to have good control. When wet, the board shorts and long hair will be adding to the drag a little – the added weight will not help his performance therefore but nevertheless, judging by the smile on his face he is clearly enjoying himself. This has the effect of helping him to relax and at least feel phsycologically that he is giving the best performance possible. This is the key thing – and it´s therefore something we will be recommending as part of their training regime to both Brad Butterworth and Ed Baird before they compete at their next D 35 regatta¨

Responding to the recommendations from the Alinghi performace analysts, Ed Baird, said, ´One of the great things about working for a team like Alinghi is that all the people around you are constantly searching for that little bit of something special to help make the boat go faster. Pierre Yves and Peter Evans seem to have nailed it again, and I for one look forward to joining in the process, learning from it, sharing that experience and getting in amongst it¨

Brad Butterworth said, ´Yes, lets go´!

But to end on a serious note, let us quickly remind you that:

• the destruction of tropical rainforests accounts for 17% of CO2 emissions…
• that the Amazon alone circulates 20 billion tonnes of water every day which helps water the crops that feed the global population…
• that an area of tropical rainforest the size of a football pitch is destroyed every 4 seconds…

Note that Branson has chosen a very eco-friendly sport!