Desperation on Seaview beach
21st April 2008
Today I spent the day looking at the wind blowing a nice 15-18knots...and this gradually started to disappear as the day went on. One live reading in the solent (Chimet.co.uk) was showing wind and the other (bramblemet.co.uk) wasn't! so anyway we all decided we would go down to Seaview and check it out anyway! By the time I got there, Ben had already pumped his kite up and was flying it on the beach. There really wasn't a lot of wind at all but after about half an hour it felt like it was coming in, so we all made a mad dash for our cars/vans and started pumping up! By which time Ben was already on the water and looked like he was ripping it up, which he deserved for being the first to get a kite in the air! Ben - I'm pleased for you dude ;-) Two other guys, Humphrey and James got out on 16/17m, and I gave Kev a hand sorting the lines out on an 18m he was trying out. By the time we had adjusted a few settings to make it fly-able - the wind really had gone and the guys on the water were starting to wade back in. After Kev had a bit of a play on the beach practising handlepasses, I had a go and with Kev holding on to me did a few jumps and got quite high - it was pretty cool! Then Kev decided to give it a go anyway, so picked up his board and hit the water...he didn't get very far but was quite entertaining watching :-)
So then I took the 18m and had a go too - it was quite hard work! not only was it a big kite but there really wasn't a lot of wind - if any!! I did get going a few times but not for long!! it was fun playing around anyway and pretending I was having the time of my life! I reckon it's all in the mind! It was cool just messing around and hanging out on the beach anyway, there are worst places to be! It was such a warm evening too - maybe this is the end of the cold weather, anything above 10 degrees from now on would be so nice! Wind is not looking good for the rest of the week, but Thursday looks like it could happen - fingers crossed!!
Fuerteventura Day 11 : Flag Beach
12th April 2008
Last day here! After finishing packing, and checking out - managed to get out for a quick session before going to the airport. Was super-choppy and low tide so quite a few rocks exposed so not ideal but still great to get out! also had a go on an Airush protoy and got some BIIIG jumps!!! the pop is pretty sweet on that board. Really want to get a new board - been thinking about it for a while. Had my Jamie Pro for nearly two years and I am really liking new boards I am trying so much more!! think a new board could be my next purchase! So after that short but sweet session we headed to the airport and prepared for the cold again...
Fuerteventura Day 10 : Flag Beach
11th April 2008
On 9m all day, wind picked up in the afternoon but also got super-choppy so really tough conditions to do tricks in, and even riding was pretty uncomfortable, and just had spray in my face all the time! BUT FINALLY I tried riding blind for the first time, tried it quite a lot - but I'm not getting round further enough. Obviously kept wiping-out in my attempts, as you do! but I'm so pleased I at least had a go at it! feels quite strange and it is taking me a little time to get my head around how to do it but now I am used to trying it, I am not scared to keep going at it and hopefully I'll get it soon. Didn't feel like I was riding well today, but maybe I am just tired fom kiting a lot this week. I get days like that occassionally when I feel like I'm having a bad day and tricks don't always go to plan, but I think everyone has days like that sometimes!!
Fuerteventura Day 9: Flag Beach
10th April 2008
Quite light wind today but a good day of kiting on my 9m bandit. Just doing my usual tricks again and I HAVE to get out of that comfort zone otherwise I'm never going to learn anything! just finding it hard, especially cos I feel I still have a lot to improve on the tricks I can already do, but I still need to learn new stuff to work on. I still haven't tried blind yet - two days left..no excuses robinson!!
Fuerteventura Day 8: Sotovento
9th April 2008
Full-on day, maxed on my 7m. Was quite apprehensive at first as I was on my limit, and almost couldn't hold it, but then I settled in to it! Got some big jumps, really high front loops, and some gusts took me a lot higher than I expected and some of them I was quite anxious about landing! I was out for hours and was determined not to let the strong, gusty, choppy and tough conditions put me off! It was just a bit frustrating because it is hard to learn new things when it is pumping like that but still good practice, it's not always gonna be perfect conditions and flat water! Really caught the sun today too, always seem to burn my bottom lip! think that's quite common though. I keep chickening out trying blind! I promosied myself I have to at least try it before I leave Fuerteventura! otherwise I KNOW i will really kick myself! 3 days to go til i leave and I am not getting on the plane until I have tried it!!
