Extreme Kites Kiteboarding

After watching it for an hour with no squalls in sight and light rain, wind 25-30 knots, I could not stand sitting around any more and Toast and I setup our kites as a large black cloud approached. He launched a 9 Waroo as the wind increased, and it became apparent that the 9 would be too much. So Toast ran to the car for a brand new Royal Era 4 meter, and I rigged the 2008 6 meter Best Guroo. The 4 was not quite enough, but I was pretty much perfect on the 6. I think a 7 Waroo would have been the right kite, as it turned out to be the peak winds of the afternoon at 31-38 knots from the ENE. The waves were in the double overhead range on the outside with some very nice glassy barreling lefts on the inside several feet overhead. A guy on the beach took a couple of pics with his iPhone. I only rode for an hour or so, but it was worth getting wet!

Light winds this morning, but it looks like a break in the radar that could bring us increasing winds in the 20-25 knot range after noon.

That looks awesome! Glad you guys got on it

Dale and I went out at the north side of Matanzas Inlet this afternoon in between squalls. There were a few dark cloud lines that came through and really increased the wind. I would say it was 25-35 knots. I flew a 2009 9 meter Waroo and Dale was a 2009 8 meter Slingshot RPM. There were a few pretty nutty gusts on the 9, and the waves were every bit of double overhead out the back. Tomorrow looks like it could be nasty as there could be some sun breaks, but the extra heating will allow thunderstorms to develop. The individual cells are moving quite rapidly at 30-40 knots off the ocean, so by the time you see one coming, you only have a matter of minutes to get off the water. Once again, extreme conditions only for those experienced enough to enjoy!

rode Vilano for an hour on my 7m last night during a break in the rain.... huge waves, very fun....until my chicken loop rope broke and I had to swim in... luckily I wasn't too far out and made it in okay...plus the kite made it in to shore in one piece and was waiting for me when I made it in...

Went by the beach this afternoon around 2:45 p.m. on my way out of town, and could not believe how much the surf had dropped. Checked the buoys and it went from 14 feet in the early morning to 8 feet in the afternoon. Guess the wind near the coast was creating the swell, so when the wind died, so did the surf. Yesterday at Matanzas was definitely some of the largest surf I have kited in St. Augustine, and I was glad to have gotten on it in between squalls. Onshore wave riding is tricky, but it helps to be supremely powered up, so you can go straight towards the kite and just keep flying it back and forth across the power zone, no problems.

Last night on the news there was some footage of the St. Augustine Beach Pier, and the woman news anchor made a point of saying how during the 3 days they were filming, they did not see a single person in the water. That is probably true since I did not see anyone else in the water either, other than Dale and Toast who I was riding with. Extreme conditions definitely take a different level of commitment, especially when it's squally and rainy outside. But every experience builds on itself, and makes you a stronger kiter in the end.

Yo Pat, try that Q Powerline for a new chicken loop. It seems stronger than the normal line, and has a slippery coating that seems to prevent wear and tear. BOMBER. Glad that your kite made it back in one piece, as did you!

I got to ride at A street from 1-4pm on Thursday. Incoming tide was producing 9 foot faces on the inside and the peaks on the ouside were double overhead on the sets. Wind was almost dead east..just a hint of south in it. No rain, Wind was 24-27mph with gusts to 30mph. I was on my 09 waroo 13M and Underground FLX 144.

The outside was just to lumpy to enjoy ( and It's creepy out there....I was riding solo). The inside was smooth and fun....doing sliders on the whitewater, boosting off of the shore pound, the waves were somewhat closed out but ridable, the wind direction allowed for a couple of long runs from the pier to ocean trace and back.

around 330...dale, rob, jimbo, and todd passed me on thier downwinder from matanzas....not so much of a downwinder with the east wind though.

....only 2 surfers out this day....they paddled against the shore pound for 30 minutes and gave up....never making it out.