Been kiting for 9, this my 10th season, and I reckon sometimes we can take it for granted...
Kiting the other day about 600m out on a outer reef wave and I thought, 'remember the first time you actually planed, stayed upwind, landed first jump, transition, loop etc, the feeling...
I mean lately have you ever stopped and gone, man I am flying across the ocean surface, on top of a flattish structure, pulled by a great bloody kite...If someone came from the past from only 12-15 odd years ago they would be gob smacked...
Never been good with words, but sometimes I think we, or me at least forgets how mind blowing this sport was when it first came out and it still is!!!
Maybe someone with a better vocabulary can add to this!!
yeah, eppo. kitesurfing is really good cos...like...um...its totally awesome, and yeah. thorpie says that kitesurfing is fully sick, you know.
I remember all of those feelings, due to the struggle of learning all of the skills. Now days you chuck a learner on a SLE kite modern board and some of them are ridding upwind in there second lesson, then a few weeks latter they are jumping. The skills aren't as hard now and therefore less memorable. It's a shame the sport got so soft so quick.
I hear ya eppo, there are much less interesting and (usually) enjoyable pastimes 
True that about how easy it is to learn now. I learnt on a fixed line New Wave' foil kite (anyone remember them?). But at least it means they are safer and theoretically their should be less problems on the beach...theoretically.
Yes the acid dropping takes it toll, went through a few girlfriends during the first 5 years of kiting...they didn't understand, so found a girl who did and married her!!! HA HA
I paddled canoes as a kid, then sailed boats, then sailboards, and for the past few years kites. Each transition has added a dimension of freedom.
Canoes meant I could experience new places, from new perspectives. I loved the water.
Sailing, windpower meant I was working with two elements rather than one, and by balancing them I could go further, with less effort. Brains rather than brawn came into play.
Windsurfing, where the sail has only one solid connection to the hull, meant that I could do jumps, tricks, and ride waves. I could also get my own "boat" to the water (important for a scrawny 13 year old).
Kiting, where the "sail" has no solid connection to the hull, can move in the opposite direction to the hull (for a second or two) and can pull vertically as well as horizontally, just blew the doors off. And, the gear is so small, durable and affordable compared to windsurfing.
On one set of kit I can ride waves, jump higher than any sailboard, go pretty darn fast on the flat, and then it all packs up small enough to take on the tram!
What will the next dimension of freedom be? The next quantum shift? Perhaps thermal-riding paragliders are already there? Maybe something else...
Stoked to be along for the ride.
Ditto everything just said. Now im heading out to hit this westerly a give my kite a wash in the rain. Wonder what the poor people are doing today?
