Went to Black's today. It was not as windy as I thought it would be. For some reason, I thought it was blowing 20, but it turned out to be in the mid-teens all day.
I borrowed Steve's 12m Waroo and had fun with that. He wanted it back, so I put up my 9 and it wasn't too bad. I was able to stay upwind, and during the gusts I was able to try some new tricks. I attempted a few kiteloops, and successfully landed one of them.
Really windy day today at Black's. I had a great time on my Thug, the first time I've been able to ride it powered. Pulled a lot of tricks and had a great time with it.
I switched over to my footstrap board when it got really windy (gusting to 30) and had a great time riding waves and doing big dangle jumps.
Today was the first time I've gone kiting in a month of cold and rain. It was also the first day of the season that I was able to wear shorts and a rash guard instead of a suit.
I didn't kite at Waquoit at all last summer because of my ankle injury. I had heard that it had gotten popular, but I was not prepared for the number of people there today. At one point I counted 28 other kites in the air. I can remember 2003 when me, Tom, and Ed would be the only ones there.
Wind was really light today, but built to be pretty good. While it was light, I practiced handlepasses on the beach. Once it picked up, I had a great time on the skim board. Did a few tacks on my Thug, but it wasn't quite windy enough for it. I did pull a textbook-perfect low kite backroll, but that was the only trick I did all day.
Scoped out Salt Pond on the way home. The big parking lot had a cop in it, and the little parking lot was way too sketchy. I will bring a sandbag and launch from the sand bar, I think.
Headed out to Chappy after work. Wind was all over the place, and the water was a mess. I had a bit of an off-day, but still had a good time. Tomorrow is looking windy as well!
It looked like the wind was building this evening, so I headed to Chappy after work. Turns out it didn't really build, just hovered in the low teens. Still had a few good runs on my skimboard, but nothing spectacular.
Went to Chappy tonight after work. Had a nice mellow session on the skimboard. Switched over to the Thug, but I wasn't very lit. Still managed to get the Thug in the air. I think it's going to be a great board. Hoping for more wind tomorrow to ride it.
Bill was there inflating his kite, when he noticed his LE seam was coming apart. We went back to my place and I sewed it on the Sailrite. This is my first kiteboarding kite repair -- I hope it holds. I think it will.
Went to Chappy today, but the wind didn't hold up. Totally underpowered on my Waroo Pro + Thug, switched to the Player and Peter's Kahoona and got a few rides in. This was the first ride on the Thug, but I didn't get to see much action on it. Really liked the Kahoona, though, I think I may replace the Waroo Pro with one.
Had a breakthrough day of kiting today. Ever since ankle surgery last year, I've been riding very timidly, which has been frustrating. I seemed to have some sort of mental block where I just couldn't bring myself to attempt any of my tricks.
So today I decided to bust that cycle. I pulled a kiteloop, attempted to ride blind, and a massive railey. I didn't land any of them, but that's not important. What's important is I'm back to my old self, and I'm stoked.
Victory at Sea today at Chappy, gusting well into the mid-30's. Wind chop was huge, and reasonably lined up near the jetty, with spindrifts forming from the tops. Biiig jumps and some fun wave riding! Brings back memories of the good old days on my Naish ARX and my Slingy board.
Went to Chappy again today, but unfortunately the wind never filled in like it seemed it would. Really underpowered, and had a mediocre session on both the skim and my twintip.
That being said, even though the wind was lacking, it was a beautiful day. Definitely the best weather of 2009, and it was great to spend it on the beach!