Kiteventure

Headed down to St Kilda to grab a late seabreeze with Pete.  It came in just enough - around 16-17 knots - for us to get a tour in down to the mouth of the yarra and back.  Funnily enough we came back on exactly the same tack - not easy to get upwind today.  Sorted out downloop turns though - which generate a stack of power - good thing to try in light conditions.

Pretty average wind, just enough to stay upwind.  I tried to go further out to get better wind, but ended up having to walk back from Green point.  Better luck next time.

A strong seabreeze hit Hampton, so James, Pete and I hit the beach at around 4pm.  It felt to be about 20 something knots on the beach, but after rigging up the 10 and heading out, it was blowing a pretty consistent 27 knots out the back.  I managed to get quite a few huge airs going launching off the top of waves as they came through.  It took a lot of effort to hold the kite down in such strong wind - kept the session fairly short but intense.  Not the time to be trying new tricks though !

Amazing session with a big upwind trip to Aspendale, great play in fun surf, then back again.  Got possibly the best wave I've ever caught on the kite, had an absolute ball.  Wind was a bit strange for big airs so I stuck to riding waves.  Totally exhausted by the end - amazing session.

In keeping with the last couple of gos at Mentone - not quite enough to have a great time.  Session probably only lasted 30 minutes before the wind died out.

Very late session - got to the beach after putting the kids to bed.  Left at 718, got to the beach at 748 and kited until the sun went down (about 830).  Just enough wind to stay upwind and do some transitions with kite loops.  Gotta love daylight savings.

Missed the good wind, just around 15 knots to try and use.  Had fun making use of the very narrow channel next to the beach to get back upwind.  Nice water, waves would have been great with a couple more knots.

James and I hit a strong and building northerly down at Brighton fairly early in the morning.  Got blown some way downwind at some stage - it must have hit around 28 to 30 knots.  Water is nice and warm now.

Tarren, James and I met up down at Hampton for an evening session.  Nice wind for about 40 minutes, fantastic to be on the water after a hot day.  Ankle is getting better and better.  Damned if I could land a backroll to toeside, doing faceplants again.

I took the day off to take care of the kids, and Gonad man managed to work from home.  A ripping wind came through so we went out at Beaumaris by the yacht club.  A really high tide turned the place into a fantastic flat water arena, with nice waves out the back.  Had an absolute ball, and still no big issue with my foot - so the next session should be absolute freedom and an opportunity to get back onto my to do list.  Try a couple of triple rotations but didn't land them.  Grant and I both had a ball.

Just enough wind to stay off the rocks within Western port.  Nice flat water, but not quite enough wind to go bananas. It's my first time back from injuring my foot - extensor tendonitis.  It's been a real pain, very difficult to walk and has been about a 2 week recovery.  If I ever get this again,  these guidelines  are fantastic for recovery.  I kept the session short just to make sure it didn't flair up again.  If it's benign tomorrow, I'm back in business.

After the massive session the day before, it was nice to be on the big, more stable kite.  The wind was just enough for me to keep upwind on the surf beach, but Pete was headed downwind.  I eventually decided to join him, and indicated to do a downwinder into the inlet. The wind in the inlet was rubbish, perhaps due to the incoming tide, so pretty standard downwinder.  The surf was a joy though !

After an abandoned session where about 40 knots came ripping through (standing near the beach becomes painful in these conditions), Pete and I returned with a mere 30 knots ripping through.  Small kites were the order of the day, so I chucked the 7 up. Very well powered, we were able to tour upwind to the surf life saving club fairly easily.  Along the way, we managed to call in to a speed run arena - a spit of sand next to a deep channel with beautiful flat water - which was a joy. Near the surf club the waves were barreling up - it was close to the biggest surf I've been out in with the kite.  There were some amazing peaks pulling through.  Had a fantastic time posing for some shots - little was I to know the camera was off centre and missing me.  I could be relishing me giving the thumbs up whilst being totally wiped out by an unsuspecting wave right now. I headed back to Pete in the mouth of the inlet and noticed a massive front pushing through.  ...

A massive 5-8 knots was blowing in the inlet, so Pete decided to break out the zero - his new light wind kite.   Amazingly, Pete was able to stay upwind, so I decided to have a crack.  I was about to find out that 8 knots on the zero is scarier than 35 knots on my little kite. Through the air it looks like an absolute beast.  On the water, the thing pulls like a truck.  Transitions are a bit unusual, it takes a long time to turn and likes to have some power so you must arc the thing to get a smooth transition.  Coming back... holy hell... its like when I first started kiting in 2003...massively overpowered, getting pulled off a line and hard to stop.  I would hate to imagine this thing in over 10 knots, you would end up in a tree.  It consistently wanted to pull me downwind or straight up. At one stage, I was heading towards a sand spit and tried to slow the zero down. Stuart - Slow down kite, got to walk across this spit Zero - Computer says no...

Pete, Tarren, James and I met up at St Kilda for an early session.  The forecast seemed to indicate a little rain, but upon arrival conditions were absolutely sweet.  It was a fantastic opportunity to pull out the trick bag from last year, consolidate what I've learnt and try out some of the new ones I've been eyeing off from the progression video.  I had a go at backroll to toeside, toeside backroll to heelside and front roll transitions, all of which I managed to stack spectacularly multiple times.  I had a fantastic time going from the flat water in the marina, building up speed and lauching big jumps off the small waves looping around the corner of the rock wall.  A magnificent session was had by all, such an amazing way to start the day.

Early session with Tarren and James down at Aspendale.  Wind was a very consistent 17-20 knots, great one to get back into it.  Landed 2 out of 2 darkslides, but most of my other rotations landed with a crash, tried a back 720 and forward 360's on both sides.  Certainly made the most of the conditions.

Very very nice north westerly blowing in to Brighton made for a very different experience than the last couple of episodes.  Water is getting warmer and it could well be the last run in a wetsuit for a little while.  It was a pleasure to work on all the stuff that I was landing nicely last year, backrolls were working well but forward rotations need a bit of work on landing.  Stoked to have a good session.

A bit cross off today, but consistency was ok.  Had to scale back to the 7 after trying out the 10 and almost getting blown off the beach.  A couple of folks showed up at the end of the session and should win bravery/stupidity awards for going miles offshore in an offshore wind.  James and I tried to persuade a beginner not to go out with a big kite and legrope, spotted him later dragging across the reef.  Theres just no telling some people.

After the beautiful warm of the north, it was a pleasant surprise to hit the beach in warm conditions and shed the booties.  Wind was gusty and nasty - from about 12 knots through to 27 knots - so hard to handle.  Fun to be on the water, and the gusts provided some laughs as Tarren took a big overpowered wipeout.  Good to get out.

Shot out for a quick session once the wind shot up at about 9:30.  Some fantastic sun shining through, just enough wind to put a smile on my face.  No beanie as it is definitely warming up, can't wait to start shedding the wetsuit and other gear too.  Some fool went a hell of a long way out and kept ditching the kite, but then kept just heading further out and further downwind.  No idea what his game was, maybe some kind of suicide attempt ! Kite republic was setting up a kite camp at Brighton, really dumb idea to get a bunch of beginners out on a cross shore wind at Brighton that was tending weaker and could tend to cross-off.  Continued bad judgement at Brighton in northerlies is going to get someone one day.

Fantastic pre work session - still smiling. About 18-20 knots, managed to work on the weaker side jumps and pulled off quite a few forward 360's, even landed a back 720. Indy glide on both sides is working. And to top it all off, got 3 darkslides in a row. Fantastic morning and my ribs have finally recovered. Unfortunately James' new kite had a slow leak - fascinated to know what is going on there.

Early morning session with Tarren, James and Pete down at Frankston.  Still can't work out how to do a toeside backflip, doing my head in a little bit.  Probably not the day for it with the small kite.  Fantastic way to start the day.

Spectacular morning after a very cold day.  Tarren, Pete and I arrived at Rosebud with barely 10 knots blowing, in the expectation of 25 knots overnight and 17 knots on the charts.  Luckily .... Pete had the sector 60 onboard, so while Pete set up I borrowed Tarren's 11m kite and the sector 60.  That thing cranks in low wind, I was able to go upwind and really plain in very little wind.  Almost managed to gybe the thing too, be good to get that down. The wind picked up a little so I headed back in, grabbed my kite for a nice flat water session.  My rib is still hurting a little, but beautiful to be out on the water in the sunshine.  Came back in after a while and gave Pete a go on my kite and board.  Took the opportunity to grab some shots of Tarren. and Pete in his "onesy" (underneath the dry suit)

There are some days where this sport points out just how great it is and why it consumes you.  Today was one of those days. James, Tarren and I hit Rosebud at around 10am, after checking Dromana.  Wind was perfect at around 20 knots.  Very hungover and still suffering from brusing my ribs, the beautiful cool water made me forget all my ills and put a massive smile on my face, fantastic flat water and a small swell on the sandbar.  I didn't try any tricks but worked on carving turns in the glorious shallow water.  Unbeatable day, I'll be back down to Rosebud.

James and I headed to Frankston then on to Mornington looking for a good onshore breeze.  The bay monster had struck again and was eating the northerly in the middle of the bay.  We droze back up to Brighton and headed out, a reminder of just how gusty the northerly can be at the top of the bay.  It seemed to go from 15 to 30 knots, got pretty yanked a couple of times. Only 4 folks out, but some idiot still decided he wanted to do a trick just as he was passing me coming the other way.  We were a fair way out, he stuffed up the trick and I had to take major evasive action, yanked off my board and had a swim for a little while.  I had a chat to him afterwards and told him what had happened, he seemed largely oblivious.  Hurt my rib in the evasive action - looks like another 3 weeks of pain. Hit something solid twice with my board... no idea what but it definitely wasn't a rock.  Whatever it was probably has a fair headache now.

woohoo.  Nailed the indy glide - fantastic and pretty easy now.

Frankston in 25-30 knots - unbeatable. Beautiful sunrise reflecting off some nice waves.  No really ambitious progression, there was absolutely no-one on the beach.

If she continues to organise nice northerlies on her birthday.... Tarren gets a go