Part 1

Light winds and Eager beavers

I live in sunny Noosa, and have so for the past year. For some time ive toyed with the idea of trying this kite Surfing, but have kept putting it off. That was until last month.

You see i was looking at getting back into Windsurfing and priced up the gear and started talking to the locals about wind etc. Problem. Not enough wind for short boards. Well that didnt sound like fun. So i borrowed a kite Surfing DVD. Hooked!!! I went over to Kite Surf Australia and promptly bought a second hand liquid force 145, which i prmptly took to the cable ski park and blasted about on for the day, i then headed back to KSA and spoke for some time with Josh about my options with kites etc.

After much pleading Josh and the crew convinced me to have at least one lesson. (Not sure if it was my saftey or thiers they were concerned about, as i was threating to just rock up to the river mouth and launch into the sea). So i cruzed down to lake Weyba for my lesson with the Traqua crew and despite me bringing along my board ( i do have high hopes) i spent the next 1 1/2 hours learning the art of not killing all those about me.

We spent the last part of the lesson out on the lake trying to keep the kite in the air, i think due to a combination of my poor kite skills and the very light wind. i had a tough time re launching and landing with out the kite becoming a missile.

Anyway the lesson was over and my board stayed in the car.  I sulked back the the shore cursing myself for being retarded with kite flying and thinking i should of stuck with windsurfing. Back at the Van my instructor tryed in vain to convince me i did really well and that my skills were actually pretty good for a first timer.

So now i sit at work (surf shop in noosa, so not that bad) awaiting to pick up my kite at the end of the week and get back down to the lake to master that sucker. (Watch for the guy being dragged about the lake on boxing day)Then i will send out a warning to all at the river mouth and get out amoungst the sea of kites.

Seriously all wanna be kiters go get a lesson, 2 or 3 if you can afford it. Talk to your local shop, and take your time and be safe.

Next installment: Shark trawling (lots of sharks in that river).

Part 2

Floating down the river

Pull left, left, left. No the other left. Luckily for me the crew at the river mouth in Noosa Heads are a great bunch. Other wise this newbie kiter would have lost his board to the great big ocean and floated down river into the oncoming storm.

First let me backtrack. So I picked up my gear from KSA on the Thursday and then jumped up and down on the spot with anticipation until I could finally use it on the Sunday (boxing day04) I awoke at the crack of dawn and loaded the car with gear and drove down to lake Weyba. When I arrived I walked down to the waters edge and looked about, checking which way the wind was coming from, cross on shore. Cool. I looked about at how much the water was being disturbed and how the trees around me were swaying. Maybe 12 knots, not much but enough to get the kite up. So I set up my kite for the first time. Now from watching Boost 2 and my lesson (thanx Dave) I found this process very easy, mind you the lake set up area is sheltered to a degree and no one else was about. It is a lot more difficult when kids are playing around the launch area and you have a howling wind ready to rip that kite into the sky. I would be devastated if my kite ever hit someone. So to all newbies setting up for the first time at a new location. Look around you and if possible ask another kiter if there is a preferred location to set up.

Ok back to the lake. First I venture out and just flew the kite; self launched (very chuffed) landed, went from 11 to 1 positions and generally flew the sucker about. Not so hard. So I grabbed my board, once again I launched. I then sat myself down and steered the kite into the power zone and pop up I went, and clunk down I camee. This continued for some time. I just couldn't keep enough power in the kite to stay up. My day was finished and I went home felling like I had made some progress.

Once again I awoke at the crack of dawn and ventured down the lake. Unfortunately the wind had decided to sleep in. So I hung around, and chatted to some fellow newbies who were down to do a lesson with Dave, and we all waited for wind. Around 3 Dave called it, and himself, Jim and I made the drive across to the river mouth. Dave gave myself and Jim a bit of a talk. On what to do at the river mouth as we had both never kited their and were both only a few days into our apprenticeship (of kite boarding).

When i arrived and was stoked to see half a dozen kites swarming about like crazed butterflies. I grabbed my gear and nearly ran down to the sand. Once again I looked about and checked out my surroundings, wind coming from the ocean towards the river mouth, slight cross on shore. I watched the kiters scream back and forth across the river mouth and thought to myself that it doesn't look that hard. I introduced myself to another kiter and explained it was my first time here and asked if there is a preferred set up area etc. My heart was racing and I just wanted to get out. I noticed a fair amount of families sitting close to all the kites and started worrying about how I was going to launch with out taking some of them out. I then spotted a new buddy (I bought Space Monkeys from him on ebay) Kirk Dicker, I reckon it kinda sounds like a super hero slash porn star name. Anyway Kirk helped me launch the kite and I walked back into the water. All about me kites whizzed about and I some how floated through it all. I feel for the others out on the water having to doge me. So for the next hour I tried in vain to get powered up, like at the lake I couldn't keep the kite powered up, I got up a bunch of times but after a few seconds would sink back down. Eventually I ended up in the channel floating down the river. Ran, Ran, pull left. From behind me a voice. Now I had my lines all crossed up and my bar around the wrong way. I was making all the mistakes. Left, pull left. I worked out my bar was around the wrong way and pulled left. This went on for some time; my kite just wouldn't re launch. The voice continued to yell out instructions, Ahh its Bec, the girl I had spoken to via email, well she knows what to do being a world champion and all. Shit. Hope she's not too annoyed having to help the mobile speed hump who's floating down the river. Bec coaxed me back to the beach (well I think most guys would follow) and placed my board well away from me (I think she may have being trying to tell me something, like I think you may have had enough for the day) Bec went through a long list of things I was doing wrong, I was launching in the powered up position and hence didn't have enough space to crank the kite, I needed to learn to re launch quicker, I need to learn to fly the kite with out looking at it. I need to learn self-rescue and to be honest before this session I had never body dragged. If miss Bec hadn't been so great and given me a hand I would have ended up down the river (ever heard the expression shark bait) and I would have not known what mistakes I was making. This just screams out to all newbies to get lessons, I am lucky enough that I live in an area with some of the best kiters, and am making friends with them and that they can be bothered showing the new kid on the block some tips. So despite my miss adventures I had a blast, its great, and I can't wait to be blasting about myself. But first im going to practice my launches, re launches, body dragging, self rescue. Its not as much fun but you just have to learn this stuff. Coming from a background of surfing, heaps of windsurfing (back flips, barrel rolls etc Gloat Gloat), snowboarding, vert skating and wakeboarding I thought I would be up and about very quickly. I still think it won't take that long, but ive got a fair way to go still; this was my third time out. Give me a few weeks and I should be up on the board (fingers crossed).

So to all you guys and girls thinking of kiting here are my Part two tips:

Get Lessons, Learn to fly that damn kite, and then fly it some more, and a bit more. Learn how to body drag and self-rescue, cause you will need these skills. Take your time; this is a potentially fatal sport if done incorrectly. Be humble, don't go out and think you are going to rule the roost, don't be cocky. You may end up killing yourself or worse others.

Well must head off for another session. Everyone stay safe and take your time.

PS. Thankyou to, Instructor Dave (for the extra hand at the river mouth), Kirk (for the help at the river mouth), the guy that rescued my board (you rock), to the open and chilled people of the river mouth crew and finally to Miss Bec for the rescue, and the invaluable advice, and for taking time away from your own session to lend a hand. (You get the double rock salute)

hey Bec, here is part three, hope you had a fun new
year, see ya soon
ran

Part 3

Watch out for that tree and Huston we have
lift off.

As I sit here I find that no part of my body doesn't ache. Five days of attempted Kite Surfing has taken a toll. Massive bruises litter my legs and stomach. A blistered lip and cut feet. But guess what im hoping for right now. Its not relief, no its more wind. I have gone from never flying a kite to blasting along the river  mouth with a huge smile plastered across my face.

The tips I received at the river mouth made a big difference. The day after was windless so I had to wait for the next day to try the new found knowledge out. I walked into the deeper section of the lake, as the wind seemed a little stronger and got set. I sent the kite down and quickly cranked it back. I worked the kite trying to keep it powered up and pop, up I came. The first few attempts didn't last long. The wind was around ten knots gusting to 15 (I checked the reports later) With my kite and my skill level ten just wasn't enough. Then a gust kicked in and I didn't fall back down. I struggled to find an edge and keep the kite moving through the air then the board began to bite. I planted that rear foot and found I could gain some up wind ground. I also noticed once I was up I didn't have to work the kite as hard, just a smooth motion up and down. Now at the far end of the lake I tried to come back. Now my natural stance is goofy and in that direction I was fine, but coming on natural stance was proving to be far more difficult. I ended up half dragging back and half walking. I also noticed that my chicken hoop was broken and I couldn't hook in. Luckily Dave was also at the lake teaching and gave me a spare one he had. This one however didn't have the dickie (the part that locks you in) So I kept popping out when I was riding. (This doesn't sound quite right?) As I was attempting to come back the chicken loop popped out and I powered up as a gust hit, I launched up and quickly I let the bar go so as to not become the next US missile. Unfortunately my safety snapped and my kite and bar went flying into
the trees. After rescuing the tangled mess I found that I some how fluked it and came away with only a few small pin holes. After a bit of a rest I went out for one more run, I attached my self to the bar (still have a safety release if it all goes pare shaped, but not recommended) and had a bunch of runs down the lake, my runs back were still very pitiful but I was making progress. Amongst all this I had a couple of bad line tangles and vowed to get self launching right.

The next day I headed down to the river mouth for a second stab. The boys from KSA were all keyed up after being locked in the shop for the last week. The wind didn't really kick in hard but we all went out anyway. Once again I found the marginal conditions challenging. I once again became a floating obstacle for my first session. (Sorry again to all that had to dodge me), but due to my practice of launching and body dragging didn't drift down the river. During my second session Anton (another regular to the river mouth and a hit with the ladies I hear) called me in, like a schoolboy I thought shit what have I done now? Anton gave me some pointers, he had noticed I was getting my kite too vertical and spilling all the power out and my kite was ending up to far around on the outer part of the wind window. Due to the light conditions Anton said I should start my down stroke
from behind, i.e. the other direction and then power through to the direction I want to travel. He also noticed I was trying to get up with my board to much into the wind, and that I should bare off and then once up try cutting up more. I went out as the wind dropped more and instantly found this to all help. I became less aggressive with the kite and tried to take broader arch's and begin with the kite behind me and up I came. The wind dropped out and the sun started to set so I packed up a few steps closer.

The next day I arrived at the river mouth greeted by a solid 12 - 18 knots. I began my session by drifting down the river (sound familiar) after an hour or so of being a rag doll and putting on a show for a group of young girls (very un graceful jumps in half a foot of water, not recommended and not intentional) I carried the kite back up to the entrance and re launched, the wind was now gusting to 20 knots and I had the biggest kite. I took off like a rocket, for the next half an hour I struggled to hold onto the kite, some more unintentional air and Tim from KSA noticed I was full sheeted in, and thus fully powered up. Tim adjusted my sheeting and I spent the next couple of hours blasting across the water, my natural stance (right foot forward) was becoming fairly solid (for a beginner) but my switch stance took most of the day to get to a level that allowed me not to get catapulted every 50 yards.

I am still having a problem with cutting up to high when launching and struggled a little in the higher wind with re launching after a big slam. I am also loosing my board in the strong out going current (thanx to all that rescued it) but I feel I have had a productive week.

My tips for newbies this session are:
Try like hell to obey the rule of downwind kite fly's low and up wind kite fly's high. I know the rule but due to my inexperience nearly took out a fellow kite surfer, so please take extra care in this respect.

This might sound strange but take a lot of nice cool water, I found with the amount of sea water (that river mouth is a bit average with all that crap in it!) I swallowed that you quickly become de hydrated and begin to lose concentration and become fatigued. This is not a good thing when you are being pulled down a channel by a powered up kite, with out a floatation device.

Finally have fun, pace yourself, everyone learns at a different rate so just enjoy.

Thanx to: The entire Noosa crew again, you are all such a massive help. Oh and Kirk (super porn star) for the beers after the long day in the heat and salt.

Part 4

Full throttle and the puffer fish.

Two safety lines broken, two tears in my kite, two lines snapped, one snapped chicken loop, and a dinged board. This is my wake of destruction in two weeks of kiting. I reckon wipika need me as a test pilot for gear. If I can't break it no-one will be able too. Now it's not like im deliberately hard on my gear. I really do try and do the right thing. Keep it clean, tidy. Organised. But I just seem to have a knack of pushing things to the limit.  

In Noosa we have been getting heavy winds due to the cyclone and I am limited to one kite. A 15m Inferno. Now that's a wee bit too big for anything over 20knots, and the gusts have been kicking over that and some. I have been having a blast when the winds solid and have even bought a new board. Yes two weeks and he needs a new board (really now). Myself and the super hero porn star Kirk Dicker took a couple of demo boards out for a fang and we instantly fell in love with the 05 Wipika SS wide (plug plug). I bought the 125 and now my old 145 is sitting in the shop for sale (KSA rock!!! Plug plug). I found that my kiting took a step up instantly when I tried the smaller board, now I don't recommend that you other newbies go and do the same. This just seems to work for me. I honestly thought I wouldn't even be able to stand on the little bugger, but it just suited my style (that's funny when you consider I don't really have any style, shit most of the time im just trying to hang on and not get slammed). I have gone for the widest stance available and tiny fins, once again probley not recommended for other newbies. This makes the board very skatey, but once again it seems to work for me. So start with a decent size board and when you feel remotely comfortable try some others if you can. Everyone is different so what works for me you may find a total disaster.

Ok onto the riding. I have been kicking! Well I can now blast both ways with some proficiency, I can 25% of the time change direction with out sinking down. My edging has improved and most of the time can get up wind (depending on how hard it's blowing) I have tried some jumps and well that's still a bit shakey, but heaps of fun. I can do little hops over little waves and that's wicked fun too. I must say when you are powered up and cutting hard, the kites nice and low and you are really hammering it is the most amazing feeling! (Go the Robbie Naish style) Your back foot is pushing down hard, and the boards skipping over the waves. I sometimes just look down at the board and watch the water spray out from the edge, then look forward and just be in the moment. Really appreciate how fortunate I am to be able to experience this. Sounds goofy, but it is just an amazing feeling of freedom. No engine noise, just the sound of the wind and the water, spray hitting your face, muscles straining to keep everything in the right place. Your concentrating on what's happening around you, trimming the board, getting the kite in the right spot, feeding in more power, sheeting out in gusts and looking for that next wave to jump or toying with the idea of doing a back flip (I will try Dave, I promise!!!)

Well I now sit at work after the morning session with Juliet (thanx for the extra lines, sorry I broke one! Lots of drinks on the way for the spunky girl from Denmark), my foot is a bit sore from what I suspect was a puffer fish, that lake has sea monsters im sure!! I will be side lined for most of the next week due to work commitments but come that next day off the wind better be blowin!

So keep it safe, and respect your fellow water users.

Thanx to: KSA (for the wicked support and advice), Juliet (thankyou thankyou) and to all the NKC (Noosa Kiteboarding Crew. Rashies out soon!!)

Part 5

The Red pill or the blue pill?.

Well in a month and a half I have gone from a slow moving Inferno and an old liquid force 145 to a brand new Wipika SS 125 and a Matrix. I now feel as though I am actually kite boarding. I have been hanging for a kite with a fifth line, it just makes self-launching and re launching so much easier. Mind you I managed to still stuff the later up, but more about that in a minute. Ok once again the crew at KSA organised a great deal and I left the shop around ten with a very well kept 04 Matrix 11 and a brand new 05 bar and lines. By 11 I was setting up at the river mouth and with a fresh 15 to 20 (ended up more 20 - 25) I was hanging to get out. The first thing I noticed was how much smaller the 11 was compared to my old inferno 15. The new bar was also a bit smaller and I was loving the spinning leash system (this is not a sales pitch by the way, well unless Wipika want to put me on the books, then it is. lol) Anyway as the sand at the river mouth is disappearing I rigged up on the narrow strip of grass then made my way down the rock wall and into the awaiting wind. The kite darted about like a sugar-loaded child on Christmas day, hmm this looks promising. I dived the kite and was yanked out of the water. Alright! The matrix was just so much more powerful. Wicked. I spent an hour or so blasting back and forth across the river mouth, throwing in the occasional toe side carves. (Yer I am da man. lol) The bar was not really right and I soon found my lower back aching, along with the excited kite I decided lets not try anything too crazy yet. Hey I forgot something. Last time out on the Inferno yours truly got some air! Yes that's right, the flying graffiti wall got some pop! Well back to the present day. So I came in a bit knackered and downed about three litres of water and let the knees have a rest. Edging against an overpowered kite is hard work! The traffic was beginning to grow on the water as I headed out for my second session, the wind was getting a bit too strong but I persisted and spent another couple of hours on the water. Now this is lesson time. Ok. Rest, take a rest. I think im repeating this as much for myself as for you. See I started to get fatigued and making mistakes. I got some crossed up air in the gusty wind and kept loosing my board, the body dragging was tiring me out (I think its more draining off the board than on) I ended up crashing the kite and the bugger would not relaunch. The leading edge was facing up wind and the strong wind had it pinned down. I tried pulling on an outside line to bring it round but I just couldn't get it to work. After some time my Danish friend Juliet flipped the kite over for me. The matrix screamed into the air, but with a big twist. The left outside line had become tangled with the middle 5th line. Now due to this the kite wouldn't respond very well. So I decide to head in to untangle the lines and take a breather. As I headed in a big gust hit and I was just launched. I don't remember much besides the water looking far away then very quickly racing towards my face! I think I blacked out for a moment; luckily it was only a moment. I tried to stand up (was in chest high water) but found I couldn't, my vision was all hazy and all around black and blue dots raced across my pupils. My head was throbbing; it felt like I'd been hit over the head by a baseball bat. Im not sure how long I was bobbing about in the water, I just couldn't shake it off. The matrix just flapped about as I had released the main safety (not sure when I did that?) I wasn't sure where my board was. I slowly made my way across the deep channel and after what seemed like forever got back to shore. That was me for the day. I went home (once again not sure how really) and crashed out. (Not really recommended, but I am a do as I say not as I do kinda guy) I was all ready to kite the next day but after speaking to a couple of close friends (well my speaking was a bit dyslexic and vague) I decided to rest.

So what can we learn? Rest Rest Rest. Take a break, drink shit loads of water. Don't kite over powered (well any of us in our first season) Listen to your body, if you feel stuffed out on the water, you probley should come in for a drink of water and get out of the sun. See it was bloody hot too, I was burnt and I applied three lots of 30plus. So a bit of heat stroke plus fatigue, probley due to the heat despite the water I was drinking made me a bit dehydrated too. So when I got into trouble I was already exhausted, luckily I was in a river mouth with some shallow parts, if this had of been a down winder in the ocean I may not have been so lucky.

Ok enough of this. Kite safe, respect that wind and practice emergency ejections of that kite. Everything happens so much faster once it gets to 20knots, and you don't always have time to think about it. I must have instinctively released the kite as I was getting slammed, which may have got rid of some of the speed I hit with (power driven).

As I write this im looking outside waiting for the wind to pick up, I want try some more carves and get some air. See you all out on the water.

Thanx again to those that rescued my board and for the assistance from KSA.


Ran Maclurkin