A Perfect Downwinder !!

I spend most part of the day kite surfing in 6-10 ft surf solid on my
trusty
8mtr kite in 16knots...not the size kite I wanted use (preferably a
12-16mtr would have been the option), man I can tell you there were some real monsters looming up on the outer sector off the beach. I remember one
where I was heading out the back just managing to scape over 2 of the set waves, by arching the kite behind me,so as to boost over the broken wave launching as high as possible - also manoeuvring the kite to land with speed). Feeling relieved to make it ..and cocky, then looking to see the next coming closer by the second and that feeling in your stomach to say this is what I asked for ..nows the time to prove it.

50 feet in front of me and the the kite bearly noticeable aginst this
mother. The waves were 100 - 100mtrs wide I'm talking about a swell where
they had closed the beaches and the lifeguards were watching us with
amazement. Probably thinking hell we wont even bother rescuing you guys.

So here I am thinking go wide, but with the kite may drop my speed, perhaps I should try and launch over it..nah not enough speed to boost over it.
Sometimes the larger waves cause this kind of wind tunnel, where you feel you have enough to fly over it, but you have to time it with again arching the kite and not to launch late where the lip will smack you or clip the
board sending you into uncontrolled spin or you only get half way up the wave with you heading backwards into the abyss with you and the kite.

Or there is another option ...Do the hard turn with the wind and keeping the kite in the power zone, and hope that you can out run the wave. Funny thing I opted for the later....yeah there are times when you put your balls to the wall and see if they hang like Kahonas or the crawl up and find protection under belly button (like the times when you use to wear a tight wetsuit on the a freezing 10 degree day. (I remember those early morning surfs in WA)

So back to the story the boards skipping towards it holding a edge, pop the board to stand back to front from the kite and turn the kite while turning the board, not an easy thing to do when your thinking I **** up here..I
might as well throw the kite cause the this wave is going bring the kite down and me, it happens and getting caught in the white wash with a board connected by a leash and being dragged by the kite caught in the wash isn't a nice feeling. The feeling like when you stack it water skiing and not being able to let go, and pulling your head up to catch a gasp of air before the next wave drags you for another 1-2 minutes underwater.

OK I managed to turn smoothly, now start working the kite so I can get out of here! ..too late I looked behind to see the wave had sucked more of the ocean and I was now 2 feet from the base of wave behind me and about to break with force, even the crashing of the wave that close could hit me and throw me and the kite down!. Split second decision I pull the kite hard upwards and towards the power zone incase if the the I get hit I can throw
the kite backwards so the kite doesn't drop and hopefully with the power I might be able to keep the kite up. NOTE: Rule number 1 always watch the kite and keep it up in the air!!. Well the wave broke with that bone crunching sound and feeling the full grunt the kite is it's downturn so as to gain some momentum or anything to gain the speed to ride away from it.
Not this mother she had my name etched all over her and she wanted to kick my cocky arse deep into her bowels of darkness!

She hits me from behind sending white wash straight over me, holding my bar as the life line thinking if I can just hold steady I can ride this out. Well it felt forever being in the white wash and keeping the speed I managed to ride out and away from it. So when the other guys finally reach destination point I just laugh and said ..a few hairy ones out there. I was pumped but knowing that's a long way out to swim in!!

When my wife asked me how was it ...should I tell her the truth or tell YEAH
>Not Bad>

Bananaboy