Forums > Kitesurfing General

Rocky Bottom Starts

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Created by Derf54 > 9 months ago, 9 Aug 2019
Derf54
10 posts
9 Aug 2019 6:15PM
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I am a beginner with Air Rush 12m kit and a Switch 140 board. I've had lessons and am at work beside the beach and have a opportunity to put it all into practice.
Problem is I'm at a point of putting the board onto my feet and getting up, however the sea floor is not sand but hard (not loose) rock bottom.
Generally the sport suggests that starting off is ideally done on a sandy shore/bottom, where the person would be bear foot. At present this is not the case, where i must wear some type of foot wear to launch and move into the water and practice, body dragging, water starts etc.
The board has straps and conducive to bear feet where i am in shoes.

How can i over come this challenge. I so want to up skill, however the local environment wont allow.

Derf

Sandfoot
VIC, 566 posts
9 Aug 2019 8:52PM
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Derf54 said..
I am a beginner with Air Rush 12m kit and a Switch 140 board. I've had lessons and am at work beside the beach and have a opportunity to put it all into practice.
Problem is I'm at a point of putting the board onto my feet and getting up, however the sea floor is not sand but hard (not loose) rock bottom.
Generally the sport suggests that starting off is ideally done on a sandy shore/bottom, where the person would be bear foot. At present this is not the case, where i must wear some type of foot wear to launch and move into the water and practice, body dragging, water starts etc.
The board has straps and conducive to bear feet where i am in shoes.

How can i over come this challenge. I so want to up skill, however the local environment wont allow.

Derf



Can you post a photo of the location please Derf.

weebitbreezy
619 posts
9 Aug 2019 7:30PM
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Thin soled wetsuit booties. Commonly worn in cold countries all year around for kitesurfing. They'll help you with your walk back up the beach.

Adjust your straps on your board to accommodate them before going out. Job done.

riddim1
QLD, 147 posts
9 Aug 2019 9:40PM
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Hey Derf,

Just go to a local surf/kite shop and buy some reef booties. Heaps of companies make them. You'll have to adjust your board straps though. I learned at a spot with heaps of stingrays and stone fish so it kind of motivated me to get up on the board riding quicker.

Best of luck.
Cheers.

Tbaggn
NSW, 57 posts
9 Aug 2019 9:41PM
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Find an instructor with a boat and learn in a big lake or bay. The instructor can follow you and stay just upwind and teach from the boat. Its the quickest way to learn and you soon master the relaunch from the water. Also, smaller kite and big board is the way to go for beginners. Master the kite first with a very stable big board. Use a stand up paddle board to get the feel of tacking.


causehecan
WA, 668 posts
9 Aug 2019 8:51PM
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Good news derf sounds like you dont have fire coral sea urchins dirty nappys military mangroves or dysentry

What are the other kitesurfers doing in your area and how are they coping?

A google map link can help everyone here guide you better.

jamesperth
WA, 610 posts
9 Aug 2019 8:55PM
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Are you saying you need to be standing on the bottom in order to get the board on your feet ? That is never going to work :)

Unless you are kiting in a very shallow area the second you start riding you'll probably be in deep water, then crash and what then ?

The water start is generally initiated from a seated position, floating, and you'll manoeuvre one foot in then the other. Your instructor would have asked you to demonstrate this, assuming they followed the KA/ BKSA curriculum.

causehecan
WA, 668 posts
9 Aug 2019 9:13PM
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jamesperth said..
Are you saying you need to be standing on the bottom in order to get the board on your feet ? That is never going to work :)

Unless you are kiting in a very shallow area the second you start riding you'll probably be in deep water, then crash and what then ?

The water start is generally initiated from a seated position, floating, and you'll manoeuvre one foot in then the other. Your instructor would have asked you to demonstrate this, assuming they followed the KA/ BKSA curriculum.


From my maths hes like 65? Years age so we just need to work out where hes actually located and point him in right direction

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
9 Aug 2019 9:13PM
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jamesperth said..
Are you saying you need to be standing on the bottom in order to get the board on your feet ? That is never going to work :)

Unless you are kiting in a very shallow area the second you start riding you'll probably be in deep water, then crash and what then ?

The water start is generally initiated from a seated position, floating, and you'll manoeuvre one foot in then the other. Your instructor would have asked you to demonstrate this, assuming they followed the KA/ BKSA curriculum.


Always worked for me
Kite at 12 wade into knee deep water, position board and quickly stand on it to pin down, shuffle feet in
sit down and set off,

Derf54
10 posts
10 Aug 2019 8:04PM
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Sandfoot said..

Derf54 said..
I am a beginner with Air Rush 12m kit and a Switch 140 board. I've had lessons and am at work beside the beach and have a opportunity to put it all into practice.
Problem is I'm at a point of putting the board onto my feet and getting up, however the sea floor is not sand but hard (not loose) rock bottom.
Generally the sport suggests that starting off is ideally done on a sandy shore/bottom, where the person would be bear foot. At present this is not the case, where i must wear some type of foot wear to launch and move into the water and practice, body dragging, water starts etc.
The board has straps and conducive to bear feet where i am in shoes.

How can i over come this challenge. I so want to up skill, however the local environment wont allow.

Derf




Can you post a photo of the location please Derf.






causehecan
WA, 668 posts
10 Aug 2019 8:16PM
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Brother you need to leave the kite alone build a rocket and get off that moon god damn.

I cant believe you have a kite sitinf ontop that.

Are you drift launching?

What are the other kiters doing they most likely have a little trick to overcome this. I would be rigging at home with struts inflated and clipped keepy bar and lines connected to kite roll into a tube wingtips to center then id walk out in surf bootys (thinner soles then dive bootys) pumping in shallowest of water on a outgoing tide lobbing pump on top the rock and drift launching.

But this is something that can very easily go wrong and youll need to be shown in person how to do this properly.

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
10 Aug 2019 8:21PM
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Select to expand quote
Derf54 said..

Sandfoot said..


Derf54 said..
I am a beginner with Air Rush 12m kit and a Switch 140 board. I've had lessons and am at work beside the beach and have a opportunity to put it all into practice.
Problem is I'm at a point of putting the board onto my feet and getting up, however the sea floor is not sand but hard (not loose) rock bottom.
Generally the sport suggests that starting off is ideally done on a sandy shore/bottom, where the person would be bear foot. At present this is not the case, where i must wear some type of foot wear to launch and move into the water and practice, body dragging, water starts etc.
The board has straps and conducive to bear feet where i am in shoes.

How can i over come this challenge. I so want to up skill, however the local environment wont allow.

Derf





Can you post a photo of the location please Derf.








Check tide times

amirite
350 posts
10 Aug 2019 9:12PM
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steps on main sock and pops bladder
no pressure now for me to figure out launch method

Derf54
10 posts
10 Aug 2019 9:42PM
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Select to expand quote
causehecan said..
Good news derf sounds like you dont have fire coral sea urchins dirty nappys military mangroves or dysentry

What are the other kitesurfers doing in your area and how are they coping?

A google map link can help everyone here guide you better.


At present i havent seen any other kiters around.
Lat: 2? 0'38.23"N Long: 45?18'16.65"E

psychojoe
WA, 1880 posts
10 Aug 2019 10:21PM
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I genuinely appreciate your interest in kiting but your location is unsafe. Your risk of being lofted or dragged into a head trauma injury is huge. Myself and many if not most other experienced kiters would not kite at the location pictured

Derf54
10 posts
10 Aug 2019 10:30PM
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cauncy said..

Derf54 said..


Sandfoot said..



Derf54 said..
I am a beginner with Air Rush 12m kit and a Switch 140 board. I've had lessons and am at work beside the beach and have a opportunity to put it all into practice.
Problem is I'm at a point of putting the board onto my feet and getting up, however the sea floor is not sand but hard (not loose) rock bottom.
Generally the sport suggests that starting off is ideally done on a sandy shore/bottom, where the person would be bear foot. At present this is not the case, where i must wear some type of foot wear to launch and move into the water and practice, body dragging, water starts etc.
The board has straps and conducive to bear feet where i am in shoes.

How can i over come this challenge. I so want to up skill, however the local environment wont allow.

Derf






Can you post a photo of the location please Derf.









Check tide times


At the high tide mark in one place there is maybe a 10-15 stretch of sand that I launch from. Problem is, it runs along side the airport run way so I practice before 0630 and walk it out into the water for body dragging. South side of the airport is better situated however its the main approach into the airport

Peahi
VIC, 1470 posts
11 Aug 2019 8:39AM
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rocks are practical reason why boardies worn over wetsuit, but doesn't look like one is heeded there. otherwise just bodydrag out where its deeper

looks like a great spot but a bit of sand to launch and land on would be helpful, do none of the sorrounding beaches have sand?

Not a good place for a beginner that fo sure

causehecan
WA, 668 posts
11 Aug 2019 6:40AM
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Okay... Mogadishu airport has some very large planes im going to try find you a more suitable location. In western world its illegal to fly kites near international airports for safety reasons (traffic control really dont like it)



causehecan
WA, 668 posts
11 Aug 2019 6:52AM
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www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/mogadishu_adden_adde_airport click this link derf you will see you get noce strong winds in dec jan feb (australian summer) and quite moderate winds in june july august (australian winter) so its a nice place for kiting for sure :D

If you click on this link and scroll down you will be able to find the tides which i am sure you already know www.windfinder.com/tide/mogadishu_adden_adde_airport but may be useful

And this link www.windfinder.com/forecast/mogadishu_adden_adde_airport?src=android shows a very very very nice forcast! Lots of wind im jelous.

From looking at satelite images it looks like this rocky bottom stretches along the entire coastline... There is some spots with sand i just need to calculate how far and cost of travel to see if things are reasonable might take a bit of time.

causehecan
WA, 668 posts
11 Aug 2019 7:09AM
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se.kiteforum.com/kitesurf/spot/Mogadishu_Beach

Looks a bit far away from you but theyre is atleast 1 guy theyre i see on facebook flying since 2015

m.facebook.com/KitesurfingSomalia/



My friend you are a bit of a pioneer.

I have been searching for somalia windsurfing and somalia surfing for previous information and trips. Sadly everyone just seems to suggest going to mogadishu beach which looks like theres some distance for you.

gosurfafrica.com/somalia/

Good news is you have plenty of wind. If it wasnt for some surf tourists being kidnapped then i would consider going theyre myself. But i have too many other options i would like to explore first.

Im going to start looking again for more appropriate location to kitesurf my best advice would be to search for other somalian kitesurfers on facebook or whatever social media you use. Witj me searching in english i can not find alot of local communications

Stay safe

Plummet
4862 posts
11 Aug 2019 9:27AM
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I haven't read any of the replies due to extreme laziness. So maybe this has been covered.


Just walk out deeper and do a floating water start.

If the rocks are real sharp use booties.

You can body drag from pretty shallow. Shallow body drag to deeper might save clambering over rocks.

amirite
350 posts
11 Aug 2019 9:45AM
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Derf54 said..




blows south west
perfect cross-offshore wind for riding that righthander
launch up near that headland

amirite
350 posts
11 Aug 2019 9:48AM
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Plummet said..
I haven't read any of the replies due to extreme laziness. So maybe this has been covered.


Just walk out deeper and do a floating water start.

If the rocks are real sharp use booties.

You can body drag from pretty shallow. Shallow body drag to deeper might save clambering over rocks.


he's in the wrong spot (obviously)
the wind blows from right to left when viewing the photo

chillout
WA, 38 posts
11 Aug 2019 12:42PM
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Notwithstanding local security issues in Mogadishu which I am sure are a factor; but what about kiting 10-15 km south of the airport - looks to have some inbuilt safety elements if you get into trouble on the SSW breeze. Booties for the reef. 12m kite sounds a lot if you are learning on a 20 knot thermal wind - try a 9m and a larger board if possible. Dont give up, but always consider what if?when pioneering a new location - legendary stuff!

Derf54
10 posts
11 Aug 2019 12:42PM
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Select to expand quote
Plummet said..
I haven't read any of the replies due to extreme laziness. So maybe this has been covered.


Just walk out deeper and do a floating water start.

If the rocks are real sharp use booties.

You can body drag from pretty shallow. Shallow body drag to deeper might save clambering over rocks.


Thanks for the motivation.
Many hurdles to concur to achieve ones goal

chillout
WA, 38 posts
11 Aug 2019 12:47PM
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Derf54
10 posts
11 Aug 2019 1:06PM
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Select to expand quote
chillout said..
Notwithstanding local security issues in Mogadishu which I am sure are a factor; but what about kiting 10-15 km south of the airport - looks to have some inbuilt safety elements if you get into trouble on the SSW breeze. Booties for the reef. 12m kite sounds a lot if you are learning on a 20 knot thermal wind - try a 9m and a larger board if possible. Dont give up, but always consider what if?when pioneering a new location - legendary stuff!


I am restricted to the airport for the duration that i am here.
Have learnt my personal kite handling abilities at this point is 9-15knots (anything higher is a no go for me). Booties/larger board are on the shopping list as supply chain is an issue here.

Derf54
10 posts
11 Aug 2019 1:15PM
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chillout said..

Thanks for the suggestion.
Not shown on the map is that its currently used as a range by different identities

dafish
NSW, 1633 posts
11 Aug 2019 4:26PM
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Select to expand quote
causehecan said..
www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/mogadishu_adden_adde_airport click this link derf you will see you get noce strong winds in dec jan feb (australian summer) and quite moderate winds in june july august (australian winter) so its a nice place for kiting for sure :D

If you click on this link and scroll down you will be able to find the tides which i am sure you already know www.windfinder.com/tide/mogadishu_adden_adde_airport but may be useful

And this link www.windfinder.com/forecast/mogadishu_adden_adde_airport?src=android shows a very very very nice forcast! Lots of wind im jelous.

From looking at satelite images it looks like this rocky bottom stretches along the entire coastline... There is some spots with sand i just need to calculate how far and cost of travel to see if things are reasonable might take a bit of time.


THIS is why I like Seebreeze. Your time and effort to help Derf54 is what I hope people come on this forum for. Nice to see this post from you. Really...

Kay1982
NSW, 274 posts
11 Aug 2019 4:32PM
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Hey dude- firstly good on ya for sticking with it! For what its worth: if the bottom is hard you are much safer starting off seated. Your pants are gonna rip and your heel side edge get scratched but so what- its better than getting tripped over yo board and banging up yo knees/elbows/head straight on the rocks. I just saw this happen to a dude not two hours ago (followed by a 50m drag over the sand).
Good luck.

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
11 Aug 2019 3:36PM
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Derf54 said..

cauncy said..


Derf54 said..



Sandfoot said..




Derf54 said..
I am a beginner with Air Rush 12m kit and a Switch 140 board. I've had lessons and am at work beside the beach and have a opportunity to put it all into practice.
Problem is I'm at a point of putting the board onto my feet and getting up, however the sea floor is not sand but hard (not loose) rock bottom.
Generally the sport suggests that starting off is ideally done on a sandy shore/bottom, where the person would be bear foot. At present this is not the case, where i must wear some type of foot wear to launch and move into the water and practice, body dragging, water starts etc.
The board has straps and conducive to bear feet where i am in shoes.

How can i over come this challenge. I so want to up skill, however the local environment wont allow.

Derf







Can you post a photo of the location please Derf.










Check tide times



At the high tide mark in one place there is maybe a 10-15 stretch of sand that I launch from. Problem is, it runs along side the airport run way so I practice before 0630 and walk it out into the water for body dragging. South side of the airport is better situated however its the main approach into the airport

Sounds a top spot
time it right with the incoming flight full off Bintang bogans from Bali and you can boost
Off the vortex



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"Rocky Bottom Starts" started by Derf54