In which I face-plant from several meters above the water

Started out light and built up.

I got out on the 21 and the Origin for about 30 minutes, just in case it continued not following the forecast. Flat-bottomed boards just aren't as locked and loaded feeling as the channeled boards. By the time I don't need to ride the 'door, I can get on the Limited so I think I either want an Ultra or will just get rid of the Origin and leave it at that.

Swapped out for the 15 and had a good time. Ok jumps, so I got into some tricks. Started doing some foot outs until, near the end of the day, the chicken loop snapped at the apex of a jump.

I was ended up falling and hitting the water in a staple, with the board still on my feet. Thought the spreader bar had gone again, but nope. Nothing hurt but my pride... although I had an odd, very localized ache in my left leg... gone now, so not broken or anything.

Fuckin' CLs. That's the fourth FS one I've broken. Looks like the hook is wearing through the PU tube and then the rope is just letting go, which it shouldn't cos I'm guess it's rated to thousands of pounds, so maybe it's rotting as water gets in...

Checked all my others... the 21 is borderline, the 12 is fine; 55cm Cab bar has holes, the two 48cm bars are fine; and of course the North bar is fine. Hmm... will either replace with Switch CLs or try adding another layer of PU.

Might flick a mail to FSer...

I know I went out but...

Forgot to do this, now I forget what happened. Oh I remember - I went to Mie. Left here early and got to Mie and onto the water just as the wind was dropping. Had a boostathon for 10 minutes, then it dropped so I played with the waves. Started to feel iffy after a while and gave up... mustn't have timed brunch right cos I felt much better once I got something to eat.

Super-light again

Crappy cos it just didn't last long enough...

Was a fun start though. Flat water, fun rotation tricks. Shame. I need a foil.

Mmm

New kite arrived, got some wind... Off we go.

Well. Lotsa bar pressure, feels like it's over-sheeted, bloody hard work getting upwind, can't figure out how to jump it, turns like balancing a broom in the palm of your hand. Want to sell it on, but I'll give it a run in the wind it's supposed to be in and with a bigger board.

Went straight out on the S3 15 and was much happier...

Piss-poor pay-off

For all the preparation. And I gave myself a headache shouting obscenities at the wind. Fucker.

Boostathon

Big forecast for Mie.

Supposed to pick up so I went for the Speed3 12, as I wanted to check the state of tune and test the Cabrinha pulleys. Was a bit underpowered for a while, then it dropped off. Kite needs a tune, the mini-5th is too short.

Got out the 15. Much better! Could probably tickle the mixer a little but it was good. Mmm good REAL good! Real huckfest... gush and choppy so it was straight jackin' but jolly good fun. Good height and hang, and a bit of a tweak to technique produced some of the most violent rips off the water I've experienced. Crimes! And I thought I had it all sussed out...

Even though I dunked the 15 a few times (water dropping away under my landing spot) and inverted/bow tied once, it was still a kick-ass session!

---

The Tsu Yacht Harbor; yachts to the left of me, kiddies' park the right...

Sub-10 knots... Believe it, or not

Light wind forecast but thermals may improve it. Went and waited...

About 4pm, everyone decided it was as good as it as going to get and jumped in. I joined them...

Still impressed with that 2014 Zephyr, eh. But I must have really nailed the tune for the 21 cos it rocked upwind, was super-stable and gave good lift.

Everyone gave up after a while but I kept going cow I was making headway upwind, and was still able to throw some rotation tricks. And so it went for the next couple of hours...

The wind was so light... no white caps at all, you had to stand still to see trees or stalks of grass moving. Amazing! Weather site said 4 to 8 knots, gusts no more than 14 but that was 2 hours before I got on the water...

Same old, same gold

Good forecast, better wind. Good power from the kite and I didn't need a 'door! Bit gusty for stunts, so mostly just straight boosting and wave slashing. Man, wish I had a camera on today...

Wind shifted front the N to the NW but was still rideable. 16 to 22 knots, apparently. Water was actually more rideable after the switch as it was less choppy and we got longer flatter spaces better better formed crests.

Harness is more comfy if the bottom straps are tighter than the top. I need to try the wider stance on the Limited too...

Home sweet home

Didn't quite live up to the forecast but was pretty good anyway.

Crowded ol' beach with just over 15 kiters out and about. 10s and 17s... but there's some wind so I go with the Speed3 15. End up having to swap my boards a few times but it's a pretty good day's riding.

Called this one "epic" cos I nailed many big phat sent rotations, like I meant to do it that way...

Tsu yet again

Kinda the same as yesterday, (without the traffic) but with the wind dying it went from fun to lame...

Tsu again

Dropped the wife at the airport with the bit and took the other highway to Tsu... traffic was bad.

Had a nice time doodling around, despite the crowds of trailer trash on the beach.