* "... I'm ok I'm ok OHHHH MY GOD OHHHH MY GOD I'm ok I'm ok ..."
Supposed to be nukin' all day with some rain thrown in. It rained hard here in the morning so I kinda gave up on kiting and went out for lunch with the missus. By then though the rain had stopped, the wind was up and everything was dry. Headed to the lake at about 2pm.
No freakin' wind. At all. Stood around watching the horizon for a half hour, then some white caps rolled in. I suited up and dragged the S3 21 and 15 across to the beach. Waves looked small, white caps weren't that numerous so I set up the 21. Got it in the air - despite Uncle Pyro trying to dump his Rebel 16 on top of it ... for FUCKS sake you buy a brand new kite but skimp on the bar? Fucking F-One bar won't bloody work, that's why it won't fly!!!
Should have known ... when I was trying to launch, the wind shifted a bit and flopped the kite over. Got it in the air ok, then ... well DAMN. Got onto the water fine, started moving then got hit by shifty gusts as the kite shifted from NE to NW. Kite falafeled around up there, right over all the kites lined up on the beach - I was worried I'd have to QR and they'd get sliced. I barely managed to keep the kite flying but was being lobbed a little so I spotted Miyachi and called for a landing. By now the wind has shifted to total W and as I finally get the kite near the ground, the wind turns to S and starts blowing the parked kites around :o mine is in the lee of the trees so I wrap it up and pack it.
Crikey! I guess it IS bigger than some paragliders ... but that doesn't mean I want to do THAT in the middle of a crowded beach!
Wait a bit, wind settles then picks up from the NW. Seems constant but after the previous excitement, I'm wary. I wait a bit ... ok fuck it - lets go!
I pull out the 15m this time as it seems to be blowing. Have to wait while Boof-head walks OVER MY BAR and then OVER MY LINES then stands around dicking with his trim :-/ but eventually get on the water. Well powered! I'm loving it ...
Some nice boosts ("I ... like ... big ... boosts and I can not lie!") and some great kickers off the waves that are ramping up ... and some nice rotations. SOooo much easier using a smaller kite! Or maybe just shorter lines ... carry on like that for bit, then the wind dies off. My jumps get smaller, I'm losing ground so I get off the water cos it's NW and very cross-off - should I have to swim, I'll end up way past the Hino river mouth in the windsurfer area ... if I'm lucky. I'm still nearly the last one on the water though.
Tons of surfer dudes out there today, lots of non-locals. Thankfully, I get upwind away from them easily. Then look down on them from a great height :D
Gloves Guy is doing back-rolls now like a boss - he gets about 3m up on one and although he doesn't complete it (slams back-first into the water) he looks really great during the trip up!
Anyway, it looks like rain is on the way. I wait a bit; the wind picks up and others go out, but there's rain on the way for sure. I pack it in ...
Mood of the Session was disappointed worried stoked.
Moment of the Day was getting out on the S3 15 again - I love that kite! Easy pleased I am yes.
Weather was reported as 5 to 13 knots at 15°C 78% with gusts to 21 knots. The "averages" seem a bit low, I doubt I can be THAT powered on the 15 and Flyradical in 15 knots!!!
Wind felt like ok-powered then falling away to barely riding. That was when it wasn't trying to yank me skyward 0_o
What I learned today ...
• When the weather forecast say NW and the wind is blowing NE, it might shift and punch you in the nuts. Check my shorts!
• You don't need to tighten the leg straps up so much on the Fusion harness - snug them up and they don't ride up. Or rather, they don't get trapped and return to a suitable position.
• 15m Speed3 is a superb kite. The range is incredible - but when the wind drops, I see it stalling like the 12 does. So I can only assume that the 12 needs even more wind to be rocking. Yikes.
• When you do a front roll, on a smaller faster kite, don't keep pulling with your front hand - not only will it pull you out of the roll, but the kite will down-loop and lob you downwind, then drag you and ... it's not pleasant.
• After holding your breath through a jump (STILL?! idiot) it's best not to open your mouth for the big breath just as you land and spray water into your faith. Le splutter.
• I can do silly tail grabs - judo kick your front foot out and make an karate face ... OOOS!
• It's actually very satisfying to look around at the other riders, people on the beach etc while jumping ... I can see my house from here!
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