zOMG third day in a row the wind is blowing!
Took the bike out in the morning for a jolly good thrash and did a few chores over lunch time so it was 2:30 by the time I got to the lake... wind was already up and a couple of people were out on the water...
Went for the Speed3 15 but was expecting to ride the Flydoor - but I took both boards to the lake. As it turned out, I didn't need the 'door :o Out on the 'radical...
Easy start, nicely-powered. Let the games begin!
Pootle around for a while. The other guy out clears off, and the Master of Disaster gets off the water so I have the lake to myself for a bit. Down near the marina creek thing, someone is taking photos so I start showing off... carving waves, jumping and throwing rotations. That goes well for a while, really getting the mojo flowing with some big, powered back rolls! All good for an while then...
I balls up... something... and slam myself then the kite. Hard. When I relaunch it, I can see a couple of broken bridle lines. Nuts, better fix them. Still ride to shore though :D
3 lines actually busted, LCLs took the brunt - 2 pinks and a white. No other issues. Fiddle fiddle relaunch and re-ride.
The camera man is gone and so is my mojo, it seems :( by the time I get that back, the wind has lulled right off. Diddle around waiting for it to pick up... Auntie gives up, that directional goof gives up, Miyachi keeps riding... Turkey hits the water but sticks his kite into the trees.
Ooh the wind has picked up! I nearly land on the shore, doing what I thought would be small jump - I got a 2-floor elevator ride and miss the beach by a meter or two :-/ landed it and rode off though. Like a boss!
I get a blast for the rest of the evening until sunset... I get off the water and land my kite just as the 6pm ding-dong goes off.
Epic session! The wind was just fine but the play time was epic!
Moment of the day was the first really big, powered and sent back roll that felt totally under control. Epic!
Mood of the session was surprised, thrilled, beaten.
Song stuck in my head was Wild Flower by the Cult. "CRAzy 'bout you yeah!"
It sucks when you crash your kite trying to loop, right on to the shore break then drag it over the beach, then have to relaunch 6 feet from the shore in knee-deep water with rocks and shit under-foot. But it RULES when you do all that but don't damage yourself or the kite.
Weather was reported as NW 10-14-12-13-11 knots from 2-6pm, gusts to 22 knots at 6; 27-22°C, 55-63%.
Wind felt like I shouldn't have been as powered as I was. Mostly well-powered, rarely over-powered, a few times fuckin skunked. Water was pretty flat too...
What I learned today...
• Bottom end of the 15 is just stunning. I might have been riding with the 21 (instead of sinking) but would have quickly been in survival mode.
• Bah. Need to tune those damned lines. Or maybe the mixer.
• Tip lines are looking shrunk too :-/
• When doing powered back-rolls, having a jolly good look at the horizon behind you to control the rotation, then use body-english and the kite to finish the move, with an easy downwind landing.
• I'm still getting sunburned hands, arms etc :-/ mildly, but noticeably. Feet too.
• Almost time for wetsuits... better put the short john in the basket for next session.
• Concentrated on using my whole body to carve the board upwind instead of 'pushing' it with my feet - my knee doesn't hurt at all. Hmm.
• Distance is your friend - 2 line lengths!
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