30th August 2009: Kitesurfing Lesson Four

It's my last weekend in NZ and I was supposed to be packing up the flat. The weather this morning was good though, so I couldn't resist one last kitesurfing lesson before I head back to the start of a UK winter.

The wind was a bit light early on, and I was stuggling to get moving. When you're learning you tend to drift downwind as you're trying to get going, and then you have to trudge back up though waist deep water with a massive kite pulling you the other way. That isn't much fun.

The wind filled in a bit later, and you know what? I can now kite surf! I was able to blast back and forth quite a few times and even stay upwind. The feeling, when you get it right, is truly awesome. You lean back against the power of the kite and just fly. It's amazingly fast, and almost effortless. The only comparison I can make is that it's a bit like sailing a fast dinghy with a big spinnaker up - I guess that's why spinnakers are often called "kites".

I definitely need to get more into this sport when I get back to the UK...

If anyone's reading this and looking for kitesurfing instruction in the Auckland area, I would definitely recommend Reuben at Wings & Waves.

9th August 2009: Kitesurfing Lesson Three

I had another kitesurfing lesson on Sunday. This time I managed to stay upright for decent periods and almost stay upwind, quite a big improvement on last time.

I'm definitely getting the hang of it. The speed you can travel at is quite amazing. I'd guess it's 15-20 knots (fast over water), but when you get it right it's almost effortless - the harness takes all the load and you just blast along.

The most important thing I learnt this time is that you really have to watch the kite the whole time, not your feet. Otherwise, the kite crashes and shortly afterwards you crash too, usually resulting in sea water imbibage.

Kitesurfing has quite a reputation for being a dangerous sport, but having done it a few times I reckon it's actually probably safer than, say, snowboarding. As I understand it, the design of the kites made some big steps forwards a few years ago - the newer bow kites can be completely de-powered by simply letting go. It's clearly possible to get yourself in trouble, but following the safety instructions you get from lessons probably makes it pretty safe.

14th June 2009: Kitesurfing Lesson Two

I had my first kitesurfing lesson a couple of weeks ago. My ambition this time was to get up onto the board. I managed that, but I've got a very long way to go until I can call myself competent!

I had to spent another hour or so body-dragging myself around behind the kite before the instructor let me have a go with a board too. I thought that I was getting pretty good at flying the thing (hey, it's just a kite!) but once you've got to think about flying the kite as well as balancing yourself on the board, things get a little trickier. You could say I was a touch over confident.

After a few face-plants (it's only water), I managed a few times to stay on the board for around 10 seconds before stacking it. Mostly I was alternating between sinking and being launched skywards, not quite how I remember those guys on the videos doing it. It seems you've got to get the kite maintain a smooth power delivery, without really looking at it. Not easy.

While I was drinking seawater, the instructor was teaching the more advanced students how to jump. He could effortlessly lift himself 5m into the air, before landing and blasting off in a different direction. And he made it look so easy!

17th May 2009: Kitesurfing

I've been meaning to have a go at kitesurfing for years and I thought that, coming to Auckland for a year, I'd finally get the chance to have a go. You see lots of people doing it on the beaches around here, and the conditions are great: warm water, regular sunshine and lots of wind. As it happens it wasn't until Fred said he'd tried it that I finally organised it, with the weather here having turned distinctly autumnal.

The place we went for lessons is on the South coast of the Manukau harbour and has a huge deserted area of waist-deep water. Perfect for learning to be dragged at speed by an enourmous kite. They look big when you see people using them, but they look even bigger when you're attached to one. We've been playing with a 3 square-metre trainer kite for a while, but there's a big step up to the 8m kitesurf kites.

The first lesson is all about learning to control the kite and getting used to the power by "body-dragging" without a board. I got on okay with this so hopefully next time I go I'll get on the board and do some kitesurfing proper.