Saturday Night Midnightish: the wind is blowing 20's and the Channel Island Buoys showing stronger. Get some rest it should be "goooood in the hoooood" tomorrow at the point.
Ventura Kiteboarding core crew members are texting/pinging/emailing me about current and potential conditions.
Catherine cooks up a chicken enchilada egg comination that rocks my breakfast world. I leave with the usual
understanding, I'll call after sunset and see you at O'dark-thirty. Not quite kicked out, but Cathy has the intuitive understanding, what Kiting means to me. I love her.
I meet up with Sherm in the car-lot. 9m conditions. Derick in the cove and doing his show. Passerbys hoot with enthusiasm and take pictures. "D-old school" jumps and spins 20 footer smooth acrobatical tricks then
rides a few waves, back in the air again and all alone. This gives me motivation.
Sherm mentions" it's not that windy", I point to Derrick 20ft in the air long hang time and soft landing. I repeat Sherm's words dripping with sarcasm. Sherm goes silent. I take this as, silence is recognition. I watch him trade his 12m for his 9meter kite. We walk up wind to the Ventura Kiteboarding core crew launch zone.
Mark H. is out on his Slingy 9m and twin waving me out to hurry. I get Sherm up on his 9m.(suppressed the urge to ask him if he wants his 12m) The 175Lb. club could ride their 7-8's or 9's depending on skill and
board selection. I chose my PL VII 9m weather kite. Self-launched and well powered.
Heading to the water the power decreases and I watch the 5 or 6 other kites come in and stand around on the beach. Already I'm thinking bigger kite. Within minutes the wind comes back on. I go for it. Outbound tack well powered almost lit. Edging hard and getting incidental air over the 3 ft surf and wind chop. The low winter sun has a wide swath of glare, I'm stoked to have polarized sunglasses on. The wind immediately shifts to side-off with a lot of increasing off shore direction. I now have priority to get in and do it NOW.
Forced to go into the cove the wind is weak and shifty, I start down looping my kite for power. The current and loops are bringing me towards the pier. At times I need to choke the chicken line then ultimately to no avail, I decide to put the kite down in the water.
I have a 4-3mil wet-suit and keep toasty warm as I swim in from 400 yards? Scissor kick and frog kick leaning on the board and towing my kite FLAGGED out. Reach shore and Sunday strollers want to ask questions about kiting. I try to be an ambassador to the sport, fielding the usual coffee house chit-chat questions. "What do you do if that thing goes in the water"? "Can't you just fly away with that"? "What does that cost" "How long have you been WINDsurfing"?............. I kindly excuse myself and wrap up kite and lines.
Walk back to the car-lot to a very seasoned, Ventura Kiteboarding crew. Not one asked what happened? The wind shifted, obvious and no story. I find out, 2 visitors needed harbor patrol rescues.
Ventura Kiteboarding Tip: Never go further out then you can swim in.
Ventura Kiteboarding Tip: Be prepared to dump the kite in the water and self rescue.
Ventura kiteboarding Tip: Never chase a receding wind line.
The rescued visitors did not follow these words of advice.
At Ventura Kiteboarding we teach self launch, self land and self rescue.
The wind chimes are chiming, another day...........maybe.
This has been a November to remember.
Warm winds,
Tom
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
All Good in the Hood of Ventura Kiteboarding
Twas the day before Thanksgiving.............
Reflecting upon yesterday over AM coffee. SUPpose to be a SUP (StandUpPaddle) day.
Loaded my 10' 6'' and paddle in the truck and was sure to bring all kite toys as well. Upon arrival
conditions were 1-3ft. and light wind. I knew the tide was going ultra-negative low again. I was hoping
"the snack/sand bar" would be serving up some waist to chest high slop.
Kept checking the buoy and sensors, upper teens to low 20's and Ledbedwetter at 16. The familiar condition of Paralysis Analysis started to set in. Pulled on the 4-3 wettie, booties and wind guard and sat. Listening to KFI AM- keeps me in a "Serious Kiteboarding" business mode-flashes of a past life, neck ties and deadlines, IONS ago.
Squalls past thru barely leaving a trace of moisture. Paul F. shows up we exchange pleasantries. We discuss the last half of "Super Sunday" as we watch a visitor pump up a 12m FelixCultSigmaSciFi. With a small twin and 160LB frame we watch the friendly new guy walk up wind.
Skies begin to clear, wind increases, Paul F. makes a move to give kiting a shot. Tip arrives on cue in the rapidly improving kite conditions. I surprise both, hopping out of the truck in my warm/dry 4-3m and booties good to go.
Friendly New Guy is up and riding staying up wind. FNG has a nice downloop transition toe to heel side on the twin, but must get altitude sickness as he never leaves the waters' surface.
Paul F. self launches and is out well powered on his 5' 10'' and 11m Cabbie. We toss Tip up on his 12m Exclipse and he gets under way on his 5'8'' surfboard. I'm next, self-launching a bit small but betting on the
20 plus readings in the channel to come to shore. In the 15 to 20 knot conditions and my 5'10'' Fish the current is running strong with the wind resulting in a bit of power loss.
I buzz FNG and Tip who are pushing shopping carts down their parallel aisles. Paul F. moves to the North edge of the cove and finds snippets of surf. I observe the speed and cranking bottom turns and watch Paul carve off the thigh to waist high "lake effect" wind chop. I have witnessed Paul in real surf, most would be pleased to possess half of his polished SMOOTH skills. RESPECT!
With RESPECT, and a bit lacking in the power department. I decide to leave Paul to find some "cove love"
I hunt down everything and anything resembling a wave and I am back at the Aloha Steak House. The wind is increasing the sun is setting and the tide continues to drop. I hear screaming and a flash, not lightning---- NOOOO! Thank God, only a camera.
Ventura Kiteboarding tip: You see lightning ride low and land immediately on shore if violent and close ditch kite immediately.
Horizon tack out in failing light and increasing wind. I find a waist high clean wall and work a series of bottom turns and S turns on the wave. Distance is my goal since there is not much to perform with on the waist high wave. I straighten out in the flats to get ready to LAY into a bottom turn and I notice the drainpipe green and mossy just inches below the waters' surface. I think outloud "OH SHIITE"! Perfect and magical to match the
evening, my board passed over without even a sound.
Ventura Kiteboarding tip: Ollie or bunny hop, submerged surprise obstacles. I am practicing this, next go out.
FNG and Tip went in, Paul F. and I stayed out till almost OdarkThirty. Wind was funky deep in the cove, decided to dump my kite on the water rather than on barnacle clusters of rock. Tip came over and we talked
about the Ventura Kiteboarding core crew scoring again.
Tip and Paul F. bolted as if it was 9:30 on a Summer Night, it was only 6:00! Strange how darkness sends us for shelter. I sat in the empty lot Thank-full for my beautiful and wonderful Catherine and my son Jared, contemplating the session and the obvious question: Will it blow tomorrow?
"It's All Good in the Hood" -Ventura Kiteboarding
Tom Ventura Kiteboarding.com
Reflecting upon yesterday over AM coffee. SUPpose to be a SUP (StandUpPaddle) day.
Loaded my 10' 6'' and paddle in the truck and was sure to bring all kite toys as well. Upon arrival
conditions were 1-3ft. and light wind. I knew the tide was going ultra-negative low again. I was hoping
"the snack/sand bar" would be serving up some waist to chest high slop.
Kept checking the buoy and sensors, upper teens to low 20's and Ledbedwetter at 16. The familiar condition of Paralysis Analysis started to set in. Pulled on the 4-3 wettie, booties and wind guard and sat. Listening to KFI AM- keeps me in a "Serious Kiteboarding" business mode-flashes of a past life, neck ties and deadlines, IONS ago.
Squalls past thru barely leaving a trace of moisture. Paul F. shows up we exchange pleasantries. We discuss the last half of "Super Sunday" as we watch a visitor pump up a 12m FelixCultSigmaSciFi. With a small twin and 160LB frame we watch the friendly new guy walk up wind.
Skies begin to clear, wind increases, Paul F. makes a move to give kiting a shot. Tip arrives on cue in the rapidly improving kite conditions. I surprise both, hopping out of the truck in my warm/dry 4-3m and booties good to go.
Friendly New Guy is up and riding staying up wind. FNG has a nice downloop transition toe to heel side on the twin, but must get altitude sickness as he never leaves the waters' surface.
Paul F. self launches and is out well powered on his 5' 10'' and 11m Cabbie. We toss Tip up on his 12m Exclipse and he gets under way on his 5'8'' surfboard. I'm next, self-launching a bit small but betting on the
20 plus readings in the channel to come to shore. In the 15 to 20 knot conditions and my 5'10'' Fish the current is running strong with the wind resulting in a bit of power loss.
I buzz FNG and Tip who are pushing shopping carts down their parallel aisles. Paul F. moves to the North edge of the cove and finds snippets of surf. I observe the speed and cranking bottom turns and watch Paul carve off the thigh to waist high "lake effect" wind chop. I have witnessed Paul in real surf, most would be pleased to possess half of his polished SMOOTH skills. RESPECT!
With RESPECT, and a bit lacking in the power department. I decide to leave Paul to find some "cove love"
I hunt down everything and anything resembling a wave and I am back at the Aloha Steak House. The wind is increasing the sun is setting and the tide continues to drop. I hear screaming and a flash, not lightning---- NOOOO! Thank God, only a camera.
Ventura Kiteboarding tip: You see lightning ride low and land immediately on shore if violent and close ditch kite immediately.
Horizon tack out in failing light and increasing wind. I find a waist high clean wall and work a series of bottom turns and S turns on the wave. Distance is my goal since there is not much to perform with on the waist high wave. I straighten out in the flats to get ready to LAY into a bottom turn and I notice the drainpipe green and mossy just inches below the waters' surface. I think outloud "OH SHIITE"! Perfect and magical to match the
evening, my board passed over without even a sound.
Ventura Kiteboarding tip: Ollie or bunny hop, submerged surprise obstacles. I am practicing this, next go out.
FNG and Tip went in, Paul F. and I stayed out till almost OdarkThirty. Wind was funky deep in the cove, decided to dump my kite on the water rather than on barnacle clusters of rock. Tip came over and we talked
about the Ventura Kiteboarding core crew scoring again.
Tip and Paul F. bolted as if it was 9:30 on a Summer Night, it was only 6:00! Strange how darkness sends us for shelter. I sat in the empty lot Thank-full for my beautiful and wonderful Catherine and my son Jared, contemplating the session and the obvious question: Will it blow tomorrow?
"It's All Good in the Hood" -Ventura Kiteboarding
Tom Ventura Kiteboarding.com
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Super Sunday
Ventura Kiteboarding core crew was out at the point in full force on "Super Sunday".
The early session had 9:30 AM arrivals, on 8 or 9 meter kites. Derek was boosting to the
moon and Purdy was looking, well, "purty". Paul F.found some waist to chest high waves and boosted a" mega-man loop". Carving on a new 5'3 thruster for powered and surf conditions. I got motivated.
The "brunch bunch" had a 40 minute session until a squall came thru to boost the wind to upper thirty tickling forty. My motivation was on pause 'til rain delay was over. Skies cleared and wind dropped to12m and 14m weather.
The AM and early PM crew departed. I was thinking it might be over.
The prospectors and desperate hopefuls know that Ventura Kiteboarding is about part luck, part preperation, and a whole lotta don't listen to the pouty posing pretenders. (The ones that stand around and talk each other
into a "no go" and tell you as you suit up and get ready, how crappy it is.) Sometimes they are right, sometimes wrong. When they are wrong, they never stick around when you get back in. Must have something to do with no witnesses, so it didn't happen. Ventura Kiteboarding core crew, will insert maniacal laughter here........................
Back to: Super Sunday, the tide was dropping to an ultra-astronomical low, late and after sunset.
I took two kites up to the Turrets, Mark H. was on his 13 Slingy and twin doing his 20 ft, "sumthin jumpin'". Mark T. on his 12.5 Flexy carving up slop chop.
I wanted power so I launched my PL Venom for the mid to upper teen stuff. Within moments, Mark&Mark came in wound up and lit. I rigged too big! The switched flipped back ON!
Ventura Kiteboarding tip: If you can not walk up the beach, or hold your kite at the edge of the window and not get dragged. You need to down size. Kite overhead and de-powered, I was being lifted.
Dr. Yo had rigged and rode his FlyS'er ginormous kite, he was happy to land his kite to me before he was to go accidental paragliding.
I rigged up my PL VenomII for the 9m weather conditions. Very well powered most of the time, part of the time a little light in the up and down conditions.
The tide dropped and Tom J., Mark H. and myself spread out and had the clear skies 25 knot plus late arvo conditions to ourselves. JayJ had a quick cameo appearance, sending his kite to the water on an ill advised
cove launch. Tip rode solid with speed, his surf background showing in bottom turns and smack off the tops.
I decided to go down to the cove, maxi-low tide, chest to shoulder high surf breaking over a SAND bottom, side-off wind made the surf hollow and pitchy. Putting together 100 yard sections to a horizon tack and ending back up at the Aloha Steak House. "Are you kidding me with this" was shouted and witnessed only by the birds and fish, if at all.
Bottom turn, floater hits to make the racy session out the back to another wall repeat. The screaming bottom turns in ultra glass, bend over, bury the rail, toe-side, palm of the hand cupped carve, mid face, slash back gouge were good preps for the bigger winter stuff on the way.
Speaking of Winter, I grabbed my 4-3mil. wet suit for the next session. Ventura Kiteboarding is getting a bit chilly. The core-crew remains as hungry as ever.
Today may be a (SUP) Stand Up Paddleboard day. 1-3 ft. light wind and not tropical.
Ventura Kiteboarding and crew will be at the point to SUP and be ready to kite if she blows.
"It's all good in the hood" VenturaKiteboarding,com
Tom
The early session had 9:30 AM arrivals, on 8 or 9 meter kites. Derek was boosting to the
moon and Purdy was looking, well, "purty". Paul F.found some waist to chest high waves and boosted a" mega-man loop". Carving on a new 5'3 thruster for powered and surf conditions. I got motivated.
The "brunch bunch" had a 40 minute session until a squall came thru to boost the wind to upper thirty tickling forty. My motivation was on pause 'til rain delay was over. Skies cleared and wind dropped to12m and 14m weather.
The AM and early PM crew departed. I was thinking it might be over.
The prospectors and desperate hopefuls know that Ventura Kiteboarding is about part luck, part preperation, and a whole lotta don't listen to the pouty posing pretenders. (The ones that stand around and talk each other
into a "no go" and tell you as you suit up and get ready, how crappy it is.) Sometimes they are right, sometimes wrong. When they are wrong, they never stick around when you get back in. Must have something to do with no witnesses, so it didn't happen. Ventura Kiteboarding core crew, will insert maniacal laughter here........................
Back to: Super Sunday, the tide was dropping to an ultra-astronomical low, late and after sunset.
I took two kites up to the Turrets, Mark H. was on his 13 Slingy and twin doing his 20 ft, "sumthin jumpin'". Mark T. on his 12.5 Flexy carving up slop chop.
I wanted power so I launched my PL Venom for the mid to upper teen stuff. Within moments, Mark&Mark came in wound up and lit. I rigged too big! The switched flipped back ON!
Ventura Kiteboarding tip: If you can not walk up the beach, or hold your kite at the edge of the window and not get dragged. You need to down size. Kite overhead and de-powered, I was being lifted.
Dr. Yo had rigged and rode his FlyS'er ginormous kite, he was happy to land his kite to me before he was to go accidental paragliding.
I rigged up my PL VenomII for the 9m weather conditions. Very well powered most of the time, part of the time a little light in the up and down conditions.
The tide dropped and Tom J., Mark H. and myself spread out and had the clear skies 25 knot plus late arvo conditions to ourselves. JayJ had a quick cameo appearance, sending his kite to the water on an ill advised
cove launch. Tip rode solid with speed, his surf background showing in bottom turns and smack off the tops.
I decided to go down to the cove, maxi-low tide, chest to shoulder high surf breaking over a SAND bottom, side-off wind made the surf hollow and pitchy. Putting together 100 yard sections to a horizon tack and ending back up at the Aloha Steak House. "Are you kidding me with this" was shouted and witnessed only by the birds and fish, if at all.
Bottom turn, floater hits to make the racy session out the back to another wall repeat. The screaming bottom turns in ultra glass, bend over, bury the rail, toe-side, palm of the hand cupped carve, mid face, slash back gouge were good preps for the bigger winter stuff on the way.
Speaking of Winter, I grabbed my 4-3mil. wet suit for the next session. Ventura Kiteboarding is getting a bit chilly. The core-crew remains as hungry as ever.
Today may be a (SUP) Stand Up Paddleboard day. 1-3 ft. light wind and not tropical.
Ventura Kiteboarding and crew will be at the point to SUP and be ready to kite if she blows.
"It's all good in the hood" VenturaKiteboarding,com
Tom
Sunday, November 14, 2010
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