Hatteras in the Spring!

[gwind]

I've had a couple of fun days on the Sound and a bit of SUP surfing on the ocean as well as flat water paddling. Sailed 5.6 most of yesterday and thins morning, 4.7 on the day before. What a sweet treat!
Looks like some calm is coming so I'll need to put in some surf time. Pretty wonderful!

[waterauthorityrick]

I had just returned from a slower week in Hatteras than one would have wished for but after such an active week prior, the energy had been all used up for a bit.

I rented a Starboard 94L Kode on Wed the windiest forecast for the week. Picked it up on Tue late afternoon & drove up to Salvo to join Gary (gwind). Rigged a 5.8 got used to the spin out from the stock fin and sailed till dark. It's a nice board but I need the 86L for home. Used the board the following morning and mid afternoon with a 5.2 up to the time the cold front arrived, wind shifted and the rain came. Returned the board but couldn't strike a deal on a board size I didn't really need.

That afternoon Miller phoned me at 6 to let me know the wind was up so I joined him leaving the 3 HGTV watching women back at the beach house. Rigged the 5.2 again and used gwind's 86L JP Freestyle Wave board (soon to be mine) Sailed it for two straight hours till dark & fell in once thanks to Miller who pinched me upwind into the fin deep water. That board being narrower than the Kode carved thru the water like a waterski I think I'll keep it. Miller was working on his toe-side turns in the flat water just downwind from a point and was doing very well with it on his 9m kite.

The next morning had a cold start with the NW wind dropping fast and the sound was loaded with weeds. I rigged the 5.8 and ended up chasing a kiters rig down wind he had been separated from it bar, lines & all. Got it back to the shore for him safely while he swam back with his board. As the wind died the boards were done but the kites rigged bigger, I sorely need instruction from Miller but couldn't get him to put his toys aside for a couple hours.

On Friday I joined miller after lunch. He had purchased a new 12m kite from Real (no really) I let him know that I needed his instruction so I pumped up his old 12m and he spent time with me walking down wind yelling instruction & riding the board back up wind each time. Perseverance prevailed and short of 2hours I got it enough that he went back to his own kite & left me to myself. I got cocky and stretched a run into the deeper water, crashed the kite got it tangled and had my first "Kitemare" Miller chased down the board yelled instruction to me till I got the kite back in the air. He suggested I get back to shore where I ended my time on the water for the trip.

I've come to the understanding that like windsurfing; kiting is best to learn in steady wind, the other challenge is to get another kiter to give up their own time on the water to instruct yourself. I sure didn't want to just put a kite up among all the others and think that I knew what I was doing cause it could be dangerous, so I sat in the wings a lot just helping others launch their kites.

The trip was good but looking back I would have loved to spend more time with the kite seeing that the wind was light. Hatteras is the place to learn many water sports due to the shallow conditions.

I'll still cherish instruction and gear from any kiters who are willing to set aside good conditions to teach.

H20 (2 stands for 2 water sports) Rick

[gwind]

I'm still here in Hatteras and yep it's been light winds for sure. I've been flying a borrowed trainer kite and am looking to buy one to get more practice at home. I'd also love some instruction time if there's a kiter feeling generous with time. More fun to be had on the water.

[technocj]

Over the past few years, I've concluded that mid april is agreat time to be in Hatteras. I stayed with 2 different groups from Buffalo/Ft Erie area this spring and windsurfed 10 of 11 days. We did get skunked last year,though. The first week of april can be cold, and May starts getting into warm water issues with weeds,bugs, etc. Just checked the forecast and wish i were going back now, after the lack of good conditions here.

[kelshipman]

Rick,

Just ask anytime you see me out. Glad to spend some time with anyone interested in learning.

Where's the wind?