http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/...Hunter_1_s.jpg
Here are some shots of my good friend Capt. Slate of Atlantis Dive Center in Key Largo and his son Hunter on the reef.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/...Hunter_3_s.jpg
Here they are again backlit


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Fish_Mob_s.jpg
Getting crowded!


Photos: Rick Iossi

*

Vacation time is coming up, there's always the Grenadines to consider, although for wind earlier in the year might be better. More to life than just wind, or so my wife says. Wonder if it's true?


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Mustique.sized.jpg
Ripping along the north shore of Mayreau


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Bat_Signal.jpg
Batfish signal?


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Tabago_Cays.jpg
A clear day at Tobago Cays



Photos: Rick Iossi

btw, all the shots above on this page, except the one taken off Mayreau were shot with a small amphibious camera. It is rated to 10 m or 33 ft., shoots still and video images. It is good to have something portable while your riding, doing shallow free diving, snowboarding or just hanging out on the water. I understand they just came out with the 1070 sw replacing the model listed below.

* Olympus 770 SW 7.1 Megapixel Camera
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...der_silver.jpg

3.6” W x 2.3” H x 0.8” D !

For more info: http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_se...p?product=1287

Rick,

Thanks for the advice. I just purchased the 1030 SW. This thing is killer. 10 mega pixels and underwater to 10 meters. Unfortunately I had to buy 2 of them, because the first only lasted 4 minutes in the bay. I dropped it and lost it forever before even taking a shot!!! I went out a bought another the next day and had a great weekend! I'll post some pics later.

Kent

Hey Kent,

Damn that sucks! Nothing hurts a photographer more than deep sixing a camera. Sorry that happened.

I've been using the following system with some success on and under the water, walking around, on the snow, etc.. It works pretty well.

I got one of these Lowepro camera pouches:

http://www.circuitcity.com/IMAGE/pro...LOW.REZO15.JPG
http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/produ....do?oid=146439

I run the wrist leash through the neck strap. That way if I drop the camera, it hangs off the camera bag. If I am kiting, I run the neck strap through my impact vest so the lot won't fall off in a bad wipeout. I tuck it under my impact vest when not in use to keep it out of the way.

If you don't wear an impact vest an idea might be to use one of these camera floats. Or, better still jury something on your camera neck strap.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Floati.../dp/B0014DURIW

Show us some shots from your new camera!

The first Tampa Kiteboard Masters in 2006

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Damien.sized.jpg
Damien pushing a lot of spray. This event may have been run in the highest wind of any contest in Florida to date to my knowledge.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/...ampa.sized.jpg
Kent rips along


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Billy_Parker.jpg
Billy Parker still at it after sunset. It was a long day but still looking good.


Sorry for the fuzzy images, not only was it windy it was also sort of dark at times.

My apologies, my image file was incomplete on the drive I pulled the above images from. Took me a while to tumble to the fact and longer still to find the missing images. Success though and all is well with the world again, at least this small part for now. To make amends, wanted to throw a few more images up from the event.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/101_s.jpg
Raul prepares to launch Kent into a solar worm hole? What sort of QR do you use in a worm hole?


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Jayson.jpg
Jayson loops one


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/310_G.jpg
Sun is back and looking mighty fine!


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Tampa_Sunset.jpg
Billy lands one as the sun falls beneath the horizon

Back in October 2001 I tooled up the coast to visit Greg Kuklinski and checkout his new kite line, NEXT in Ft. Pierce, FL. It was developed following the Seasmick line of bridled inflatable kites. These were the original SLE or flat kites years before they caught on in a big way worldwide.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/..._Ft_Pierce.jpg


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/...ike_n_Next.jpg
Gangs all here. That is Greg on the right holding the kite, Jeff Beige of Best Kiteboarding today on his left. Out in the water is Irma, the kiting wonder woman along with Mike.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Greg_n_Next.jpg
Greg strolls back upwind in failing breeze. Note he is totting a famous Ft. Pierce split tail directional. I think Gebi had one of those for the recent Masters comp. in Miami. The photo was taken before a big beach renourishment project. Glad they got their beach back.


I was looking around trying to find some old Internet information on the line and came across this from ikitesurf in 2001 shortly after these shots were taken in Ft. Pierce. It also followed a really light wind session with a NEXT at the first kitesurfing competition in Florida held in St. Pete:
Took over four more years for the industry to snatch on to the concept, develop it and bring a sea change to kiting as we know it.

Greg old school
 

I kite in Ft. Pierce (not as often as I like) and Greg is one of the most influential person in the kiting arena. I guess a true pioneer in the industry. He has many followers I can assure you.

Thanks Rick for the pictures. :D

You're welcome and yes, Greg has been a key guy in the kiting scene for years. Not quite sure how he manages to have all those attractive women around so much of the time. Must be a gift or something?

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album175/8_G.jpg


http://gallery.kiteforum.com/albums/albup92/5a_2.jpg
He even makes Dave look good, well maybe not as good as Dave with his "grille" in place. That is quite a fashion statement. Have a couple of shots of LW Dave with his appliance in place. May have to put them in a future POD posting.


http://gallery.kiteforum.com/albums/albuv80/9_G.jpg
Dimitri scoping out a GK design a few years back at Surf Expo


.......... ///
........ -(@ @)-
--oOO-- (_)--- OOo--
..... Kilroy was here!

Well at least now we know Kilroy was actually from Greece



http://www.fksa.org/albums/album179/5_G.sized.jpg
Greg playing in some small swells off the Inlet

Greg, Gebi, Doug and Dave carried off a dramatic kiter rescue of some kids that had their powerboat flounder in Ft. Pierce Inlet in heavy seas a while back. More about that at: http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=144...ight=kuklinski




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