I rode up in morning with Alex, Chad, Damien from Lauderdale...couple others in Alex's van. Launched around 10 south of jupiter inlet hung around offshore till everyone got out and headed south around 10:30 and finished around 2:15. I had camel pack and it saved me. I also wore gloves which I have never done before but I think it helped my hands from cramping. I rode a Jimmy Lewis 139 Model III and had a 11mtr SS Fuel and fortunately a sweet Liquid Force waist harness. I also carried a cell phone in a waterproof case in my camel pack.I weigh 200 and felt I had the right kite and right board for these conditions. I probalby would have been underpowered at very end if I had a 9....the 11 worked better. I wish it were a bow so I could have more depower because I got absolutely LAUNCED over the board a couple times when those 35 gusts came throught...OMG...gusts!!! Also a gust and a massive breaker are a bad combo for me. I never stopped because I was too freaked out with massive shore break situation. I went on Google earth before and kinda made mental notes of landmarks and inlets. That really helped me. When I started I was down in the shore/bar break and was mostly on butter/foam and all was fairly cool cause I seemed able to smoke past most breaker situations. I wasn't doing any wave riding..I was doing wave avoiding. Waves were so HUGE.
Then I saw the first pier in distance and I had to get through the huge break. It totally freaked me out and I got taken out hard three times and my board got washed up on beach..I thougth I was done but somehow persisted and got my ass back out beyond the break and around that pier. I'm not a confident jumper....i'm an old man cruiser. Both my kids kite but they weren't on this run.
But this time I had to jump cause it was the only way to get over the breakers and I fricking did it!! I hucked over a couple and now know that I will focus on jumping because now i realize its NECESSARY!! So a new horizon to look forward too...Next time I'll be on my new SwitchbladeII when Jessie @ Waterplay pulls through for me. Brazil for a week is next Friday and I'm taking his kite if mine doesn't get in....right, Jessie?
I was so stoked that I made the whole trip. 3h45m!!! Damien helped me brave it back in the shore/sandbar break north of Boca Inlet and I gotta tell you that I was rockin in that condition. thanks Damien!! I had to be hitting 25 to 30mph and hung right behind Damien and Mike Bradley on his green and white little kite also,,another blue Kite Cabrinha dude that rents a place from my ex-wife and another on a switchblade (I think). That wite foam and froth allow you to get so LIT....I was so digging on it.
Next time I'm going to stay closer to shore more and work the flat water between sets better. I'm going to learn better how to jump over breaks and look for openings between breakers. fly a swithchblade II, eat more pasta in morning and get up earlier,
Alex hung with me some at the start for the first hour and kept an eye on me...great people and great company in our kite group. I don't get to hang too much with the local Tiki Beach crew cause I live just south on them on beach and i just walk out my apt complex and just kite on my "own" beach...But everyone is so cool and helpful I've got to thanks Alex and Damien for pulling this group together and being the ambassadors to the local sport! and Alex...thanks for fixing my ripped kites!!
It was an epic trip. I saw so much marine life, got a seagull in my lines, had a school of baitfish hit my ankles...I had sore muscles and definitely got my spinal column totally re-adjusted.....
I'm going to think more about Neils big race...I just like the concept of going a big 60 mile distance about as fast as you can go without an engine.
RickI, sorry I missed meeting you, I enjoy all your good words!! Looking forward to the race in December )
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