Photo Of The Day!!! - Page 4

ricki · #1 04-15-2008, 08:38 AM

More from KB Masters 2008 ...

Click image for full sized photo

Jon Modica rips towards the finish while the fleet heads the wrong way?

Wind eases, no problem, just standup! Bring a friend.

Photos: Rick Iossi

ricki · #2 04-09-2008, 09:57 AM

From: http://www.shark-freediving.com/

It's all about the water, and the wind. Still the water part is pretty important and for lots of us there are few barriers to heading beneath the sea for a look around. With the coming calm days of summer, this is a good option to keep in mind.

This image is of William Winram, a free diver swimming down to the Arch at the Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt. I think it is about 60 m (197 ft.) deep, perhaps a bit more. Used to like to do this sort of finless free diving with just a mask for a long time. Never went below 50 ft. though!

From: http://en.wikipedia.org

NOTE: We have a forum on this site dedicated to diving perhaps more accurately some of the more unusual types of diving in Florida and beyond. Other interests are good to help get you through the calm months so check it out:

http://fksa.org/forumdisplay.php?f=92

ricki · #3 03-31-2008, 08:55 AM

Here is another great shot from Neil. Captioned ...
Alex B on a down winder. Photo Paul Porter

Keep 'em coming. Anyone else have candidates for the Photo Of The Day?

p.s.- Hey Alex, just go around the pier next time. No need to blast a hole in it first!

ricki · #4 04-01-2008, 09:14 AM

An incredible shot, one of many captured by A. Patterson on the far side of the waterway of this serious lofting in the Great Lakes. The kiter survived the experience despite being dragged unconscious underwater while not breathing for a considerable distance. He came through in a large part thanks to the solid intercession of his kiting friends ably performing CPR and a fortunate twist of fate. It is a dramatic story of survival worth reading at http://fksa.org/showthread.php?p=31305

ricki · #5 04-02-2008, 08:44 AM

Beware the tooth and claw of the Fashion Police. They are unrelenting and uh short?

CJ takes things in hand at Kite4Girls

Photos: Rick Iossi

ricki · #6 05-07-2008, 07:56 AM

Todd Essick wanted to try something different from sports photography for the wire services. So, he took a diving course, bought the first of tons of UW camera gear and set out to capture some new and varied compositions. He focuses on model compositions both clothed and nude, underwater often with sealife.

This was shot off Nassau about two years ago

The logistics in such shoots can be overwhelming as unexpected animal interactions with costumes can be at times. That is one core water woman, seems to be containing things fairly well considering she's holding her breath, is at least 20 ft. beneath the surface and a shark is tangled in her outfit banging up against her trying to get out. The shark may have been attracted by glittering small sequins attached to the netting. Great model and athlete.

The challenges of shooting free diving models, absent regulator exhaust, with natural expressions and poses, largely blind with all the varied light and conditions underwater are immense.

Todd and his skilled models/water women pull it off though.

All photos by Todd Essick

Todd created a collection of his work in book form with many intriguing underwater photographs. It can be a good gift for water people or folks with an appreciation of unusual, well crafted images. More at: http://www.essickphoto.com/sub4.html

ricki · #7 05-12-2008, 09:58 AM

Trips may be on in the coming months. Bequia below St. Vincent in the Grenadines is highlighted in the following shots.

Port Elizabeth in the central area of the lee side of the island. There are some interesting shipwrecks around the mouth of the bay worth diving on.

Click photo for full sized image
A view south across Industry Bay on the windward side of the island. There is a narrow kite launch here with a rock reef about a 1/4 mile to seaward with areas of iron shore to the north and south of the beach. Understand that if the trades shift off due east, turbulent winds can roll in across the headlands. This can cause kites to easily stall nearshore. Heavier seas can bring other challenging conditions out closer to the reef.

More iron shore and a narrow reef rimmed beach near the turtle hatchery. As a rule on thumb in areas with prevailing strong winds, like the trades, if there are sand beaches on the windward side of things, rock is the reason. There may be reefs breaking heavy seas up to windward, beachrock outcrops or iron shore sheltering a narrow sand beach in the lee. Good for beaches, often less good for kiting. It can complicate things and up the hazards particularly in stronger winds or if something goes wrong.

Even though the trades had laid down the swells were still pumping in. You can see some good sized ones sweeping over the reef covering the mouth of Industry Bay. Nice wave sailing, just don't break down and try to drift in over the reef, ouch!

ricki · #8 06-09-2008, 09:31 PM

Paul Menta of The Kitehouse and Jessie headed down to Cabarete to continue testing and evaluation of Cabrinha's Crossbow IV with IDS. While they were down there they decided to try some tow-in surfing ala kite. Paul rigged up a Panasonic Optio camera in a Camrig kite mount http://www.camrig.com/ . Some of the shots appear below.

Approaching the pickup

If you look carefully you can see the wave peaks and troughs passing by

Towing in, lots of potential. It would be great to try this in Jupiter when some big swells come in next season. Better still at a clear water venue like Hole In The Wall near Abaco. Clean swells in blue water, would be amazing.

Seagulls see this all day long, waves from a unique perspective

Photo credit to Paul Menta's Kite, a Crossbow IV? Pretty good stuff, maybe it will write a "How To" guide.

ricki · #9 06-20-2008, 08:57 AM

Back in the day, way back, there was Wipika and not a lot else.
Here's a look at the Northshore of Maui, Year 1998 ...

Rigged up and ready to rip

Remember that transverse Emergency Depower line?
Had almost forgotten about those. How about those LONG
leash lines and wrist cuffs? Naish used those for a while as
well.

The cloud stack building up on Western Maui. Checkout that directional Mat Pendle is riding!
Still have a few of those too. Wonder if he was thinking about GK in this shot?

The guys at the start of things

Photos by Sylvain Cazenave and posted on wipika.com which may be gone (?)
but if so, it's not forgotten.

A peak at a new prototype destined to shake the world market (from 20 years ago).
Bruno L. heads out on an early kiteboard (windsurfing board?).

ricki · #10 07-21-2008, 08:30 AM

Hurricanes have been a reality for a very long time. Some years are harder than others in this regard. Trials will come but it is how you deal with them and strive to recover which make the difference. In 2004 two hurricanes passed over almost the same section of Martin County, FL among many other areas. These hurricanes may have been the first to come this way in about 50 years. I visited Ft. Pierce, FL in the area a month after the second storm. Here is some of what I saw.

Kitesurfers and windsurfers go at it, seeking fun on the water. Nothing new there.

George, a Ft. Pierce regular shows off a vintage duct tape optimized directional and Wipika kite. You can see storm damaged buildings in the background and George like so many others carries on. That is what it is about.

Sunset is coming on

Lots of hard work and drive needed in the rebuilding. And, yet if you went there today you would likely find few signs of that time.

A new day

Photos by Rick Iossi

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