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Kite Surfing
updated: Dec 13, 2010, 9:10 AM
By David Powdrell
After lunching with my amigo Derek at the windy Neptune's Net (County Line, try the calamari), I cautiously scampered across PCH for a surf check. Instead, I got my first taste of the wildly fast-paced yet artistically beautiful world of kitesurfing. Mind you, I didn't get my feet wet, but I met and photographed a group of passionate kitesurfers.
Passionate people always fascinate me.
In a nutshell, these men and women fly around at speeds of up to 50 knots using wind to pull them across the water on a small surfboard.
They've got a whole slew of terms specific to their sport, mostly to prevent injury and show respect to surfers and fellow kitesurfers. No slogging or short cycling allowed, for example. Hand grips include names such as the crail, the indy, the trendy, the melon and the stalefish.
I found myself mesmerized by the seemingly choreographed dance of the sails. How 16 people could be out there racing around and not cross lines will always stump me.
See link for more about the history, speed and distance records, technique, terms and other interesting info on the sport.
Santa Barbara has its own club and forum worth checking into: link
I hope you enjoy the pics.
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