Alone on the water - Kitesurf Sessions 85 to 88

Kiting in May in Portugal has a big advantage: you're often alone on the water, or at least having to share the spots with only a few other kiters and the weather is already warm enough (if you're not coldish, you can use just a shorty, like me, or even no neoprene at all, if the session is not too long).

Unlike the usual north to north-westerly winds that usually blow along Portugal's Atlantic coasts, I got West winds most of the days I was back at home, so I decided to check out the kite spot at Baleal, near Peniche. Definitely, a place that I'll visit again, a beautiful bay that me and my brother had all to ourselves!

On Sunday, we went down to Lagoa de Albufeira, a flat water spot I really like a little south of Lisbon. But with the low tide and a bigger number of kiters around on the lagoon (hey, it was Sunday!), we decide to stay on the ocean side, which proved a much better option, with better wind and only one or two other kiters to share the space with!

With the forecast for Monday and Tuesday also better at Lagoa de Albufeira than anywhere else, I went back to find miself kiting alone most of the time! The wind from the west allowed for some easy upwinds to Fonte da Telha, north of the lagoon (check the map below), and then some nice downwinds on the waves back to the lagoon.

Wave champions at Guincho

With a forecast of light winds around Lisbon, I decided to try my luck at Guincho... As often, the 10 knots forecast at this famous spot turned out to be 20 knots on my windmeter, reason enough to admit that, even if it's far from being my favorite place to kite, it has a "special magic" in what concerns attracting winds...

(panoramic view - click to enlarge)

As soon as I got there, I saw a familiar face... Thinking it through for a little while, I figured out it was Abel Lago, RRD's waverider! I was guessing he had come to Portugal to enjoy some nice waves, when I ran into none other than Mitu Monteiro, having a orange juice and a sandwich before hitting the waves!

As I quickly figured, there were some of Portugal's and the world's best waveriders at Guincho, offering some serious kiting just before my eyes! I didn't understand why they were all there, until somebody told me they were training for the first run of the KSP World Tour, taking place in Guincho from the 1st to the 10th of June.
I wasn't quick enough to get my camera and take a picture of my smiley face together with Mitu, but later managed to get some pictures of his stylish riding, even if the full zoom in my point-and-shoot camera only allows a poor quality... Anyhow, it was a sight I won't soon forget! It sure beats seeing some of this guys on internet videos...

(Mitu on the waves)

Buggy on the grass!

I went to Portugal to visit family and friends. Obviously, I took my kite gear with me! The first few days the wind was quite light, so my brother proposed a buggy session. It was only the second time I sat on a buggy, but it didn't take much time to get some confidence and start having a lot of fun!

 

I had only tried a small axe "sit on top" buggy, so riding with a big axe and comfortable sitting  RS Buggy was a true discovery. I'm definitely addicted now!

Dakhla Kitetrip, the teaser...

I'm taking my time editing the full movie of our trip in April, so here's a little teaser of things to come...

Back in Beauduc - Kitesurf Sessions 82 to 84

I can't believe I hadn't been in Beauduc since October 2010... It was great arriving Sunday afternoon, when everybody was going home to prepare the beginning of another work week. The wind was blowing and the sun was shinning, so this endless spot seemed as beautiful as I remembered. The sunset session was great, thanks to Olive for doing a couple of nice photos!

These three days I had the opportunity to fly all my kites, trying for the first time my new 5,5m Nomad and the 12m Switchblade. I'm really happy with my new toys!
It was nice to see Popol and Anais again, and a big up for Telma, really progressing on the water, after a successful winter season!

We had all conditions, from light winds to almost 40 knots, so it definitely wasn't monotonous... Thanks to Fred, I could try for the first time a strapless surf and it only made me want even more to find the right one to get into wave riding! Just a couple of days before his birthday, Fred offered us a nice lightwind freestyle show with his 19m purple Flysurfer.

Dakhla, the revenge!

One and a half year ago, I went to Dakhla for the first time with some friends... Although I had a fun time, we had light to no wind all week and that was a bit frustrating. So this April I decided to go for the second time and it definitely paid off!

We stayed again at the Auberges Des Nomades, a roots style kite camp with the basics at a low price, great food and good ambiance. Again, I thank all the team there for the wonderful welcome and constant smiles!

I'll get back to the trip in more detail in the next post, but for the time being I just want to thank Olive for all the great photos of this trip!