January 2007 Diaries

Date: Wednesday 31^st January

Location: West Shore

Mission: Just Enjoying It

Yesterday Katie and I took Joharas dogs on a two hour walk round the Great Orme in Llandudno and although it was really enjoyable I couldn’t help but notice the nice 15-20knt wind blowing on the beach, I was so gutted that I had yet again believed the forecast (which was 5knts) and didn’t have any of my kit with me!  As you get higher up the Orme you can see the huge area of flat water I discovered at the weekend, it’s only there for about two hours and is quite far out but is only waist deep for a long while and I had an absolutely amazing session on it the other day.

Yet again not learning my lesson I excitedly headed to West Shore for the 17knts showing on the live forecast station, double that and you pretty much get what I arrived to.  I waited a couple of hours and it did calm down, although it was still 7m weather.  I headed out to my new favourite play area!  I had a great time although the wind has been to strong recently for me to try anything new but Im really enjoying it at the moment.   I can ride up to Katie’s back garden and see her if she’s in her conservatory from this new spot of mine, this is one of her goals for this year, how cool would it be to launch near enough from your own house and go kiting!  I’ve got used to the waist harness now and the jumping is getting better again, I think it’s just because you’re lifted from a different point so it feels strange at first.

Zoe

Xxx

Date: Tuesday 23^rd January

Location: Llandonna

Mission: Ready Brek, great central heating!

Filled up on Ready Break this morning as I headed out to play in a straight Northerly with minus1 showing on the car thermometer!  It was a beautiful day, clear blue skies and the snow covered Snowdonia Mountain Range looked beautiful under the winery looking Sun.  I don’t know whether Ready Brek really does work as central heating for your body or whether the Sun was just making it feel warmer than it was, but I didn’t feel cold at all today, well apart from the toe sting that lasts an hour or so after you come off the water.  The highlight of my session was seeing kite chick Katie up and riding again, she was stalling on the beach trying to get out of going in the water but with my gently persuasive technique (cough, cough) she went for it and had the best session she’s had since her injury, the big smile on her face told me she was happy Id rang and woke her up this morning, got her to drive an hour to the beach down crazy lanes and persuaded her to go out in the middle of January.

Zoe

xx

Date: Real British January 21/01/07 

Location: West Shore

I got a short session on Friday as I wanted to get out for what looked like the last warm(ish) session for a while.  Lukas n debs were on the beach taking pictures and they caught my first ever grab on camera. 

Sundays wind certainly felt more like a real British January, with a slightly Northerly wind and snow on the mountains.   I didn’t try anything new today as I was quite powered on the 7 and I was getting used to riding using a waist harness, I only really felt a difference when jumping.  Off the water by lunch and home early afternoon to do Sunday roast-perfect!

Zoe

xxx

Date: Sunday 19^th Jan

Location: West Shore

Mission: Too Blue

My resident alarm clock woke me up again this morning at 8:20 “we’re just getting to the beach” yells zo down the phone.  So I drag myself out of bed, spend 20 mins getting into my new wetsuit which is lovelly when it’s on but I definitely vacume pack myself into it.

Well Zoe was out on her 7 but I thought I’d probably be ok on my nine as long as it was fully depowered.  So I pumped up and got on the water but felt a bit over powered so had a couple of runs before I came in.  I felt really scared and nervous about the gusts that were coming and was really worried about ending up on the rocks as the tide was coming in fast.  So to take temptation out of the way I gave my nine to carl and looked on wistfully as zoe had a ball.  She eventually realised my plight and like the fantastic friend that she is gave me her 7 for a bit of a play.  Felt much happier on that and had a few good runs.  Was very definitely blue when I finished tho so went home for a long shower and cup of coffee with Katie ;-)

Sheryl 

xx

Date: 13th-14th January

Location: West Shore

Mission: WWW=Windy Weekend, Wales

I sped past fellow kiters on the A55 yesterday (obviously not exceeding 70) as word from the beach was it was 25knts but 4cast to pick up by lunch.  I launched Thompson and went to get changed when I noticed a sandstorm had started blowing over the road, I went to check Thompson was OK and found it entertaining watching him swim back across the channel, a BIG gust had snapped a line.  I decided coffee at Katie’s may be a better option.  Jo n Martyn had finished pimping the Bongo Moroccan style n arrived at the shop to say their goodbyes 4 hours before their ferry was due to depart-not bad for them….. but not good considering Dover is aprox 6 hours away!  They did make the 9 O’clock ferry though.

I was first on the water Sunday morning although my Angel was telling me I prob shouldn’t be, but I’m on a bit of an extreme mission at the mo.  I was out in 40knts Wednesday and was fine but there were two occasions today  when I was almost going for my quick release as it was getting too hairy, so I don’t know what it was gusting to.  The wind dropped and the MEN (cough cough) decided to come out (of their closets!-ha! ha!) sorry boys but this is the girls web page!  Oh and Katie-North Wales newest Chick was out before the boys giving it her all when it was ballistic this morning too! 

Zoe

xx

Date: Wednesday 10th January  

Location: West Shore

Mission: 4 BIG Seconds

I decided I was ready for the 30-40knts gusty conditions on offer and launched the 7m Atom, I was so glad I did as I had an amazing session! I felt confident but was aware that I had to concentrate on what I was doing with the wind being so strong and gusty.  Since my Big Air session on Sunday I have now got the bug for that floaty feeling, where you feel like a feather floating down in the wind so I was practicing getting more height more consistently and was succeeding! I wasn’t getting some of my landings timed very well so started counting my jumps so I knew when to land, I was getting about 4 seconds, that doesn’t sound much now but it felt it at the time!

Zoe

xx

Date: Monday 8^th January 07

Location: Martyn’s garage in Doncaster!

Mission: Kit the Bongo out for the desert!

So I missioned it last night from the Angel’s HQ in North Wales (past Angel Zoe’s house to stop and see her after her great session with the start of a cold and a bottle of wine and trying not to think of Angel Sheryl in Flaine with ALL that new snow) and drove through the driving rain to Martyn’s house in Doncaster to kit the Bongo out ready for the Sahara Desert.  So today, we looked at our HUGE pile of kit and equipment ready to go and the not so big Bongo!  We slowly began to fit things in their place, but production of the new interior structure was really accelerated when Martyn’s dad came home from work and helped us out!  Now we are getting there and have a basic structure!!  Bring on tomorrow!

Jo

Date: Sunday 7^th January 07

Location: Home and running round town!

Mission: STOP myself going kiting and MAKE myself get ready to go to Morocco!

So you will notice there has not been a diary from me since New Year’s Day.  Well its not from alcohol poisoning or anything dramatic like that!  Its because I am panicking about fitting all of mine and martyn’s kite and ski equipment in a very small van and driving to the Sahara Desert next Friday!  Well its going ok I suppose on the scale of things!  So travel insurance, Bongo insurance, book ferry, solar panels, fridges, gas canisters…..!  Oh I can’t wait to kite in the warm!!  Sorry girls!

Jo

Date: Sunday 07th January 2007!  

Location: Newbrough

Mission: Big Air

I got a light wind session in on Friday but it wasn’t up to much so I was up before the sun this morning (Ok I know that’s not early seeing as its winter but it sounds good!) There was a nice 25knts and some decent waves-perfect for my 9m RRD! I was having a wicked session, nicely powered in challenging conditions, the wind was gradually building and I started getting overpowered, I did a jump and hardly sent the kite at all but I didn’t come down for some time it was certainly my biggest air yet by far (watch out Hoggy! ) I knew I was pushing my limits on the 9 so came in and got the 7m Atom but I spent so long chatting on the beach that by time I took it out the wind had dropped and I was struggling for power (may also be something to do with the 5 tins of chocolates in the house over Christmas) I went to go over a pretty fierce looking wave but didn’t have enough power so did something that must have resembled a bird flying into patio doors, the wave took me under for what seemed like ages I got a great spin cycle (washing machined).  I still have enough salt in my eyes to cover a portion of chips but am stoked to have had such a fun session!

Zoe

xx

Date: 5^th Jan 2007

Location: West Shore

Mission: jumps and more jumps

Had to get out today, Zoe was heading down and i am off to france for a week so needed to get out.  Also needed to wax board (thank you Jo), take my van to hospital, pack, shop, change money, find pass port, have coffee with jo cause i won’t see her now till she gets back, and a million other things!   arrgh not enough time in the day.  So got up bright and early to get a session in before the jobs only to get down the beach and find that no-one else was playing.  Might have had something to do with the mad strong wind.  Not to be put off though i phoned zoe who arrived just before lunch.  Had a cuppa then went to see if the wind was gonna be on our side.  Got to the beach and the tide was most the way in so only a tiny bit of beach to play with but good nine weather.  Zo launched me, and a few others turned up to launch her.  Had a really great time (seat harness again, think i need to ease myself in slowly with the waist one!) and was even jumping and landing and they felt really high (but probably weren’t).  Still had stuff to do though so after a couple of hours came in and managed to bag a lift home for me and the dog!  Catch you all when i get back ;-)

Date: 4^th jan 2007

Location: west shore

Mission: stomach muscles?

Got down the beach today having recovered from my last session.  Although i loved zoe’s waist harness god did my stomach hurt after.  Spent the last couple of days not being able to sit up, how ridiculous did i feel ;-).  But stomach had recovered by today so got down the beach just in time to rescue my hood from lukas before it went out to play on some one else’s head!  Had a cracking time with just a couple of guys on the water, not gusty and quite calm.  Was even brave enough to do some jumps but as soon as i popped my board i felt it in my stomach again :-(.  Had to go and swap it for my seat harness :-(.  Had a fab session though and it wasn’t even too cold.  Tried to follow lukas up the channel and out into the wide blue yonder until i realsied the time.  I was running really late and had an appointment to make so tried to rush back to the beach.  Now, all that time spent as a beginner where you are always going down wind and can’t help it.  Well for some reason i have suddenly realised that down wind is actually quite hard to do... I much prefer going up ;-) and really really really hate self landing!

Sheryl

xx

Date: 1^st January 2007 – WAHOO

Mission: Make it out on New Year’s Morning for a session 

Location: West Shore

So I’d EVEN stayed driving to Sheryl’s New Year party as the forecast was looking promising for New Year’s day!  But had unfortunately slipped up a little with a bottle of port when I got home and Hoggy was rather drunk and wanted me to catch up!  But there was still some left in the bottle of port in the morning when Zoe rang to say she was at Westy and it looked good so we headed to the beach.  Had a lovely session on the 7m Atom as the tide went out and the flat lagoons formed until a squall eventually hit and my fingers had frozen.  So we all headed in to go and defrost.  I then had a little wander around town with Sheryl and co. who were headed to the bargain shop where I found a pink Miss Naughty bikini!  What a great start to the year

Jo

Date: New year’s day 2007

Location: Westshore

Mission: Make up for lost time

Zoe called again this morning, she seems to have replaced my alarm clock recently, and at 9 am i really wasn’t too awake after drinking a little too much red wine last night.  But the beach was calling so i got changed at home ready to get out and go as soon as i got there.  Pumped up my nine and ran out while there was no one else on the water.  Conditions weren’t great a bit gusty and building all the time but that didn’t matter cause i was having a ball ;-).  I love my board (we are friends again now), and I don’t think zoe is going to get her waist harness back in the near future cause i think i definitely prefer it.  Some days you go out and everything seems to work, well this was one of them.  I even managed to get brave enough to try some jumps, first just popping off the backs of the waves but then pop transitions and i only wiped out a couple of times.  Have a look at the gallery, my board looks so cool in the air!  But i was spending my wind tokens fast, with friends abandoned at home after last night i needed to get back.  So after nearly losing my shiny new board (do i want it back enough to body drag towards the rocks?) i decided that i’d quite like to finish on a high.

Sheryl

xx