Actually, the report should have been called “Warnemünde”. But after practically every spot on the Baltic Sea has only been available for a high parking fee in recent years, Warnemünde really takes the cake. Within an hour of searching for a car park in the furthest corners, I really can’t find anything under €20 for a longer kite session. In high season, you pay €3 per hour up to one kilometre from the beach. There are cheaper car parks. From October. They’re all full now.

I head west along the coast in search of cheaper kite spots. There are several kite spots here, e.g. Nienhagen, Heilgendamm and Kühlungsborn. Each one is hopelessly overcrowded. Parking costs at least €5. Despite the good wind, I don’t see a single kite in the sky. (more…)

They still exist, even after 20 years of kiting. The little unexpected surprises. Surprise is an understatement. I’ve already visited Schnatermann, the nearest kitespot to Rostock, twice. Once I was too flat after a wave session in Markgrafenheide. The second time, the wind was too light even for fish and 13m².

Today the forecast was right. Fortunately, the predicted 38-knot peak didn’t materialise. I’m more than happy with 16 to 26 knots, which isn’t a bit of a bump but still fluctuates a lot. I find my favourite spot in Rostock under 10m² and mostly royal blue late summer skies. (more…)

The kite spot in Saal offers flat water and a large meadow for setting up and launching. Two kite schools hire out equipment on site and offer the only dry shelter even in shitty weather, as well as hot drinks and burgers. Parking costs €5 per day including toilet use. You can also camp here.

The entrance is via a few small stones in a 20 metre wide bay between rushes on the Bodden. If you want to use foils with long masts, you have to go out at least 150 metres. It is a little difficult to get out of the bay in a south-westerly wind. There is a lot of training on the water. Getting through this belt can also be a bit tight at times. (more…)

Markgrafenheide is one of Rostock’s home spots. The journey from the city centre takes about 30 minutes by car. In Markgrafenheide you can only park centrally and for a fee. Many of the small residential streets are fire service access roads. Never park in the wild! There is a lot of towing.

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Crossing Rügen can take an hour, depending on traffic. If you have your accommodation in the east in westerly winds, Thiessow, located at the end of a headland in the south-east, is a good alternative to avoid long island crossings.

You can park for €8 directly at the small campsite in front of Klein-Zicker, including toilet facilities. Or you can walk 250m to the Thiessow bathing car park, which costs a maximum of €5 per day. Pitches are set up on the meadow next to the campsite. There is also a small hire shop and school there, but no catering.
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Rügen has been my favourite German kitespot for 20 years. Reliable forecasts for easterly and westerly winds, plenty of space at all spots for every wind direction and no dangerously steep rock dams like on Fehmarn are reason enough, right? Oh yes, the largest standing area in Europe off Suhrendorf and plenty of flat water at practically every spot, as well as some wave spots in the east: time for the second kite report after ten trips.

The three of us set off from Regensburg early in the morning with a bus, trailer, seven boards and even more kites for the nine-hour journey to Rügen. The forecast has fluctuated quite a lot over the last few days, and the wind directions have also varied considerably. In the afternoon, we land at the Ummaii Surf Hostel in Suhrendorf, put up in one of the simple, affordable cabins with eight beds and immediately push the trailer to the dyke 200 metres away. (more…)

The journey to the Baltic Sea takes a good nine hours and a lot of traffic jams through almost 40 degrees to Fehmarn. For many days, the wind oracles heralded the approaching end of the hottest June in living memory. Strong winds swept the heat away to the east for a whole week. There are more kites hanging in the sky over Fehmarn than baubles on a Christmas tree. The feeling is Christmas-like: very cold – but full of endorphins.

Rabbits hop fearlessly between the car and waving cornfields. Swallows give wind warnings by scratching their belly feathers on blades of grass. Shawn the sheep bleat as they graze on the dykes. The radio warns wind-prone vehicles not to cross exposed bridges. The trees are bending. We are clearly in the right place at the right time. (more…)

I’ve been kiting since 1999 and since then there has never been snow and wind at the same time in Regensburg. This week is different. We’ve had snow for a long time and the wind has given us three good days of snowboarding and kiting this week. On Tuesday I’m going snowkiting for the first time in my life.

The wind at the Regensburg windmill is quite weak and the holes in between always make for forced sessions in the snow. But it’s enough for a few first tracks. With 10 knots of wind and 15 cm of snow, I’ve never had so much fun. I buy my first helmet in the evening. Snow is harder than water. (more…)

Autumn is here. The outdoor seating areas are closing. You don’t bump into anyone drinking coffee anymore. I don’t like autumn, especially not after a rather uneventful and cold summer anyway. Nothing moves, I’m bored. The only great thing about autumn is the wind.

Today it’s arriving in full force at Brombachsee. The locals are right: yes, on good weekends the lake is pretty full. But firstly, it’s still bearable compared to most other good spots. Secondly, I don’t mind at all if it gets even more crowded, the way some top dogs defend their clearing. (more…)