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.
Nothing really wants to go today. As always, the wind is extremely stubborn and makes for quite nice waves. I should really be used to it by now. As soon as I’m in the water, a knot pops up and my kite turns into a student’s kite. Out again, in again. With wind gusts of over 25 knots, the jumps are nice and high – but I mess up almost all the landings.
At the end of my first ride, I tear the kite so hard while jumping that I end up with my first (involuntary) kiteloop. The 15 metre leeward offset and the final belly flop will keep me from doing my first voluntary kiteloop for a while yet.
Frank Woelky, born in 1973. Kitesurfer since 1998. Since 2006, I have been combining kitesurfing and web design on trips lasting several months off the beaten track.