The last four days in EL Yaque were not under a good star. Not for anyone. I’ve never seen so many kite killers in such a short space of time. Take this: Four days of constant chop, day and night. The absolute minimum was 10 knots, mid 25s, peaks of up to 38 knots. Measured on the beach.

The day before yesterday I went out in the mid-30 knots with the 10-liner. After 500 metres my 5-liner collapses (ask me how that works…), pops up again and pulls me first through the air and then under water. By the time I’m back on top, it has already hit the water. I only realise that a connecting seam from the strut to the front tube has burst a day later when I try to mend a tube. (more…)

My soundtrack for today: Riders on the storm. Highway to hell. I will survive. We lift you up where we belong. Bad Religion. Nine Inch Nails. Perfect day. Early in the morning, after a hard night’s sleep, we cross over to the neighbouring island of Coche. In the morning there’s already a lot of flying sand on Isla Margarita.

Coche. White sand, palm trees, a few hotels. 30 kiters on a 100-metre-wide flat-water piste similar to a tournament course close to the beach. The wind is chopping with 10-minute values of 22-30 knots measured on the beach. Kites: everything between 5 and 9 m². Mine has 10, my knees are shaking. I’ve never been out in such nasty winds. (more…)

The days on El Yaque fly by. A bit of work in the morning, then out kiting from midday. I increase the dose of kiting to three hours a day, sometimes significantly more. In the evening, a beer at sunset on the kite beach. Good tuna steak, good people and good cocktails.

The sailmaker needs a whole week to repair my kite. There were 20 others before me. But it’s no big deal. The wind chopped at 20 to 30 knots all week. In other words: the 10 Blade Vertigo is just perfect. Thanks for the loan, Jörg! (more…)