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Bought myself a new harness a couple weeks ago and sent an old kite in for repair. Wind is stronger this season, so that kite that was borderline too big is definitely too big. Got a recommendation for an ideal kite brand/model/size from an expert at the largest kite school here. None available locally - there were a couple but they sold. Popular model.

Found one for sale online way down in Texas with VERY LOW hours on it - like new. Contacted the sellers - they're a kite school and their wind speed was slower than normal this year so they used the larger sails and this one didn't get much use at all, but now they're selling off all this seasons gear for their annual migration to Mexico for the Winter. Seems a bit early to sell gear off.. but I guess if the whole season has been lighter wind and they know they don't need this rig they may as well sell it off and get the value out of it while it's still kiting season and in demand.

HOPEFULLY everything is exactly as described when it arrives for me to pick up in Washington State. I haven't made payment yet, and most people are honest sellers and these people do run a legit kite school soooo should be the real deal.

Buying from somewhere where this size isn't in high demand = it's a bit lower price than second hand like new prices here, and a full 40-50% cheaper than buying brand new here w/ tax. So, that's a sore.. especially on a big ticket item. Brand new here for kite bar & line set is almost $3k. Meanwhile buying Like New let's me Also buy a new harness and suit as well and still come in lower.

I know, no one here cares. lol

Allllmost paid for it.. just a few very minor details before I pay. I want the seller to update the invoice stating that the condition is used like new very low hours of use no repairs and none needed. Also waiting to find out about the cost of insurance just in case UPS messes up and damages/loses the package. Annnd the seller offered to hop on FaceTime and video-show me the goods to I can see them live vs photos before they're packaged up and shipped - hadn't considered that before and a very nice up front thing to do especially with a big ticket purchase. Noticed another specification missing from the invoice as well.. surfer people aren't always the most detailed oriented - but it makes a difference if they ship me a 60cm bar instead of the 50cm bar I need.

Hopefully all details are hammered out in the morning and then I can send payment and await my like new new sky rig to harness myself to and cruise around on the ocean in Howe Sound.. which is, for the uninformed, what I like to call "Magestic as f**k."

Here's a google image search photo of kite island with the Stawamus Chief (cliff I posted pics from hiking to the top of last October) in the background:



My faaaaaavourite day on the water there I was cruising around looking at the cliff, waterfall, snowcapped mountains & glaciers off to the left when a seal popped up and swam right alongside my board for a bit.. it started doing barrel rolls in the water about 3' in front of my toeside edge!! It was just like "O hai, nice to see you out playing in the water.. lemme play, too!" So, so, rad.

Hopefully this transaction clicks along smoothly tmw AM and then this kite is en route to me and should arrive in Washington state before the end of the month. Gotta buy a new suit and a helmet and then I think I'm fully geared up again. Looking forward to getting back out on the water even though the whole process is a bit daunting since they removed Spit Road that had been there for 50 years in order to restore salmon habitat.. so now ya gotta park downtown Squamish and pre-pay and take a little ferry boat over to the island with other kiters vs. being able to drive all the way out to the island and have your car there with extra/different gear, food/water etc as needed. :/ But whatever, all the hassles and rigmarole Should be sooooo worth it! Not too many sports or things in life are worth this kind of time & energy, but this one ? Ranks right up there at the top.

I got lifted off the ground with one of them and I landed on my head. I let go of the kite and it took off on its own. Lol

I had to climb in the sand dunes to retrieve it and untangle it.

I've been lifted off the ground by smaller kites even. I've been lifted a couple feet while snow kiting on a frozen lake one Winter. I've been lifted off the water a couple feet unintentionally lol and max a few feet intentionally. I'm def not a big air guy. Maybe I'll get to learning to take some jumps at some point, but tbh I really just enjoy going out in Howe Sound and cruising all over the place. It's also quite nice when there are a bit of rolling waves coming in.. not breaking and choppy, just little rollers to ride along as they move. Just feels nice!

But yeah, they can definitely lift people up.. sometimes uncontrolled and scary, but most times I see guys taking massive big air jumps like 20-30+ feet high on purpose. That's not for me. Maaaaybe I'll get to a point where I take Small jumps, several feet.. but the whole big air thing? Naaaaah..

Oh it's a lot of fun. My mistake was that I underestimated it and just went for it when I was inexperienced.

I got a couple of smaller kites after that and had quite a good time with them.

Yeah, that'll do it..

Whenever people inquire I ask if they've ever been water skiing or wakeboarding before.. many people have at least tried one of those. Then they have a concept of how much force it takes to get up and planing on the water with a boat.. and can relate to how much force, PLUS, is harnessed to your waist and how a small mistake could result in a massive impulse, and then whiplash, serious injury, or worse.

Definitely worth starting small and learning, and then taking pro lessons to get out on the water safely.

FaceTimed and checked out the goods on video - all good - sent money. Now they'll ship North to Washington state for me to pick up in a week or so.

Soooon I'll have a 10m version of an Airush Lithium v13 in Teal & Slate just like this one:



99% sure my paddle gloves, wetsuit booties, and impact vest are still good.. def need to go buy myself a new helmet as the nearly 25 year old snowboard helmet I used to wear had all the inner foam disintegrate so I threw it out. Helmets are damned expensive these days, too - everything is. :/ BUT, ya gotta pay to play.

UPS tracking code says it should arrive at my shipping address a mile or so South of the border on Thursday July 27th by 7pm.



I need to go buy myself a new helmet. Think I've narrowed it down to the one I want - just gotta find a local retailer so I can try them on. The last one I used was a protec snowboard helmet I had for nearly 25 years. Protec now makes water and wake helmets - I'm thinking I'll get the wake version that has ear protection in case you slam your ear on the water you won't burst your eardrum. Not too expensive, either! But I have a week or so to gear up and then plan a trip out after that.

you people are brave. i hope neither of you emulate Icarus.

I suppose it takes a bit of bravery.. a local kiter, JJ, calls kiting "extreme sports for old people," as the average age is quite high - even at 40 years old now I bet I'm still amongst the younger crowd. Maybe. I definitely was a decade ago, and most of the older guys are still kiting into their 50's, 60's, and beyond. I've seen some people out who were definitely in their 70's!

Once people learn and get things dialed in it's a very harmonious sport, save for gusty or choppy conditions when things can change rapidly.. but on a typical Summer day with consistent wind, it's smooooooth sailing! After learning, it's very easy on your body/back/knees. The biggest workout is your legs - a stamina test for sure.

The kite, board, wind and all that I don't really get too nervous about with the exception of maybe the very first launch in a long time. My first time out I'll likely triple check my gear and line connections before launching, put the kite up safely, wade out into the water, get my feet in the straps/on the pads, dip my kite into the wind and do a nice smooth J-start as if I'd been out every Summer.. get up and planing, cruise out away from Kite Island and head upwind out into Howe Sound just like old times - reminding myself there's nothing to really fear as it's one of those things that's just like riding a bike... and with a new rig and control bar with the most modern safety designs things should be smoother and safer than ever.

The only thing I recall really kinda sketching me out sometimes is the thought about how deep the water beneath me is. With sheer cliffs heading straight into the ocean, I'm told by a scuba diving instructor that the water there is likely 1-2000' deep. There are beaches and shores, but Howe Sound is pretty f*****g deep.. once in a while orcas, and possibly other whale pods I'm not sure, have been known to come in to feed there. So sometimes when I'm cruising around out there and take a moment to think about the depth it's a bit of a sketchy feeling to think "Holy crap.. there could be a giant whale underneath me right now. " There have been exactly zero incidents of kiters having troubles with whales here.. but it's just the thought of "Whoa, wtf would I do if a whale breached right here right now right in front of me?" I concluded that I'd probably laugh hysterically/maniacally and just carry on cruising across the backs of little rollers back and forth across the Sound and be grateful for such a majestic sighting & safe interaction that lets me continue on playing in their domain.

Also note: I wear an impact vest and helmet, full suit, gloves, booties. I have a whistle on one of my PFD's I'll see about securing to my impact vest. I really should have a stainless knife in my harness to cut lines if absolutely necessary. As much as I'll take a few risks for fun, I mitigate them as best as possible with proper PPE so I can keep doing things w/o concussions or anything like that.

As for Icarus, naaaaah, big air isn’t for me. Maybe little baby airs, though! I’m all about just cruising around enjoying the feeling of being on the ocean taking in the views, watching for seals, watching the eagles, watching big air trick guys do their thing.. it’s just Niiiice to be out there feeling one with the ocean and the universe in a harmony of multiple forces all coming together for a smoooooth ride with a side of exhilaration.

We do appreciate the Sun, though! Can’t have thermal winds without it heating up all the cliffs up the valley every day to create the vacuum we play in.

my fear, what i've heard happen to some unfortunates, is sudden downdrafts crashing riders down hard to where they get busted up/paralyzed.

I suppose that's a possibility if you're way up in the air and relying on storm winds and variable conditions.. but Squamish is different - it's thermal winds. Sun comes up and heats the cliffs all the way up a huge valley, hotter and hotter the farther inland.. the hot air rises and draws wind off the ocean like a vacuum. It's not that it's one single speed with no variation or anything like that, but it's a pretty consistent reliable wind. It can and does vary, but not like sudden changes in storm conditions.

That said, there Can be storm conditions and cloud formations and other things that alter wind speeds and directions and there can be really gusty days there - like when I flew a new to me kite for the first time and ended up blowing it up on it's maiden flight and had to have it repaired with hundreds of stitches. Still flies good, but due to age and repairs it's not really worth much at all in resale value. Oh well, I'll just keep it and fly it when the wind is a bit lighter I guess.

Wind speeds have been picking up there, though. So that kite that was borderline too big for me a few years ago packs too much power today, hence purchasing a smaller one of a different wing shape that's more suitable for me, the wind speed, my mass, and riding style.

It IS possible for a storm front or gust to launch someone, or a down draft to drop them if they're airborne.. but overall the wing designs have improved and fly smoother, and the control bars and safety systems are ever better and safer. In most cases if s**t happens you can pull a safety release that releases one side of your kite so it'll flop down to the water.. and then if s**t really happens you can pull a second release and just let 'er go. Better to watch an expensive kite blow away or get destroyed than be seriously injured or killed. Would suck to lose a kite, but whatever, it's nothing that can't be replaced.

Just googled to see how deep Howe Sound actually is.. max depth 285m/935 feet. Not 1-2000', but still.. 935 feet is plenty deep enough for whales and all kinds of other marine life to be swimming by underneath ya.

Went to a shop in North Van yesterday that had 5 different watersports helmets in stock to try on and went with the one that fit like a glove compared to the others. I only found a couple more brands in stock Anywhere locally - for whitewater kayaking. Almost zero shops sell helmets for wakeboarding or other watersports, even though they exist, because I guess those guys are too cool to protect their heads/brains/ears. Oh well, whatever, I found one that's gonna do the job fine. + I picked up a new pair of wetsuit booties as my original ones were blown through on the left toe - I guess things only last so many years.. probably bought them 19-20 years ago.

Tried on my impact vest - a bit snug as I've gained some weight, but it's not tooooo tight and I'll drop a few lbs. Plus you want them on the snug side so they don't slide up. It'll do still.

Also had a look over my old seat harness.. and I wondered for a minute why I had it in my head that it was totally worn out and needed replacement - because it looks like it Could still serve it's purpose Okay. It's definitely missing a small velcro'd on backpad, but other than that all the major areas still seem stitched together just fine. I tried it on and I Think it would still work, but I did notice some pressure points that I bet would be annoying/painful over time and cut a session short compared to the more comfortable waist harness I just bought that's stiff carbon fibre across the back so it can't pinch in + some sort of cushy gel-foam. It'll take some getting used to adjusting a waist harness vs. using a seat harness, but w/e I'll manage. + it's possible the old one Could blow apart since it is approximately 20 years old.. but maybe not. I guess I'll keep it around for now as a back up or in case it fits someone wanting to try out the sport or whatever. I'm pretty confident it would hold, but not 100% lol I dunno maybe I'll consult some others and if the consensus is that it could be dangerous I'd rather cut it up than have it on my head that someone wore it and got injured for it. But if it's still useful maybe I'll donate it to someone it fits comfortably.

Just checked tracking number - kite has been delivered just South of the border in Washington State. Maybe I'll go pick it up today even. Then the last thing I need is a new suit - which I'll likely rent for a day before committing to buying so I make sure it's the right thickness (warmth) etc.


I have at least 3 old surf kites that aren't very good/safe to fly. A survivorman type friend figures the fabric would make for good hammocks in the woods. I'll give him at least 2 of them. The 3rd, that's more colourful, I might donate to a woman in Squamish that makes dresses and bags out of them. Would be kinda near to score a re-usable grocery bag or something like that from her. My old drysuit would require so much labour to make it seaworthy again to remove and re-stitch new cuffs and a neck seal that it's likely cheaper to just buy a new one. I offered it to the survivorman mostly outdoor living guy and he figures he might be able to stitch/glue some rubber in for new cuffs.. and if not it'd make a great all weather suit for land - just an over suit for rain/snow etc and he can make use of it for as long as possible before it's damaged/lost/stolen etc I guess - better than it just straight up getting thrown out.

Went out Sunday afternoon. By the time I rigged up and launched the wind was dying off and I basically f****d around in the water for 25 mins and had to down my kite and hitch a ride back to the beach on a seadoo. Oh well.

Went out Monday a couple hours earlier, swung by the shop and bought a brand new wetsuit and pump, trekked down to the beach and caught the shuttle boat over to Spit Island.. juuuust started to put my suit on and took a look at the wind meter and it was going nuts. Changing direction a fair bit and gusting HARD. I didn't even bother suiting up - it was the craziest wind that many who were there had ever seen there. It was off the charts strong - literally.. the wind meter was hovering ABOVE the scale and I managed to snap a pic at it's peak! The wind charts online literally show the graph going off the charts above 40 knots (x 1.15078 = mph (46.0312 mph) x 1.61 = kmh (74.110232 kmh) - and who knows how much above 40 it hit, it was literally off the charts of the anemometer hooked up to display the graph online. My guess is maybe 45 kts peak but hard to say since even the nerds that set that stuff up never anticipated having to measure that high in that location!

It was the combination of the regular thermal winds that typically blow around 25-28 kts pretty consistently + a storm front coming in. The storm was blowing in hard enough to move the estuary water line up closer to the island than I've ever seen it. The water close to the island is fresh water from glacial runoff coming down the Squamish river and is very brown/murky looking from sand and silt getting stirred up, and then the water in Howe Sound is quite a pretty blue in comparison. The fresh water is hella f*****g cold even in the heat of Summer, and the water and air are noticeably warmer once you're out far enough from the beach to be on salt water - probably several degrees C, maybe even 10+.

Anyways, I decided to have a spectator day and just snapped some pics and had a beer. Some of the people out were having the session of their lives and probably broke personal records for big air and hang time.. I mean, they were practically landing in different postal codes! lol Someone who was watching the livestream webcam said they were literally flying out of frame of the camera! Those few guys were going BIG like could have cleared a few houses at a time or a row of townhomes big. (That's BIG. REALLY BIG. And not for me lol)

Another guy had his kite sail blow out in a gust - but at least it ripped kind of close to the trailing edge and was within a couple square feet only and is 100% repairable vs. a total loss. Usually kites are repairable.. but once in a while damage could be so catastrophic on an old kite that it's just not worth the $ to repair and may as well buy another used/new kite.

Another guy had his Ridge Engine harness let go - they have a unique click-strap design.. the teeth didn't shred. Not sure of the clip/clasp failed, or if he somehow accidentally hit it open. In any event, I'm glad that model Wasn't the most comfortable one For Me and I bought a different carbon fibre harness with a more traditional design! The guy is a very competent kiter and has kited in multiple countries and is off to kite in Peru for a month or two so it definitely wasn't a newbie mistake or anything. IF he accidentally hit it open himself, then it's a design flaw IMO as that shouldn't be able to happen. With the help of a seadoo he was able to retrieve his harness and I think kite sail, but his bar and lines went under the pier by the shipping terminal... which maaaay be able to be retrieved at extremely low tide in a few days *maybe* but he figures it's likely gone forever. :/ Sucks because they cost several hundred dollars.. BUT, better to lose $700-1000 worth of bar & lines than your life when s**t hits the fan and your best move is to just pull the 2nd pin and let everything go. Could have been even more expensive if his $2k kite got destroyed. But again - losing 3 grand worth of s**t is still better than the worst that could happen. He took it all pretty well and was in good spirits. Somehow I don't think he's poor and replacing gear before he goes on another kite vacation isn't a major hardship for him.


A few days of garbage weather now. Tmw might be good to go to my local beach, though, just to hangout with the crew. then Friday Saturday look Goooooood! Beyond that most of next week sucks but I'm keeping my schedule wide open and going to kite every day possible between now and the last day of the official season September 15th and then who knows Maybe if some people have a boat and wanna go out I'll still get out beyond then.. or maybe I'll pay some moolah to take an intermediate kind of lesson for a day to advance some skills. Maybe. But might be silly to End the season doing that vs. Start next season with it and then be able to practice new things. Guess it depends on the weather and how I feel - maybe I'll do both.

Fiiiinally got out for my first real session on the water in 5-6 years.

Very happy with the new kite - it flies like a hot knife through butter.. suuuuuper smooooth.

Saw salmon running in the river - jumping etc. Saw a deal chowing down on one, too.