Day 79 of the 2017 season: Epic November Winds

Carving up some small swell on the inside

Click here for video highlights of  Epic November winds

A beautiful November bluebird day, nearly 50 degrees and 15-25 mph south winds. Rigged the 13M at 10:30 with 12-20 mph winds and  finished up the last 2 hours with the 11M with 15-25 mph winds

TOB:  10:30-1:00 with the 13M Z and 2:00-4:00 with the 11M Z1
Gear: 13M and 11 Z kites and TT board
Water conditions:  nicely organized small swell inside at the beach launch
Wind: 15-25 mainly south
Weather: 51 degrees and clear
Highlights: Beach launch with Chris F. Nice small waves to slash and carve up and big time lofty boosts.  A marathon session of 5.5 hours.

13M from 10:30-1:00 and then the 111M from 1:30-4:00

Day 78 of the 2017 season: Another 13M Metrobeach fun session

A new camera angle

Windy enough for a 12-13 meter session. Half depowered most of the session, carving was awesome with the undisturbed although small swell. No other kiters out equated to an organized swell.
Launching from the east end of the beach, nice grassy launch and fairly clean beach.

TOB:  3:30-5:00                                                                                
Gear: 13M Z kite and TT board                                                        
Water conditions:  organized small swell, guessing 42 degrees
Wind: 12-20 WSW-SW
Weather: 41 degrees and clear
Highlights: the wind went from WSW to SW just after I launched which made conditions a little bit better. Strong and steady winds allowed me to go upwind and then do a downwinder back to my beach launch. Fun day glad I got out.
Relive.cc Metrobeach Kitesurf Session

Day 77 of the 2017 session: A 13 meter fun day at Metrobeach

Didn’t go according to the small craft forecast. But with the light winds and more wind up high it was enough to make the 13M work. Overall a fun warm day for November standards.
I counted a dozen kites at the peak.. kite sizes ranged from 11-15M.
I'm sure am glad I got a 13M kite. Between it and the 9M these two kites have been the workhorses for this fall season.

Almost a sunset session - missed it by 20 minutes

TOB:  2:30pm-4:30pm
Gear: 13M Z kite and TT
Water conditions:  small onshore wavetts at the beach
Wind: mainly south 12-25 mph at it's best
Weather: sunny 45
Highlights:  Lots of depower as the day started with the winds gradually getting lighter toward sunset. Played at the beach most of the time, boosting, olling and carving up the small waves.

Day 76 of the 2017 season: That's 3 in a row with the 9M

Just completed the 3rd day straight with the 9M kite and TT board.  That is with 20-30 mph winds.
Another enjoyable day with sun and 50 degrees and again enjoying the small 2-3 footers at the beach and the shoals off from the point.

TOB: 10:30-12:30 

Gear: 9M and TT
Water conditions:  mainly SW swells up to 3 feet, nice wavetts at the beach and at the shoals WSW of the pointe
Wind: mainly SSW-SW 20-30 mph - A tad bit more west then yesterday
Weather: up to 50 degrees, sunny  
Highlights: Found some clean swell out by the shoals off from the point
Relive.cc

Day 75 of the 2017 season: Another 9M day with SSW winds

Woke up to 26 degrees with ice forming on the nearby puddles and ponds.
Headed to Metrobeach about noon with sunny skies and nearly 45 degrees.
It is amazing how reliable this venue is this time of year, in spite of it's contaminated, toxic water, flotsam, deadheads and sketchy launch ...but it is our back yard and 8 minutes drive time.

TOB: 1:30-3:30     

Gear: 9M and TT
Water conditions:  mainly SSW swells up to feet, nice wavetts at the beach
Wind: mainly SSW 20-30 mph
Weather: up to 45 degrees, sunny  
Highlights: enjoyable 9M day with some lulls. really nice small carving waves at the beach where I spent most of my time.
Relive.cc

Lot of tracking near the beach due to the small waves

Day 74 of the 2017 season: HI with snow squalls and 9 meter conditions

Radar showing snow squalls

A good day to test my lower temperature threshold. A day with 35 degrees and intermittent snow squalls, (A first for me). No complaints about being cold as long as the crashing was minimal.
It was comfortable and doable kiting with these conditions.
Other participants, Mark on a 12M, Chris and myself on 9s. All of us comfortable in our drysuits.
We all headed to the middle channel slick but there was to much west in the wind to make it work - that's ok there were plenty of other slick spots amongst the weed beds as we headed back.

TOB: 12:15-2:15        

Gear: 9M and TT
Water conditions:  mainly west swells up to 2 feet
Wind: mainly west 20-30 mph
Weather: 35-38 degrees, cloudy, snow squalls 
Highlights: decent 9M day as always here at HI - good chop for ollies.
Probably the coldest weather I ever kited in.
Stayed comfortable with the Patagonia drysuit, 2 mm booties, 2 mm gloves, 2 mm hoodie and helmet.
Relive.cc
Chris's and Tom's flybys

Day 73 of the 2017 season: A rare SE wind for me at Metrobeach

A decent 13M session, rare for me to kite with nearly SE winds.
Played at the beach in the SE swell, surprising well spaced 1-3 footers with clean troughs.
Four other kiters on 12 to 15M kites

TOB: 2:45-4:15

Gear: 12M Z kite and TT 
Water conditions:  rare SE swells of 1-3 feet
Wind: averaging near 20 mph from the SSE 
Weather:  some sun but mostly cloudy, 40-42 degrees
Highlights: fun slashing SE swell well space close to beach
Relive.cc

Day 72 of the 2017 season: Duel venue, MB and HI - both decent sessions

The double venue day turned out to be a decent day in spite of the dire forecast of cold temps. Nearing 50 degrees with some sunlight, that is until the bitter end on the island. With 40+ mph wind gusts as a squall line of rain and ice pellets ended my day.
Chris, Keith, Mark and 3 others were out in full force with kite sizes 6.5M to7M.
Special note: First sticking snowfall of the season on my deck by 8 that night.

A John Simpson photo at the Metrobeach venue

TOB: MB 12:00-1:00 and HI 3:00-4:14

Gear:   MB 9M Z kite with TT and HI 6.5M LF with TT
Water conditions:   Some nice slashey swells at both venues with big time boosts and ollies
Wind: MB gusty SW to 30 mph plus, HI a gusty 30 and 40 mph plus
Weather:   near 50 degrees with some sunny periods
Highlights: boost city and carving/slashing delight
Relive MB
Relive HI

Second venue, Harsens Island

First venue, Metrobeach

Day 71 of the 2017 season: HI for a marginal quickie session

The forecast was marginal, but I felt like it was going to be enough.
Took the drive and was barley rewarded with a marginal 13M session.
Basically mowing, while waiting for the wind to pick up. Some good moments with 18-20 mph winds but overall not what I expected.
You win some and  loose some in this sport, at least it wasn't a total loss. 

TOB:  Quickie 2:00-3:00

Gear:   13M Z kite and TT
Water conditions:   small chop to nearly flat
Wind:  NNW to 23 mph
Weather:  mid to upper 40s with sunlight
Highlights: I tried to make it work, a marginal day it was.

The Ren Cen, 9 mile tower and the 2 sisters