Although we had been hoping for the wind to subside during our travels here in South Africa, when in Langebaan we needed the wind to be strong!
On the west coast of South Africa, around 75 miles north of Cape Town, Langebaan is a watersports lovers paradise and it was here that we were going kitesurfing.
Langebaan is great for wind watersports because of the lagoon and consistent winds. The lagoon means that there are few waves even though the winds are strong and the temperature of the water is slightly warmer too, however we still needed wetsuits to stay warm.
“The conditions for our first day in Langebaan were perfect.”
As Rich and I have both completed the two day beginners course before, albeit three years ago, we opted for a refresher lesson. It was only a three hour session, but we thought we’d see how we got on and hoped that we would remember most things and get up and riding on the board, something that we haven’t quite been able to master in our previous attempts at kite surfing.
There’s a lot to learn with kitesurfing, understanding the wind window, safe kite set up, flying the kite, the safety release system, how to body drag (imagine flying like superman across the surface of the water and that is body dragging) and that is all before you go any where near a board!
The conditions for our first day in Langebaan were perfect. A consistent and strong south/southeasterly wind meant that the lagoon was flat, the current pushed us into the lagoon instead of out to sea and the sun was shining brightly in the sky. I shall correct myself slightly here, the sun shining brightly in the sky is wonderful to make it look good in photos, but in reality, as a beginner you spend most of your time looking up at your kite in the sky, so the bright sun is a right pain in the posterior! There’s no point in wearing sunglasses either as you spend a lot of time heading face first towards the water, so it’s safer not to wear them until you are proficient enough to ride on the board.
Not only that, but you don’t look good learning either. With our buoyancy jackets, helmets and ‘student’ rash vests making us clearly noticeable in the water, there was no way we were ever going to be on the cool spectrum, no matter how good we were that day.
“This is where you need lots of determination, patience and a bucket full of stupidity.”
All that being said, Rich and I were really pleased with how much we remembered about kiting. Everything came flooding back to us but it was great to have Christine from Windchasers kitesurfing school there to take us through everything. Within an hour Rich and I had demonstrated everything we needed to for Christine to give us the ok to attempt our water starts.
This is where you need lots of determination, patience and a bucket full of stupidity because there is no way you will ever want to repeatedly dunk your head backwards into salt water so that it goes up your nose and down your throat, even though you keep your mouth closed. Nor will you ever want to be pulled so hard by a harness between your legs that your whole body is lifted out of the water so quickly you give yourself a wedgie a second before your face smacks the water.
“Rich had a much better day than me kite surfing.”
Only if you really really really want to reach the mecca of being able to reach the waters edge, step onto your board and glide gracefully across the water with the spray behind you and your kite in the sky ahead of you will you put yourself through such horrendous activities, repeatedly.
To be honest, and it hurts me to say this, Rich had a much better day than me kitesurfing. Whilst he managed to get up and riding a number of times, I didn’t. I drank more salt water than anyone should and because of this, I was taking a two minute break and drinking some bottled water to rid the salty taste from my throat when Rich did his best ride of the day. For at least ten seconds he rode the board brilliantly, working the kite in the air perfectly and having that eureka moment. He wasn’t too upset that it was his only run I didn’t manage to catch on camera that day, honestly!
“Beginners everywhere, be warned…..this happens a LOT!”
The last video I did manage to get of Rich that day was him giving a perfect example of what I’d been doing all day, the face plant. This twenty second video shows it perfectly. The first three seconds are the real time face plant and the next seventeen are the same video slowed down so that you can see him bring the kite too far down into the power zone, which launches him up and forwards across the water (wedgie time), his feet come out of the foot straps on the board and his head smacks face first in the water! Beginners everywhere, be warned…..this happens a LOT!
Despite the numerous face plants, head dunks, gulps of sea water and body slams, we had the best day ever. Rich ended it on a high having rode on the board a few times and I ended it determined that I could do anything Rich could do! With that, we signed up for some more tuition time the following day.
It’s amazing how the tides can turn, both literally and figuratively. The weather on the second day was a north/northeasterly wind, which meant that the lagoon was a bit choppy and the current pushed us in the opposite direction. The clouds moved in and the sky was more grey than the bright blue it had been. Regardless of all this, we suited up and headed off to the beach. This time we had separate instructors, we were both at different stages of learning and so it made sense for us to concentrate on different things.
Rich continued with Christine, who got him up and riding on day one. I had George, an instructor from Greece who weighed as much as my right leg. If he could control a kite in strong winds then I had no excuse about ‘being a girl’ and not being able to do it!
George was brilliant for me, an enigmatic greek that constantly gave instructions down the radio that fed through to my helmet. The first hour was hell, more and more of the same from the previous day, wedgies and face plants with a couple of uncontrolled three second rides. There was slight progress with a couple of wobbly rides for about ten metres but nothing that made me feel like I’d conquered my goal for the day.
Rich being Rich preferred Christine’s teaching approach, a bit quieter than the enigmatic greek on the radio, so he could concentrate and have the time to be able to do what he wanted to do. It wasn’t Rich’s day on the water though. He had a few good rides much like the day before however hadn’t mastered riding competently that day.
“This is your last ride to the beach and I want you to come in on the board.”
For me, it all came down to the eleventh hour. Over the radio George said “this is your last ride to the beach and I want you to come in on the board.” Never one to disappoint and for reasons unknown to me, everything came together in perfect harmony. I pulled the kite down into the power zone just enough to lift my body out of the water and stand on the board, I stretched out my front leg in the direction of the kite towards the beach, sat back slightly on my heel edge and worked the kite in the air to propel me towards the shore. This was it, I was kitesurfing!!
It was amazing, nothing I have video evidence of but something that I’m so proud of I could burst with excitement every time I recall it. It seemed to last forever, moving the kite up and down across the power zone to keep me powering through the sea, gliding with such ease that I even managed a ‘wooooohoooooo’ cheer too.
“High fives, hugs, cheers and whoops were in full swing, not only by us but from other kitesurfers on the beach too.”
It seems that the elated cheer of a first ride is one that no one forgets. Upon reaching the beach I managed to slow my ride down enough to step off the board (with style if I may say so myself) before George came over being the most excited and proud instructor I have ever known. High fives, hugs, cheers and whoops were in full swing, not only by us but from other kitesurfers on the beach too. They shared that elation with me like they were reliving the thrill of their own first ride. I’ll never forget it.
Rich and I couldn’t recommend Windchasers kitesurfing school enough. The owners Dimitri and Michelle are there to ensure everything is top notch and the instructing staff are fantastic. The kite house was a luxury stay compared to the backpacking hostels we’ve been staying in and we wouldn’t hesitate to use it again if we come back to South Africa on a kitesurfing holiday.
With Rich and I riding high on the memories of kitesurfing in Langebaan, the only thing we have to do now, is do it again!
Lambs on the loose 