We got wind onTues., hair cut on Wed.

It's Wed. June 17th and we got wind yesterday....we also have our summer lifeguards.

I spent some time on Monday and Tuesday cleaning up all of the kite gear that we took to Lake Isabella. Once I got Dan's and my cart cleaned up and sorted out I took a look down Santa Ana and thought it might come up. I made a few calls then headed down to the beach.

The first thing I noticed was the summer lifeguards are back in service. We all know that soon all of the rules will be enforced. Most kiters should feel really good about having the guards back on patrol. I personally think it makes our area a lot safer.

As the wind was building I couldn't help but notice a small outboard pulling a dory. After a few more minutes of being under tow the dory came into shore.

It's hard to tell but Ethan, the guard that works Monday and Tuesday was running up the beach to meet up with Mitch, the guard that also kites and works the rest of the week. If you have a chance take a minute to say hello to the guards in the towers. They are there for us.

I took this shot as I was about to get launched. I wanted to get a shot of some kites powered up before I went out. Rijk just arrived and he said "I'll see you out there."

While I was warming up and waiting for Rijk I tacked a few times and found my self West of the pier behind White Island. I thought "I think there's enough to get behind Chaffee Island." So I headed for Chaffee and almost made it. When I made the little tack to get behind it a kiter went the opposite direction going on a starboard tack. I decided to take chase. No way could I catch him. He went out behind the breakwater and by the time I had almost reached White again he came in the other entrance to the bay.

He then came by me and waved as he blasted past me. We down-winded to the pier and then both headed East back to Belmont. This is when I was certain it was Gabor Vagi. The two of us were on a very fast starboard tack. Naturally I was eating his wake. He was flying a North Rhino 12M and riding a custom Jeff Kafka race board. If your interested paste this in your browser:
http://sanfrancisco.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=sanfrancisco&cdn=citiestowns&tm=10&f=00&tt=33&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.wowkite.com/

One of these days I hope to borrow his back-up and see what it feels like to ride a race board.

Back on the beach I ran into Mark Stauch, Matt and Cat Naggus and Kristin Helm. Both of the girls are on a fast track to get kite boarding down this summer.

About that time Dan (my son) came in to join Rijk and his friend Nate. Dan borrowed Rijk's new Weiman 12m and seemed he to like it a lot.

It was about this time that Ruth arrived with her gin concoction and we all celebrated. Ruth is in the chair, I'm in the black jacket, then there's Omar, Kristin and Raul. Doesn't everyone look happy? What a great way to kick off the summer.

At the end of the day I thought it was a funny shot to see the three carts at the camp. Mark just got an attachment so he can pull it with his bike. Dan recently picked his up at Home Depot and then there's my old gardening cart. Yes I know it needs some work.

Today Rijk and I decided to have Carlye perform a miracle. To give us both a hair cut. And did we need it.

OK, the jury is still out about my cut, but we like them and like her. An least now our hair is not in our eyes when we kite...See you on the beach.