Belmont Kite Haps: 9/16 - 9/24 We've had some wind lately

September 16th through September 24th.....

Our wind score this week: Kite days - 6, Skunk days - 2

It's Saturday night and I thought I would post some of the pictures I've taken this week.
There were a few days recently where we waited for the wind. It started feeling to me like summer was coming to an end.
There were a number of days like this one on the 16th. The days were hot and not much wind.
This picture tells it all, two people reading and one kiter down at Granada waiting for the wind.

Then on Saturday Sept. 17 we started a streak of six days straight of wind. They were not all epic but we still got kite able wind.

On Sunday it started blowing early so I tried to let people know that the wind was up.
Klaus just got back from his job in Illinois and he has taken six days of vacation to chill. This was his first day back so he pumped his 17 Core and his new North 12. He wanted to cover all bases.
Dan and Kristin have gotten through Ryan and Rachel's wedding and were ready to kite.
And "Dr." Bobby was out to prove his diet was still working, even in September.
Klaus was in great form even though he has been away from Belmont for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately the photographer did not get his best jump.
Dan was pulling off all of his tricks but I didn't get any good shots. I was kiting too.
Chloe says it all, we all pushed it to the max and were a little tired.
At the end of the day we all were hoping for a repeat on Monday.
With the wind starting early again I headed for the beach. Our youngest daughter Sara called and said her boyfriend A'lan would like to come down for his first kite lesson. I said "Come on down." I got out on the water and messed around for a while until he arrived.
A'lan was a natural. He took to the trainer with no hesitation and a delicate touch too.

He was like the EverReady bunny, he kept going and going and going. The time stamp of this shot was a little after three. You can see Susi and Gary pumping up in the background.

A'lan got it!!! So I said "You know how to self launch, put on some sun block and see you later" and I headed out. Yup, another great day in paradise.

On Tuesday I think Klaus and I got to the beach around 1 o'clock. Bobby and Maria had just returned from Oahu and Bobby was pumping up. Klaus and Bobby got a jump on me and they headed out. I was right behind them.

Bobby and Klaus heading for the oil platform off of Seal Beach. Then they did a port tack and headed for Chaffee Island. For some reason I thought I would try and catch them on the back of Chaffee but that didn't quite work, so I followed them behind Chaffee and then back to home base. It was a pretty fun adventure.

Here are the four amigos. From the left is Steve, Bobby, me and Klaus. Our next adventure is to kite to Huntington. Maria said she could pick us up. Now all we need is a windy day.

Just about the time we got back the bi-weekly Kitesurfari course race was under way. Here Brian Kendor is drag racing Joe Roth, the windsurfer. In the end Brian won the race and also beat four other kiters. Great job Brian.

When Dan got off of work he came down and grabbed my kite. Unfortunately the wind did not cooperate and the wind died. He didn't get much of a ride.

For some reason I didn't take any pictures today. But here's the wind for the day. "Big Mike" and I were messing around with our directional boards today and Peter came up from San Diego to show us how smooth jibes were done. So much work, so little time.

Thursday was a bizar day. I think I was working in the garage when I felt the wind come up, really fast. I grabbed my stuff and hustled to the beach. The wind was howling.

It was a little after 2 and the sand was really kicking up which meant to me it was blowing over 20 mph.

What a weird shot. The kiters on the left blasting starboard and the earth mover doing it's thing.

What a strange sight, these three machines scrapping up the sand and moving it down to the end of the peninsula. The city is preparing for the high surf of winter.

It was all I could do to just take a few shots because I wanted to get out there and get some of that, and I did....

for a while. Then, like a switch, the wind shut off. I was lucky I was able to get to shore, but there were a few that didn't make it and had to swim.

There was a beautiful sunset on Thursday evening thanks to the wind and clouds.

On Friday Klaus and I were ready for another adventure... SORRY, the wind did not cooperateHe and I waited and waited and waited.
The only two that got any exercise today were two stand-up paddlers, Robert and Jessy.
Jessy and Daniel tried but it was not to happen today so Ruth, Klaus and I we went to Phucket for dinner. Mmmmmm...

Saturday September 24, 2011 and this is our second "SKUNK" day.

Unfortunately the day did not look good at the outset. When I took Bebe down for her early morning ritual she didn't want to go outside. The cement had a thin layer of mist and she doesn't like to get her paws wet. This was not a good sign. So we decided to go to Chuck's for breakfast. Afterwards Ruth took the dogs to Dog Beach and I went to Von's for milk. On my walk to meet them I noticed this paddle boat going past White Island. Pretty foggy.