Kite Life

TARIFA, SPAIN  

Tarifa is a European kiteboarding Mecca

Quick Guide. Just a little of the knowledge I have acquired over the 5 years that I have been coming here. 

Covering the whole of the Costa Del Sol all the way to Tarifa and a little beyond. 

Torrox works when it’s offshore for Malaga Airport can be very gusty early on but as late afternoon approaches cleans up nicely. Dangerous location with restaurant umbrellas and general beach crap in your way. Although there is a large section upwind which is clear? I have found this location to have flat spots in the wind and it is very easy to go downwind to far and from here the headland take a turn and you can find yourself drifting offshore very quickly. Watch the locals there is a definite approach to the beach and departure from the beach to avoid these flat spots. I have found this on typical crosshore gusty days. A fickle spot hopefully you will get lucky.    

Rincon la Victoria popular spot again can get wind when Los Alamos (Torremolinos) doesn’t. Again can work when the wind is offshore at Malaga Airport however can be very gusty. Again another fickle spot you have to be lucky here.  

Torrox and Rincon La Victoria are spots that the local crews got to when they are running out of options to kite locally. If Malaga to Marbella aren’t working.  Driving to this location. Don’t drive through the city it will take forever. There is a road that goes around Malaga. I think it’s the road that takes you in the direction of Nerja. Rincon la Victoria and Torrox are signposted. I only travel to these locations as a last ditch effort if everywhere else has no wind. IE Offshore conditions along the whole of the Cost del sol.  

Malaga can be kiteboarded just head for signs for the Port (Puerto) as you drive through the city and you will eventually pick up the beach road. Just look for the kites.   

Los Alamos, Torremolinos One of the top spots on the coast and in the summer months very consistent. Drive the coast road from Malaga Airport to Torremolinos and you will spot the old beach bar ZZ bar now renamed La PLAYA (by the way cool by bar, top chicas and the cool local crew hang here) and along with it the local shop/slingshot ‘Kitesurf school run by Sergio. Sergio is presently in negotiation with local council to maintain a launch zone throughout the summer. Show the utmost respect at this spot it is a tight launch zone and in the summer months it is swamped with tourists and currently in the months of, August it is practically impossible to launch simply, no room. The police have removed people and fined kiters in the summer months although there is no official law to say they can do this. But this is Spain, argue and they will probably take your equipment your car and lock you up. And slap you with some public disorder fine. Don’t fuk with the police they are corrupt (personal opinion). In the winter it is great the beaches are clear and you can kite almost any part of the beach along this coast but beware they’re are special spots that are designated for launching the local fishing boats these are the gaps that you should be launching your kite at. Be considerate of tourists as Malaga is winter destination with many British and scandies tourists will be using the beach even in Spanish winter.     

Elveria is another spot extremely small only one 10m spot on the beach with enough room to launch your kite on a crosshore wind. It’s about ½ kilometres up from the Los Monteros so if Monteros is packed you can get a breather from the crowds here. Ideal if there is 3 or 4 of you in your crew. Now there is a great short little short cut to get this location. Driving from Malaga when you get to Elviria first right after the sign for the English school then back on yourself and go in the tunnel that goes under the road its one lane and beep your horn. It’s really small and tight you will only get the small hire cars through here.   

Los Monteros is on the outskirts of Marbella central, another premier spot. Very tight launch zone very packed when its working again huge problems in July and August I think kiting is banned here is the summer, advice in summer don’t bother. In the winter it’s great, more beach full kite community lots of help. With French, Danish and Spanish crews living locally, pretty friendly vibe. However don’t push your luck as a brit. All the proffessional Spanish riders can be see here. Great spot driving from Malaga take the next right after the Marbella hospital you can’t miss that. Most beaches on the Costa del Sol are about 30m wide so it’s tight for launching and can be difficult if you are on your own. 

Ranchitos, is just East of Los Monteros, when Monteros is gusty and just a tiny bit offshore. You can drive a mile East and get to the curve in the bay and it will be crossshore here and not so gusty.  

Marbella Central is about another 2 miles ish down the road. Can be kitesurfed although the beach itself is short and is backed by a concrete wall, not a great spot. Very Dangerous with onshore wind. Advice don’t bother go to Los Monteros. Summer months forget it!  

Sotogrande is a big beach in front of the man made harbour you can drive your car down to the beach and park it there. Great location plenty of room, can produce good waves. When slightly onshore. Sotogrande is a purpose built housing complex which covers about 6 miles many developments and a new manmade harbour/marina. Villas with your own yacht mooring very impressive if the wind is strong and the waves are big you can kiteboard on the other side of the harbour which offers some protection and gives cleaner surfable waves. The local hot crew will be shredding this up on the surfboards/directionals. Just watching is a spectacle.  

Sotogrande port is a self contained complex with its own security/ road blocks as you drive in and out. Just tell them your going to beach it’s not a problem. There are no restrictions on access. 

Gibraltar, I have seen people kite here but its rare that the conditions are good, another fickle spot. Just do the day trip, go up on the cable car visit the monkeys and got the hidden caves in the rock. Eat fish and chips, buy cheap cigarettes and booze duty free and be British in Spain. British bobbies, red phone boxes. Home from home save your visit here for when there is no wind. You will need your passport for customs. Don’t mention the word Gibraltar in general conversation with Spanish as you may find they kind of implode.  

Palmones. Driving from Malaga turn left after MacDonald’s this spot has a river mouth and is apparently doesn’t have the cleanest water due to the ships that come into the river mouth. Haven’t been here my self but will update this spot when I have. 

Gitares, Can’t remember the which road to take exactly.  Hard to find, it’s after Algeciras turn off but before the mountain in front of Tarifa. Have kited here, great spot large beach with good car park access and some local guy who watches your car. It is in the bay and towards the end of the bay you get the mountain. A lot of the Tarifa kite schools come here when Tarifa is nuking. 

Tarifa. You will know when your getting close as you drive round the headland and you see lots of wind turbines. And as you come round the road you will see the full beach etc and all becomes apparent. 

The wind can come from any direction of course. However in Tarifa two winds are mainly talked about, the wind blows either Levante (from the left/cross offshore/crosshore) or Poniente (from the right/cross onshore/crosshore). Levante can blow extremely strong picking up all the sand and sand blasting everybody in sight requiring 3.5 to 5.0m kites. These conditions are bad and this is when all the windsurfers come out. 40 mph plus winds. However Levante can be light anything from 10mph to 30mph and can be a great kiteboarding wind. Once over 45 mph it starts nuking and then it’s over just watch the windsurfers or the odd crazy man/ respect due ginda guy get out his 3.5 m kite.  The gusts can be outrageous. 

It’s strange it doesn’t matter what time of the year, freak conditions or frontal weather systems people still refer to the wind as Poniente or Levante. So be it! A quick guide is Levante is from the south and is channelled through the Gibraltar straits therefore accelerated as the wind squeezes through therefore it’s generally and strong wind and because of its slight offshore tendencies become a little gusty. Poniente from the north, the lighter of the two winds and I think are the best and most perfect conditions for Tarifa

In a “light” Levante the Mistral Centre is good or in the corner by the dunes. The mistral centre is usually a lot stronger wind and you will be riding a kite size down from the guys in the corner at the dune. The mistral centre is called Valdahonez I think. And the dunes the beach is called Punta Paloma or Los Dunes . 

When the Levante goes 40 mph plus you can drive further north of Tarifa to Bologna (head towards Cadiz & follow signs), or if its really windy go to Canos de Mecca about 50 minutes in the car North of Tarifa. I don’t have much info on these spots and I always drive back to Malaga if it’s really wind in Tarifa and go to a point break/ bay called Giterez or back to Sotogrande. 

The main beach at Tarifa is long probably about a mile long and at the back of the beach at high tide a lagoon forms and runs parallel to the beach for most of its length the lagoon is great for beginners and those looking for blasting flat water riding. Its great fun and the speeds you can make in high winds can be epic. The lagoon is pretty much my favourite spot inTarifa and in 8 weeks of one winter I surfed it all the time every time except for 5 sessions in the open sea. However it is shallow in spots do not  be tempted to jumped big in the shallows there was many a day when a Brit was carried of the beach with a broken ankle. I too was getting overconfident and trying tricks at either end of a run, one end being the shallows and awkward front loop badly went wrong and nearly results in me breaking my leg. 3 days off with a very bad limp sprained ankle and sprained ligaments at back of knee. I don’t jump in the shallows anymore! However if you do break your ankle if you can persuade two people to carry you from the lagoon to the car park it’s a bit of a slog with boards and kites. I hear the ambulance will come done the dirt track onto the farmland and pick you up. Don’t jump in the shallows! 

Once the winds comes up you will see every spot along the beach that people kiteboard, I think it mostly evolves around which car park people use therefore if you walk a little you will always find a nice spot to yourself. In the winter the weekends get busy I can count 150 kites easily on a good weekend. During the week in the winter during siesta maybe 35 kites. Early morning late evenings you can almost have the place to yourself. However in the summer the whole of Tarifa goes crazy and there are kites everywhere and accommodation gets very expensive. It basically becomes a different place Dr Jeckell and Mr Hyde. I personally don’t spend anytime here in the summer. To busy and then Lowestoft in the UK is going off. And in mid season that’s as good as anywhere in the world.  

I hope this may help you on your trip, have a great time.

Play safe.

Kite Surfing - Maui
Most beaches have a blanket ban until 11am on windsurfing or kitesurfing. “It’s not much of a problem,” says my teacher Aaron. “The wind’s stronger in the afternoon, anyway.”
Although the sport was born in France in the 1970s, much of its development has taken place on the North Shore of Maui - local windsurfing legend Robby Naish is regualry on the beach testing kites and boards. Looking out to sea are hundreds of kiters are zipping across the horizon.

Occasionally the kiters take to the skies with enormous leaps, before landing with a graceful splash in the warm Pacific.
I had to stay in the inner lagoon. I do, however, manage to launch from the beach, get dragged into the sea a couple of hundred metres and make it back to dry land in one piece.

The North Shore of Maui is dotted with regenerated plantation towns such as Paia, where a couple of bars play host to the busy weekend party scene. Charlie’s Bar is plastered with pictures of surfers and windsurfers and is often frequented by the stars of the photos. A few doors down is Jacques, a palm-lit, inexpensive restaurant with a resident Hawaiian band. For even cheaper eats, the Fish Market Restaurant is where people head to fill up on catch-of-the-day burgers. Many finish the evening on the beach opposite.
To their credit, most come in search of genuine Hawaiiana, rather than staying in the tacky resorts that have been the mainstay of the tourist industry here since the 60s. In Paia, with its alternative coffee shops and health shacks, surf-specific lodges are beginning to spring up. Most people find their accommodation advertised on the door of the health food shop. You’d be hard pressed to get a double room for less than $100 a night, unless you take the plunge and rent a room in a house for a month. Well, if you really want to live the dream …
Where to stay Rainbow’s End or Rick’s Bamboo Gate has shacks - and even a treehouse - to suit a wide range of budgets, and is one block from the beach.
Further information
Country code: 001.
Time difference: -10hrs.
Flight time: London-Kahului (Maui) around 18 hours via San Francisco or Los Angeles.
£1 = 1.73 dollars.

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After landing in Fortaleza, we found Cris waiting for us at the airport and after loading our gear on his car, headed into the city with its high-rise buildings, small antique houses and big, beautiful trees. Our apartment was one block from the city beach, Meireles, and the promenade. Wired like zombies from the long flight, we were too tired to do anything but hit the sack.
 Next morning, we loaded up the car and drove 37km to Cumbuco, a small village with a superb beach. It’s actually a bay that starts at Tabuba village. The wind here was 22 knots, the direction side on. We drove another 16km to what we saw was the perfect spot. The wind was a bit side off, the water perfectly flat with nice sets of waves rolling smoothly towards the beach. We kited until 5pm and then headed back to Fortaleza, where the promenade was packed with joggers, tourists, and beautiful ladies everywhere. It was time for a night out!
 The next day Cris took us to Icarai (Lagoa da Barra) a small lagoon half way between Fortaleza and Cumbuco, some 23 kms. Here we met a German group of kiters who actually lived in the apartment next to us. The wind was blowing 24 knots with the water perfectly flat. This spot proved to be the right option after a night spent on the town! We rode this lagoon for a week after which Cris declared his plans to open a pousada-kite station right in front of this lagoon so he kite right out of his front door everyday.
 Some of the other spots we rode include Pecem, a wave paradise. Not to be missed. Iguape is east from Fortaleza and is as good as Pecem with the exception that the wind tends to go down 4-6 knots in the afternoon. East of Fortaleza some 130km is Embuaca, a place where the wind blows up to 30 knots and produces powerful waves. In Mundau, which is 10km west from Embuaca, kiters can ride the flat water on the river or play in the waves on the ocean. While we were here, the wind was a bit gutsy.
 We found Lagoinha to be the most beautiful place of all. The wind was blowing 27-30 knots on side shore. We headed downwind to Almecegas Sangradour, 5km east of Paracuru. The placed was called Praia do Buraco and it had 27-30 knots side shore wind and flat water on the inside and waves on the reef. Since there were 10 kiters already there and we were spoiled from spending the week kiting just by ourselves, we bailed.
 Fortunately, Cris had the idea to bring us to the most surprising spot of all. We drove all the way back to Fortaleza, stopped in front of a building at the Port, whereupon Cris went upstairs for 20 minutes. He came back with a smile on his face and accompanied by Rodolfo, the representative of the owner of the Harbour of Fortaleza. He is a writer and was working on his new book about the expedition that brought the Spanish sailers (the Pinzones) to Brazil before Alvarez Cabral announced the discovery of the country for the Portuguese crown.

We crossed the port facility at the harbour’s entrance and once inside, we made our way between containers and heavy machinery, to reach the oddest spot of our vacation, the Praia Mansa. It’s a round tiny island of white sand and blue turquoise water situated on the inside part of the wave breaker of the harbour. Conditions: 25 kts, offshore. Water: the most perfect and broadest extension of flat water my eyes have ever seen. We pumped and set our kites frantically and hit the water. This was definitely the perfect end to our kite days in Fortaleza. The cherry on top of the cake! Unfortunately for Cris, he could not join us as he had to drive the car out of the port facilities and was waiting for us, some three hours later at the downwind beach, Iracema.
 To put it in few words, we all were amazed by what we saw here. The spots, the beautiful endless beaches, the perfect wind, waves and flat water conditions, the incredibly friendly and peaceful people, the beautiful and friendly girls, the great food, and of course, the marvelous fruit juices.
We plan to come back and are saving money to buy a piece of land by the sea. Once you have discovered a place like Fortaleza, its difficult to get it out of your mind.
 

The Promised Land, Napeague Bay, Long Island, New York

If you are looking for a protected shallow bay that offers great sailing in any wind direction that is a three hour drive from NYC, than go no further than Napeague Bay on the East End of Long Island. Actually, you can’t go any further than Napeague Bay; it is just about as close to the end of Long Island as you can get (expect for Montauk). The bay is so pristine that clams and oysters are farmed out of the waters all season and if you are lucky while you are beach starting, you might feel a big clam beneath your feet and find yourself dinner! 

 My first visit to Napeague was about ten years ago. In my novice sailing days, I felt like I had made an amazing discovery, and today I still feel the same way about Napeague. The road to bay is as wonderful as the water itself. The area has been preserved, thanks to The Nature Conservancy and the Town of East Hampton, so that when you drive down the road that leads to the bay, you feel like you are on a nature drive as deer and rabbit scurry across the road and you can hear the distinct chirping of Ospreys as they fly over head. Occasionally, I have spotted an owl, majestically perched in the marsh, and just recently I saw a mother fox and her pups playing in the sun.

The bay is nestled in between land, dunes and a bigger outer bay called Gardiner’s Bay. In the dog days of summer the southwest thermal winds come in off the ocean and the bay is filled with windsurfers and kite surfers. It is one of the few places I have ever been to where the kite surfers and windsurfers live in harmony. The bay is about three miles by two miles and has very few deep spots so it is the perfect place for beginners.  There is a beach on the other side of the launch spot that is accessible by four wheel drives, so if do go astray, it is easy to get rescued. There is a great beach right there at the launching site that has port-a-potties, nice shallow water (for kids) and frequent visits by the Good Humor Ice Cream Truck.

 Conditions 

Napeague is the best when the winds are out of the Southwest, but offers great sailing in all directions. You can do a nice broad reach across the bay to the other side and enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the beach. If you are still chickening out on your jibes, the water is very shallow the on the other side and perfect for beach starting, so you can save all your energy for the speed runs back and forth. As you go across the bay in a Southwest wind, the winds can be stronger in the middle, so get ready to hold on! On really windy days, if you are ready for a real challenge, the outer bay, Gardiner’s bay offers intermediate to advanced sailing and is still somewhat protected so you don’t have that “open ocean” feeling if you are heading out.  If you are in Napeague bay and you head to one of the two cuts in the Northwest corner of the bay, you can sail right out (or walk along the channel, just watch out for the current!) and enjoy the big rollers and the little waves in closer to shore. Just make sure you go out there with a buddy, it is not a place to sail alone. If it is a Nor’easter blowing through, you will probably be surprised at how many people are out there; it is a favorite spot for locals when the spring and fall winds start to blow.

Best Gear

The best gear for Napeague varies based on the time of the year and if you are planning on sailing in Gardiner’s Bay. In Napeague, (or the “kiddie pool” affectionately named by my friends) the best gear is your light wind gear. Bigger sails and boards are better for the lighter winds of summer, but if a thermal kicks in, get ready to pull your sail’s down haul and switch to a smaller board. Since the bay is so shallow make sure not to use an exceptionally long fin as you will find yourself stopping short in the middle of the bay. 

For the outer bay or on windier days get out your smaller gear. Wave boards and convertible boards are the best option.

 Kitesurfing 

As I mentioned, this beach is also a favorite for kite surfing, for many of the same reasons. Windsurfers love it, shallow water, enclosed bay, lots of wind and great launching. There is an instructor there, who I highly recommend taking lessons from. His name is Skatoor and he will set you straight on the rules and the skills you need to fly safely. He can be reached at 203-984-1097. If you want to go at it alone, generally the kiters respect the windsurfers there as they know that the windsurfers have been there for a long time and they rig just down wind of sailing site and kite surf down wind of the windsurfers.

 Skills to Practice 

 I call Napeague the Jibe City of the Northeast. It is the best place to learn how to jibe and windsurf. The bay is so nice and shallow that it is the best place to learn water starting, beach starting and light wind tacking. For the advanced sailor, you can practice duck jibes, clew first water starts, and jumps since there is plenty of room to sail. 

Getting there 

To get to Napeague from NYC, all you have to do is take the Long Island Expressway (495) to exit

(Route 111) to Route 27 Sunrise Highway heading east. Stay on 27 all the way through the town of Amagansett. Once you pass Vickie Vegetable patch on the right, you take the next right onto

. Stay on the road until the end to

which will take you to

Local Information & Rentals Park behind the signs for non-permit parking, it is about 100 yards away from the actual rigging and launch site. If you are unsure, ask anyone who is around, they will tell you where to park. Tickets for not having a beach permit (and those cost $150 at town hall) are $125, so is best to drop your gear and park at the legal spot. There have been no thefts that I know of at Napeague, but it is always smart to lock up your car. 

There are port-a-potties at the site, but you should pack a lunch and bring plenty of liquids as it can get at the beach, especially if you are there for a thermal. The beach can be totally still, and the wind is out on the bay only. There is one rental place right there at the launch, called Main Beach Surf and Sport. It is run by Billy Garry and if you call ahead of time you might be able to reserve gear. His number is 516-647-0678. He has instructors at the beach and plenty of decent gear to rent. Jan Milne does private instruction and has her own gear for the lessons, she can be reached at 516-380-0421. She also has female only clinics running all summer that I highly recommend.