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Kite
surfing – Another form of madness?
I have never quite understood the dichotomy between weather
elements in El Cotillo. The sun can beat down, with even the
locals running for shade, yet the sea is boiling over in anger.
And just for good measure, during my daily wander along the
beach I have the backs of my legs sandblasted!
Of course, as the
wind whips up another storm, the surfers appear in their
droves, providing them with ideal conditions to pursue their
sport. But I thought there was only one type of surfing…..
wrong!.
There are boogie (or body) boards, which simply appear to be
smaller boards; I am reliably informed it is a different branch
of the sport. And then, what should we call them, conventional
surfers? They tie themselves to a much larger board. paddle out
to sea lying prostrate before climbing onto an appropriate
wave. Then we have windsurfers, which look to me like mini
yachts, without the hull, and finally what surely must qualify
for first prize in madness, kite surfing.
These guys quite literally harness themselves to a kite,
attached by an arrangement of cables and wires. The speeds they
can attain is, frankly, scary, as they perform a repertoire of
tricks, flips and in many cases flops, crashing through the
waves before launching themselves into orbit.
Like many sports, it can be dangerous, as a friend of mine
ruefully testifies, currently hobbling on crutches after
breaking a number of bones in his right foot. He reckons to be
out of action for four or so weeks, but far from being put off,
he can’t wait to get back into the waves. Not too sure if this
enthusiasm is shared by his wife! Get well soon Luca.
Anyway, boys and girls, the sun is shining, so it’s back to the
beach for me. Talk again soon, and don’t forget the factor 20!
Surf Bum
Donald Innes is a writer and photographer, see more of his
pictures on
http://donaldinnesross-aplaceforinnes.blogspot.com
If you are interested in buying any of his pictures just
call him on 662 529580
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