Hey guys:

Just got back from Ant's kite Surfari up in FNQ. It was the first trip of the year and so wasn't sure how the wind would go, and heard stories about the.. less than comfortable conditions being up on a beach which blows 20+ knots 24-7 in just a tent for 4 days.

Just have to say that the trip has been massively upgraded and completely delivered on all fronts. Ant picked us up from Cairns and we got driven 5 hours north past Cooktown. Despite the fact that Cairns and most of the way up was completely windless, it was definitely blowing more than 20 knots at the camp when we arrived. We got into the camp at around noon and kited till the sun went down. I usually fly an 11 and was out on my 7 for the entire time.

The next three days were just as windy from sunup to sundown, with only a single day being flat in the morning until about 3 PM. We still got about 3 hours of kiting on the crappy day. Definitely as much wind as you want. When Ant told me that in the years that he's been running the trips he's only had 1 windless trip, I didn't believe him at first. Definitely believe him now.

The camp itself has been completely redone. Instead of tents, there are massive cabins which have been fitted with windows overlooking the water with comfortable beds and solar lighting. There's a generator that powers eskies, and there are bush showers powered by gas. A proper flushing toilet has even been put in. There's a gas BBQ for all meals, and plenty of snacks and fruit for in between meals.

You pretty much wake up in the morning, boil water for a coffee, kite for a few hours, land and walk the 10 steps back to the camp where Ant's cooked up bacon and eggs, eat, digest, and go back out for a kite. Come back for lunch, do it again, come back for dinner, sleep, do it all over again. During the day the tides went out a bit and there was some reef out the back, but when the tides are in there is just miles of flat waist-deep water for play around in. Completely secluded beach not even accessible by road. Despite that, somehow manage to have 1 bar of reception on my Telstra phone.

All up, a fantastic trip that I am definitely going to repeat this year. It's a quintessentially Aussie trip: Run by an Aussie, on an Aussie beach, and comfortable bush living. Cost isn't that much when you factor in the fact that accom, 3 square meals, and all transfers are included. It would be a substantial amount of effort and significantly less comfortable to try to attempt it on your own. I think if you are looking for a bit of a cultural experience or adventure or whatever, PNG/Fiji would be the go for a winter trip. If you just want solid kiting for 4 days in comfort and in Australia, this trip would be the go.

Thanks Ant for a wicked time!! John from Kitepower has taken stacks of photos which will hopefully be online soon. Trip can't be recommended enough.