Yeah, cool huh. As a beginner there was this sea eagal that would often do the same with my kite as i did the walk of shame. (kite movement, may have been a bit hectic whilst in the water). I think it made me take longer to stay up wind as i enjoyed the relaxing walk back up the beach so often. ahhh nature.

KIT33R said...

Had an interesting experience a little while back.

While kiting alone along a beach front backing onto a nature reserve I had a huge sea eagle join me. He sat just off my kite wingtip for about 10 minutes riding the updraught, wings motionless. I cruised back and forth trying not to move the kite too much so as not to spook him. He just sat there looking for food.

It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Yeh dude I've had exactly that happen. It was at Kurnell, biggish bird of prey cruised a couple of meters or so behind my kite for a few hundred meters while I was coming in to shore and then even stayed there while I walked the kite up the beach, lex123 can vouch for that. Now that you mention it he probably WAS looking for food and trying to conserve energy, because he did leave when I stayed the the beach. Clever bird.

Pretty cool huh?

Otherwise I do enjoy chasing seagulls attempting to escape from me upwind... but that doesn't count does it?

Would be interesting to hear what other cool stuff other people have seen while kiting? I've seen a turtle too! .

kiteing with the whales is always good for a warm fuzzy, recently had a good time with a couple a whales breaching an stuff,I got real close up behind them and just hung out with tem for a while and then went in front to see what they would do, but spooked them an they went down, very cool
spraying dogs is a bit of fun too when they run after you, some owners are not so good about it even though the dogs enjoy it

I've had a couple of dophins speeding along beside me,so close that after a while it went from "how cool is this" to "holy crap,thats a bit too close guys".
They were flying alone in front of me ,then following me then cruising straight under me.
I think they were having as much fun as me.awsome

Back in my windsurfing days while out near Exmouth,

WA - I was on a port reach heading out to sea when 200m in front of me lept a huge marlin -

It fully made it all the way out of the water and seemed to turn it's head from side to side taking me into it's view.

At this point the sun shone directly onto his eye and then reflected straight to me.

It was like we had a super natural connection for the briefest of time.

21 years latter and the memory is still vivid.

No wonder we love these water sports so much.

I had a flying fish jump out of the water in front of me and fly a long way ahead before diving. I had no idea they were so fast and flew so far.

Apparently they are everywhere.

Nowhere near as cool as everyone elses stories...

I used to sail a dingy/skiff, used to hit a turtle every now and then (not purposely), there would just be a bang, the steering would get heavy and the boat would stop

Removing the fiberglass centre board would show a bit of turtle shell in the leading edge (i'm sure it was okay but as it always hangs around)

Well.. does this count? I just about needed eye protection too. Almost had one or two hitting the kite..

Yesterday at Pinaroo. Apparently quite common..





V

I finally found this today while editing KiteCam pix from a trip up north last week- about 700 shots and saw probably 100 sharks while kiting in the 4 days, but only 1 picci of 1 little guy, but better than nothing!

Just got back from a Byron Bay holiday. Was surfing at Lennox Head - glassy conditions and only 2 other guys out. Was sitting waiting for a set and 5 fins just appeared all around me. Pooped my boardies for a second until I confirmed that they were dolphins. Anyways, a good wave came in so I started paddling for it. Looked behind to see how it was breaking and there was a dolphin on my tail! He's looking at me and I'm looking at him. When he sees what I am doing, he does a little sideways thing and makes room for me (technically, he dropped in). We both catch the wave and have a nice long carving ride. At the end before it gets too close to the rocks, he does a full jump out of the water right in front of me. It's so cool to think we were both there for the same reason doing the same thing.

Still stoked.

Sir V said...

Well.. does this count? I just about needed eye protection too. Almost had one or two hitting the kite..

Yesterday at Pinaroo. Apparently quite common..





V

both fake and thats not pinnaroo. looks like pelican point and maybe melville

Knickers said...

I finally found this today while editing KiteCam pix from a trip up north last week- about 700 shots and saw probably 100 sharks while kiting in the 4 days, but only 1 picci of 1 little guy, but better than nothing!

when/if you get that butt down to esperance someday you will have a good chance of seeing some more sharkies, i don't think we have more sharks than anywhere else. but just like in that picture, the waters so clear, kite shadows can be spooky sometimes!

Sorry Surfer.. only the second one is fake.. eheh. The first one is legit (guaranteed), and its not Melville. Good guess though.

V