We want to thank Robin and Don for picking up our flowers (a bouquet for the bride and a leis for Jeroen) . I orded the flowers by e-mail so I was curious what they looked like.
In the afternoon we both had a good kitesurf session (Jeroen with the 14m Evolution and Richelle 10m Evolution). Even 6 dolphins came along the way. What a marvellous day and we will remind this day forever!
Even though the weather conditions have not been optimal, everyone was happy to get out and do their “thing”.
What a beautifull coastline, the bays rolling past, one sweeter than the next.
Everyone on the team has slowly jostled themselves to their respective positions and it looks like many great sessions lie ahead of us.
Signing out.
Maybe you think that going downwind is almost like cheating the wind. But being able to catch waves without worrying about going back upwind is great. I used to do this alone in Africa, but I always had to hitchhike back. It is just perfect to have a van waiting for you at the end of your run. I have a feeling that this thing will be the future of kite travel.
Hi Pete Shiplee Here
What a trip, awesome is the only word I can describe the guys and girls and the trip in general. The waves are wicked and everyone is having a blast. Powerd on my 13m Tribe today in some waves and doing some new school.
Hey Ben here,
What an awesome start to the trip, very laid back and cruisy. Everyone is getting along real well and the weather has been fantastic. We went for a free surf this morning and spotted a heap of dolphins, then again when we kited later. Camping at South Ballina tonight and we are going out into Byron Bay to meet some hippie
Hey Leon here
What’s up to all the viewers and faithful kiting communities around the world!
The event has already lived up to the expectations of everyone. It has been an increadible experience meeting people from all around the world with a common passion. There has already been one very sketchy incodent which happened about 4 km out to sea but everyone is fine and all I can say is the people are great and the kiting insane, cheers from the s
South African.
Yeah!
Hello From the global tribe
Out here – feeling fine!
People from all round the mothership
She supplies,
sunshine, waves and wind
starlight and sunshine.
This is one cool family
Playfull monkey’s with big hearts and natural souls.
No real goals, no borders.
Just big Air and leave your cares.
To the universe and the stars.
A preyer of thanks and love to all….
Shane.
Hi there, Nick from Sydney here,
Imagine waking up each morning, eating breakfast with your new mates, cooked by the team chef and then heading down to the beach to go kiting. Oh, did I mention that I also don’t have to worry about staying upwind, so I can catch waves, jump or just do big “S” turns in the flats between waves. So far we have been pretty lucky as the wind has blown everyday and the weather has been perfect. If only the sunset a few hours later each day it would be better. Everyday is like a vactation . . . . . . . Funny that.
Old China here….
What a trip! A mixed, mellow crowd of kite-nuts and wonderful surroundings we’ve probably only dreamt of before. Trying to get some long distance riding in (Kite-miles for Wildaid.org) but having trashed one kite already and lost the wind the next day it’s gonna have to be catch-up all the way down the coast. But with a coastline as beautiful as this it’s no worries, mate
Good winds to all out there…
Jeb
Stephen:
Still having a great time. The second day we kited about 30kms downwind on one beach. The wind was light so it was good for practicing a little unhooked waveriding. I’m convinced now that kiting downwind is the ultimate way to kite. It gives you so much more freedom. It is a different kind of kiting to riding in one spot in that you get to emphasise charging hard and building speed, but you don’t want to drop your kite as much as when kiting in one spot because when your kite does go down, if you have any problems getting it up again, you can quickly find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere.
On day 3, we kited in one spot. The wind was blowing hard offshore and most were out on 14 or 12m kites. I just went out for a bit on my 9m but was a little underpowered in the lulls. No wind on day 4, but had a great surf in the afternoon. Last night we camped in a national park right on the beach. Fire on the beach last night then up first thing in the morning for another surf. I haven’t surfed for years (since I lived in Durban 5 years ago), but it feels like I haven’t missed a day.
The wind is starting to ease its way in now so we’re going to do some more downwind kiting on yet more beautiful untouched beaches that stretch for miles and miles.
DanielHad two great downwind kiting days. Never boosted so many times in my life. Crew is fantastic and good times are being had by all. Pissing down rain today but being holed up in a pub with these guys isn’t a bad way to spend a day. Looking forward to a few more goods days of whether so we can make like kangaroos down the coast.
M ickael
We’ve been kiting on the 31st, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd but yesterday bad weather and not enough wind, today terrible weather and no wind again... The kiting session on the 3rd was good. Offshore gusty wind but I had fun anyway. The tribe kite is obviously a lot better for waves than freestyle.
I tried surfing yesterday but it was very difficult with a small surf board.
Today nice pool games but no kiting L :(
Nicolas alias TahitiAlthough the wind was a little bit capricious, and the water fu’#@ing too cold for me, it’s a great pleasure to share such a great time with so many people from all other the world… except maybe the 3 teenagers who share my bus!!! The days of riding we had were amazing on such long beaches of pure white sand. I’m not really in confidence to try new moves because of water temperature and also sharks but there is still 10 days to come of pure riding and pleasure.
Maururu roa (thanks a lot in Tahitian) to the crew of the great downwinder.
Marine
This has been my 4th day on this trip and today is the only day that is poring rain, bummer.
Everyone is so friendly and cool, the atmosphere is so fun and full of life!
The bus that I am in is for me the coolest, especially because there is 3 characters on the back seat (Benn, Jarrad, Andreas) there is also someone that acts like a teenager and that is Nicolas (aka Tahiti).
Sorry but the boys are annoying me and I have to beat the crap out of them.
Later days
Ps: the crew is awesome!!!!
Jarrad MorganWell well the great east cost bus tour has been awesome so far. Led by bus driver ‘dan the man’ us young groms have been causing all kinds of trouble on and off the water. Currently our buss smells of peroxide (its shocking) but im sure there will be far worse before this trip is over
As far as kiteboarding goes, we have been trying yet struggled with battling conditions, but the winds blowing now and im off
Enjoy reading peoples
Im kiteing right now!!!!!!!!
The Grommies (Benn and Andreas)
So far this has been a great bus tour but its bout to get a lot better because wind coming up and girls are waiting.
Yeuuuuuwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tekie (one of the camera guys)
Five days into the downwinder. I think. Time and days have become irrelevant. We’ve had mixed success capturing the journey so far. Diego’s first day on one of our support craft, a little white inflatable dingy, was a painful few hours thumping up and down in the swell and impossible to get a steady frame to capture the action. But from land and out on rock spits we have got some really sweet footage of kiting. Capturing the ongoing social dynamic is a challenge, finding the characters in the group that may help guide the throughline of a documentary will be the key I reckon. The crew and riders are easy going across the board, unusual and great given our dependency on the wind. Fun so far, more to come, lets hope our gear holds up in the rain, sand and sea.
Ben from Tassie!!
Great trip so far, really cool people to spend time with. The conditions have been a little difficult but we had 4 days kiting to start with and the forecast is good for great conditions
Hi Ben from Qld,
Well the weather took a turn for the worse making kiting almost impossible with rain and offshore wind conditions, this allowed everyone to catch up on sleep and to recover from a great night out in Byron. We spent yesterday repairing vans & trailers which had suffered badly from both over packing and crazy driving. The coastline has been spectacular and everywhere we go the locals seem happy to see us. Hopefully the conditions improve tomorrow and we can show the foreigners how to really enjoy our coastline. Hope the swell picks up and we can show them how to ride some waves, a lot of the overseas riders ride flat water so have never seen swell over 1 meter, never loan riding in it. Sitting in the pub drinking and playing pool games is sick fun but everyone is really keen to represent their home towns so we hoping for an improvement in conditions for tomorrow.
Signing out. Ben
Robin
Day 5 into the trip
With 3 sweltering days of blue skies warm winds and crystal blue water. Riding waves down the line is great. Looking in front to see what’s to come, looking behind to see what’s has been passed. No worry in the world. Just the finish line –for the day.
This is one great odyssey, seeing a coast line with beaches stretch as far as the eye can see. With great people and great gear!
Unfortunately today with have rain.
Nico & Leon
Wind , NO
Waves, SMALL
Rain, Yes
Good times , YES
Trucking all over the place , but the wind is just not doing it.
So here goes the drunken kiters poem:
We’re kiters, we’re kiters,
We’re a long way from home.
We’re highly “bedonered” so leave us alone.
We drink to get drunk, and we smoke to get high,
So if you don’t like it f@#k off and die.
To be continued …..
Hey meg and mike here….
We are having an awesome time! Mike’s tent pegs are wearing out from the continual erection! Last night we camped right on the beach and woke up for a 6am surf it was perfection as has been the entire monkey downwinder experience! We’ve met some awesome people!
Meg got her first ever surfing lesson the other morning and she’s hooked! She is also busy sucking up to all of the qualified kiting instructors in the hopes of a free lesson or two from the best when the conditions are right.
To the people at home …… SUCKS TO BE YOU!!!!!!! ……. We don’t want to come home this is too much fun!
Oh yeah …. Hi to our mums!
Jeroen and Richelle:
That night we went to bed at 01.00 and got up the following morning at 05.00. We went to the beach, get dressed (suit and wedding dress), enjoyed the sunrise, pick up the flowers at Robin and Don’s van, pick up Alina at the ferry and drove back to the beach again. At 07.00 am everybody from the trip arrived at the beach and we gave them our leis. We were so impressed by everybody! We were standing under the 25mtr Monkey kite in a circle of flowers and Alina started the ceremony. Instead of rings we gave our kiteboard to each other (Saul and Selena handed them over to us) and we promised to stay to each other till our last kitesurfsession ever and we will never kitesurf alone (this was part of our vow). We ended the ceremony with champagne and jumped in the sea! Afterwards we went to Ballina Fair to pick our weddingcake. Wade of Decadent Patries made a really nice cake with a kitesurfer on it. One hour later the newspaper (Northern Star) came for a photoshoot and interview.
Hi, Nico here,