The spring storms are starting to arrive from the southwest, sweeping across Dorset and delighting the watersports people. Poole Harbour is always home to a variety of wind-sailors, board-paddlers, and dinghy-pilots, but the kite surfers are the most exciting to watch
They always look like they are skimming right to the edge of disaster, but folks who love it say it’s a simple and forgiving skill. Unlike a sport parachute, there are no vents to open or close. Instead, surfers spill air right/left to turn, up/down for velocity. The tug is fairly constant in force and direction, and balance isn’t much harder than waterskiing.
A good blow last weekend was a chance to sit along Sandbanks peninsula and enjoy the show. You can judge how easy it is:
Or, for the more idyllically inclined, check out the sport, same location on a sunny day, from the kite’s perspective.