The San Carlos Kiteboard Report

Nice Wind Coming

2012-01-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

The weekend was pretty good. Light wind on Saturday with a lot of kiters, then better wind and almost no one on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday will not see any wind but then it looks like we'll start a good several day blow lasting through next weekend. Sue sent me some photos.

It's the Weekend!

2012-01-28T21:16:00.001-07:00

A lot of people showed up and got out on the water despite the fact that the wind probably never blew much above 15 knots. The lack of wind was balanced by flat water and warm weather. It was a very nice day. Buoy is calling for 13 to 18 knots on Sunday.
By the way, water temperature was 64 degrees. That's a bit warmer than normal for this time of year.

2012-01-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

I didn't make it out to the beach Wednesday due to WORK. I do still have a wind update, though. Here it is, thanks to Sue Mohr:

Today the wind was generally the pits. Except when Glenn did a down-winder from La Manga 2. The wind was perfect at 1:30 for that. He made it to Algodones in no time flat. Then it was great for awhile, quite strong and smooth. Then I went out for a short time and it was good too. Then the wind went weird, and the second time I went out my kite fell out of the air, the wind shut off completely and everyone came straggling in (Glenn had to drag all the way down to Costa del Mar). Then when we left at 5:00 the wind came up really strong and smooth. By that time, only Fernando and Ramon and Nico were left. Glenn left his surfboard on the beach yesterday (as I was not there to pick up after him!) and didn’t realize it until he went to get it out of the van when we got to La Manga 2. When he enquired at Bonifacio’s there was a note from a Mexican kiteboarder to say that he had it, and he dropped it off today.

Jan. 2012

2012-01-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

So far January 2012 hasn't been very good to us. We did have a few days this past week and lots of kiters showed up when the forecast looked good. Had a dozen or more kites on the water at the same time, and all were west of Soggy Peso. This coming week looks promising.

Good Day

2012-01-08T18:50:00.001-07:00

Sunday was a good day. Warm beach weather brought out a lot of people and nice wind brought out a lot of kiters. The wind got really strong for a little while and then mellowed out at the end of the day.

Feels Like Summer

2012-01-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

We've had temperatures in the 70's and 80's and no wind. The picture below was one of the very few days with a forecast of 20 knots, and lots of kiters showed up - but the wind didn't.

Happy New Year, 2012

2011-12-31T10:09:00.001-07:00

Lately the wind has either been very light or out of the wrong direction. Many days we only get in a short session of an hour or so. Today looks too light but Sunday looks promising as does much of next week. No strong winds but we'll have nice days and flat water. I may have to work this week. Así es la vida.

Glimmer of Hope

2011-12-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

The afternoons have been nice out at the beach even though the wind has stayed too northerly and thus too offshore to be good for kiting. We may luck out for Christmas day and get some wind from the northwest even if it may be a little light. The same conditions or better are shaping up for most of next week. Come on out to the beach anyways - if the wind blows, great. If not, the weather is perfect for sitting in the sun and enjoying a brew or two.

2011-12-23T00:19:00.000-07:00

The wind was decent all day but not many people showed up until late and several were still on the water after sunset. Water seemed warmer than usual - low 60's.

Christmas Forecast

2011-12-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

What originally looked like a great Christmas forecast has taken a turn for the worse. Today, Thursday, looks fine but the direction is forecast to turn too northerly for the next couple of days. I hope that this is an erroneous report. We'll see what future updates have to say. Next week looks promising if you don't mind wind that is a little light.

Missing Anything?

2011-12-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Any day on the water is awesome and Thursday was one of those days. At the end of the day the last people to leave the beach usually take a look around and pick up anything left behind. Yesterday Scott and Jose Luis ended up with shorts, a bikini, and a girl's shorty wetsuit.

A Couple of Days A Week

2011-12-16T01:32:00.000-07:00

It seems like all we can get is a couple of days of wind a week. The last two days have been good but Friday looks too light. I'm hoping the wind comes back Sunday for a few days. The forecasts haven't been too reliable. We had a big group of kiters out on the water with school out and vacationers in town. Good times.

Good Day

2011-12-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

Today went well. I've been offline for more than a week due to a computer virus but today Scott loaned me one of his and I am back in the cyber-world. The truth is that it was kind of nice being disconnected for a while. Also, today was good because we had wind. Nothing great, about 12 to 16 knots, but enough to get out on the water and have fun. I didn't think that the water felt too cold but the temperature chart says it is 62 degrees. Wind forecast continues to look poor. After a good start in October we've had very little wind, lots of clouds, even a little rain.

Tucson

2011-11-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

I'm up in Tucson but it doesn't look like I'm missing any wind. Since I don't see any wind in the forecast until maybe Saturday, I am in no hurry to get back. See you all this weekend. Don

Beautiful Beach Day

2011-11-27T01:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a great day at the beach - we even got to kite for a while. A bunch of us showed up expecting good wind but arrived to quiet conditions and hot temperatures. Once in a while the wind would pick up and we'd hustle onto the water only to return to the beach ten minutes later. Finally, the wind came around at 4:00pm and gave us a great late session. The weirdest part of the day was how warm the water was. I was wearing my lightest shorty wet suit and was not cold at all. That is nuts for this time of year.

We'll Take It!

2011-11-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was good early but then it got really light and stayed light for most of the afternoon. It didn't matter, we still all got a session in.

It was very good for people new to the sport; here's Julie (the one not smiling) after a round of body dragging.

Finally - Wind and no Work

2011-11-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I've been on the water. Today and Saturday are looking good and I'm not scheduling any work for these days. Forecast for next week calls for light wind but from the right direction so you never know - it could be good all week, or not. I'm due for a trip across the border so I'll miss the first part of the week.

Nothing to Report

2011-11-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

Haven't had wind in a while. Today is cloudy, a little rain, and no wind. Forecast calls for wind on Wednesday, but just the one day. Monday or Thursday could surprise us with enough wind. Next Sunday may start our next good blow.

Water Still Nice

2011-11-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Water temp is cooling down but it still isn't bad. I'll be switching to my dry suit soon as I'm having circulation problems in my fingers and it is aggravated by the cold. The wind was good yesterday and should be even better today and Wednesday.

Missed It

2011-11-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

It was supposed to blow yesterday so I spent the afternoon at the beach and had a light wind session. Today the forecast was for less wind so I didn't even bother to check to see what was going on. Someone told me this evening that it was blowing out there in the afternoon and I just checked the wind history for today: http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=ISONSANC2
Sure enough, we had wind. Damn.

It's looking okay for Monday and better on Tuesday.

Does It Get Any Better?

2011-10-31T00:02:00.000-07:00

These days have been incredible. I missed the first couple of days of this series and will miss tomorrow as well because of a lot of work, but the two days that I have attended have been great. The wind has only been blowing 15 knots and just a few years ago we would have been on 17 or 19 meter kites but now we are powered up on 9's and 10's. This means that we are kiting on flat water. And these days we don't just have flat water, but flat warm water. The warm water won't last much longer and the wind is bound to start blowing hard and we will move on to a whole other set of conditions to play in. Almost as much fun as working on tweaking old moves and trying new moves is watching this great bunch of kiters doing the same thing. We've had some new kiters just starting out and their enthusiasm is contagious. What a wonderful bunch of people to spend the day with. Thank you all. And those of you that have been missing these sessions: get your priorities in order and get your ass out there.

Cool Nights

2011-10-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

The weather has finally changed! We've been having hot and humid days much later in October than usual but it looks like they are finally over. This should mean stronger winds. I didn't make it out to the beach yesterday because I was working late on a big project but I think that it was blowing hard and hopefully we'll have a repeat today. After that, the forecast doesn't look as good for the next week but the steady wind should be coming soon.

Sunday

2011-10-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday ended up being okay. Carlos and his kids were already on the water when I got there and later Beau, Jeff, and Fireman John all showed up.

Unpredictable October

2011-10-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

October has been just okay so far. Last Monday and Tuesday were fun but we haven't had much since then. Sammy and Karla came down from Hermosillo today hoping for wind but all we had was 9 to 12 knots. It was Karla's first day on the water but her 8m kite wasn't enough. We put her on a 16m kite that Sammy had with him and she did great.

Forecast looks promising, maybe starting Wednesday. We'll see. Water is still nice and warm.

2011-10-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

The wind was great for most of a week and will probably remain kitable if you want to put up a big enough kite or if you are looking to get into the sport and need some practice flying a kite. This warm water won't last much longer. Monday and Tuesday are both forecast to be excellent (15 to 20 knots.)

5 Days and Counting

2011-10-12T04:25:00.000-07:00

We've had five days of good to great wind and one more on the way. Nice start to the new season.

In Doubt

2011-10-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very good day although the wind was just okay. Lots of people showed up, the water was warm, the sun was hot, and there was enough wind to enjoy. Today is looking a little more doubtful - Buoy Weather has dropped its forecast to 11 to 16 knots - but I think it will be ok. Fine for any one with a bigger kite.

Wind is ON !!!

2011-10-07T20:10:00.001-07:00

Today wasn't perfect but it was good enough. It turned north on us and nearly completely shut it down for a while, but most of the day was nice. It looks like the wind will continue for a few more days.

A Few Days in a Row?

2011-10-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Weather forecast is looking better. Buoy Weather is especially positive, saying that we will have kiting wind for the next several days. The NAM forecast at Windguru doesn't look quite so positive. I guess we'll have to evaluate it day by day. Tomorrow (Friday) is supposed to be 13 to 18 according to Buoy, so I'll post tomorrow whether it lived up to the expectations.

Great September Day

2011-09-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

September 29th turned out to be a very nice day. I arrived about 1:30 to find a windy, but totally deserted beach.

Later on Fernando and Samy showed up from Hermosillo and Scott and Jeff came out. From time to time people arrived to enjoy the beautiful day, including this group from Tucson.

The weather forecast doesn't look too strong, but I think that there is a possibility for wind any day until Monday or Tuesday.

Maybe Wind Thursday

2011-09-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Conditions looked like we had a possibility of wind today, and it almost happened. It blew out of the right direction but only 10 to 12 knots. Thursday looks like a better chance of kiting. The beach was empty.

Looking for a Kite?

2011-09-26T02:07:00.000-07:00

Silent Sports out of Canada always has some good deals. Right now they are selling 10M Slingshot RPM's for about $870 USD, complete with bar and lines.
http://www.silentsports.com/store/product/24236/2010-Slingshot-RPM-10m/

Great Beach Day

2011-09-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

With a good wind forecast we had a dozen or so kiters show up on Friday. The water was clear and calm and warm. It couldn't have been a better beach day to hang out with good friends in front of Bonifacio's.

It would have been a better kiting day if the wind blew, but it didn't.

We'll try again on Saturday.

More to Come

2011-09-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday and Monday were about as close to perfect as it can get. We are hoping for a repeat tomorrow and Friday. What a nice surprise to have such an early start to the season. Water temps are in the upper 80's. No jelly fish. Flat conditions, no swell.

First of the Season

2011-09-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday was great! Warm flat water, steady wind, and bikinis. Conditions couldn't have been much better. Hoping tomorrow is just as good. Kenn, Fireman John, and myself were the only kiters.

NW winds return

2011-09-15T07:28:00.003-07:00

Looks like we may get a few days of wind starting Sunday. I'm in Tucson but I'll be back in San Carlos on Saturday. See you all at the beach!

Best Summer Wind in a Long Time

2011-08-26T07:00:00.001-07:00

We've been having a lot of windy days on Cape Cod lately. I hope the coming hurricane doesn't screw things up.

Ross took some video of me at West Dennis. Lots of people on the water so I didn't attempt too much and the camera was a cheap still camera but it came out okay.

More Wind on the Way

2011-08-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

This week has been good for south wind at West Dennis. Tomorrow's forecast is for 17 to 25 knots and then nothing until Saturday when we start to feel the effects of Hurricane Irene. We could get a direct hit by a category 2 storm. Yikes!

Cape Cod!!!!!

2011-08-19T19:10:00.001-07:00

The weather has been great so far. High temps close to 80, warm water, good wind, good food, good friends.

West Dennis, Cape Cod

Not Even Southerlies

2011-08-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hot temperatures and light winds. No change in the forecast. I'll be escaping in a week to go to Cape Cod.

Nothing

2011-07-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

No wind to talk about. This post is mostly a note to myself so I don't forget a solution to a problem I've had. I've been using an Ocean Rodeo Pyro drysuit with latex rubber seals in the winter and it is extremely comfortable. The trouble is that at the end of the first season the seals got "cancer." This cancer is a strange softening and deterioration of the seals. Ocean Rodeo said it was my fault - that I must have contaminated the seals with suntan lotion or something. I said that was bullcrap and they eventually agreed to send me a new set of seals for free. I replaced the seals myself and was very careful to take care of the suit the next year. It didn't matter - it got cancer again. I've tried all kinds of glues and other products to stop the spread of the cancer and strengthen the seal where it was damaged. Well, I found a product that looks like it is working. It is called Vyna Bond by Performix. The label says it has excellent resistance to softening from plasticizer migration. It seems to do the same for rubber.

I would highly recommend a drysuit for water temperatures below 60 degrees but would look for a suit that uses something other than rubber for the seals. Even though Ocean Rodeo denied that there was a problem with their seals, I noticed that they now advertise that their drysuits come with poly-tex seals. (They also raised the price to almost $700 - ouch!)

Right now the water surface temp is around 90 degrees.

A Week Without

2011-07-22T11:44:00.001-07:00

It's been almost a week since we had NW wind. Last Saturday was a great day with wind over 20 knots and water temp in the high 80's. Nothing since then. Not expecting anything until October but who knows? Every year is a bit different. The forecast calls for strong southerly on Saturday and while it will be good up at the north end of the Sea of Cortez, I'm not expecting much here. If it seems at all possible, I'll go out by Pilar to try to get a session in. Usually the southerlies are best early - before noon.

The guys at kitesurfing.com.mx have added a new video of the action down south: http://www.kitesurfing.com.mx/pages/videos/villajulio.html

Nice to see that there is wind somewhere.

Wind in July!

2011-07-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

The wind didn't have a lot of power behind it, but it was enough to be thoroughly enjoyable. Several kiters showed up and we will probably all be out there again tomorrow. Prediction is for more wind Saturday than we had today.

Weekend Weather

2011-07-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

Friday looks promising and Saturday is looking really good. Forecast is for next to nothing on Sunday.

Thursday Wind

2011-07-07T19:26:00.002-07:00

We had NW wind today, Thursday. The remnants of the big dust storm that struck Phoenix seemed to pass through town as well. I hit the beach about 1:30 and it was blowing 12 to 15 and later it picked up to 15 to 20. No one else showed up to kiteboard but there were other people on the beach to keep me company.

Maybe it will blow tomorrow as well.

Back to Normal

2011-07-02T08:57:00.001-07:00

Well, we had two days of northwest winds but today it is back to blowing out of the south. Unfortunately my interpretation of the forecast was wrong and Thursday was the good day with 20 knots and Friday was only 12 knots. Consequently I was kiting alone the first day and when several people (Eduardo, Kyle, Ramon, Chip) showed up on Friday the wind was marginal. By the way, it was 120 degrees in Hermosillo yesterday.

Below is a post I put up on my facebook page.

Aquí está un video hecho por la banda de kiteos en el sur en Colima. Pienso que podríamos hacer un mejor video con nuestra banda de kiteos. Tengo una cámara que puedo traer pero yo no tengo el tiempo de hacer la redacción. ¿Cualquier voluntario?

http://www.kitesurfing.com.mx/pages/videos/pascuales.html

Buoyweather

2011-06-30T02:26:00.001-07:00

Buoyweather is calling for WNW wind Thursday and Friday.
I have my doubts but I'll be there.

Thursday Forecast

2011-06-28T19:17:00.001-07:00

Wind forecast for Thursday is worth watching. I'm not counting on it but I'll be ready just in case.

Two Weeks

2011-06-20T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks since I posted anything on this blog. As you can probably guess, it is because we haven't had any good wind. Lots of heat though. I spent a few days up in Tucson and it was pretty hot up there as well. This will be my 18th summer in San Carlos and they get worse every year. I used to do a lot of free diving and spear fishing in the summer but it doesn't have the appeal that it used to. Been there and done that and there aren't the fish out there that we used to have. This weekend I'll head out to the beach and at least take a few bikini photos.

We normally get very few opportunities to kite here in San Carlos during the summer. Sites up north like Puerto Peñasco can be good as well as in the south on this coast (Vallarta) and the east coast (Puerto Progresso.) I've got several sites that you can scroll through the forecasts at Wind Guru.

Heavenly

2011-06-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

These days have been so nice out on the water. We put up with cold nasty conditions all winter and normally by the time the weather changes the wind has shifted and is not much good for kiting. Not this year. With air temps over 100 in town, the beach is the only place to be - and this year we have wind.

Great Weekend

2011-06-05T07:55:00.001-07:00

Saturday was a great day and today should be even better. Lots of kiters from Hermosillo and a real party atmosphere on the beach. We had to put up with lots of boats both anchored and cruising through and several jet skis coming and going but with air temps in the 90's, water in high 70's, and nice steady wind - who's complaining?
Here are some photos from Friday. I didn't remember to take any yesterday - having too much fun!

Not Much

2011-06-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

We were expecting some wind today but we didn't get much. A couple of hours of 12 to 15 knots was the best of the day. Fireman John and young Fernando both got out on the water. Saturday is looking better and Sunday and Monday still look very promising.

Mexican Kiteboard Supplies

2011-06-01T07:10:00.001-07:00

If you need kite supplies delivered to you here in Mexico, check out this site.

http://www.kitesurfing.com.mx/

Weather Update

2011-05-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

The Buoyweather forecast has changed and it is not looking good for today, Tuesday. Tomorrow's forecast is a bit lower as well. Thursday still looks good.

What the Heck is Going On?

2011-05-30T20:10:00.002-07:00

Today was great! Good 15 to 20 knot wind, warm water and a hot day. The next two days will probably be less wind, but may be enough. Buoy Weather was pretty close for today's forecast and they are calling for 9 to 12 knots, so if we can get a couple more knots we should be fine. If it is a sunny day the thermal effect should be enough to do it.

Then Thursday looks like another great day. The really crazy thing is that Sunday and Monday are shaping up to be excellent! That is June 5th and 6th.

June!

Kiteboarding in June!

eBay Board

2011-05-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

If anybody is looking for a great board there is one on eBay with no bids so far. It is the same board that I've been using for the past few years. Extremely light and strong. Excellent in light wind because it has very little rocker. I also use it in high winds with no problem.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260790702708

By the way, Buoy Weather is calling for 14 to 19 knots tomorrow, Monday. Thursday looks good as well. Not sure about Tuesday and Wednesday but it is possible.

Nice!

2011-05-24T16:52:00.001-07:00

Nice wind today!

I went out around 2:00pm and it was just starting to pick up. It was soon blowing 15 to 20 and later gusts to 24. I've been using this site to check current conditions. It is up on the caracol at an elevation of 230 ft. so I look for winds of 25 mph or so before I'll head to the beach. Today that site had gusts up to 40 mph. Tomorrow's forecast is for more of the same. I was the only kiter out there today and almost no one on the beach or at Soggy Peso. It would be nice to have some company. Wednesday should be great. Bring your wetsuit - the water is still chilly.

The End

2011-05-22T14:39:00.004-07:00

The season is ending. We may get some wind Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday but it will probably be light and not last long.
I might try to see if the southerly that is predicted for Saturday is any good. Pilar seems to be best for south wind although the beach in front of the Fiesta Hotel parking lot looks interesting. Usually it is best early, say 9:30am until 1:00.

I added a few more kite spots to the Wind Guru forecast in case anyone is looking other areas to go to.

* Wind update: the forecast for the week has once again changed and looks a lot less promising. *

Can We Hope for Another Day?

2011-05-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was good with a big crew from Hermosillo showing up. Tomorrow looks promising, but the best wind will probably be early. I plan to go out at 11.

Today Looks Good

2011-05-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

We've been having some nice wind but it has only been for a few hours and for different hours on different days. Some days the wind comes and goes without anybody getting out there. Today should be good all afternoon. I hope.
The next two days look a lot lighter but possible. These may be our last good northwesterly winds of the season.

Wow Look at What These Kids Can Do

2011-05-13T19:03:00.002-07:00

I've been kiting longer than some of these kids have been alive.

Last Hurrah?

2011-05-11T06:44:00.001-07:00

Yesterday it blew over 20 knots most of the day and the forecast looks good for the whole week. Not a lot of folks showed up at the beach. Only a handful of people were at the Soggy Peso and besides myself out on the water we just had Tyler helping a couple of newbies and Alex who used to train and care for the dolphins in Guaymas put in a great session. Very late in the day Rodrigo showed up. That was it!

My camera is ill, so here are some more great pics from Poulette of past days.

2011-05-02T09:14:00.001-07:00

It is 9:00AM and the wind is already blowing. Are there any other kiters in town going out to the beach? It is supposed to blow well over 30 knots so I prefer to not go out alone.

2011-05-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday brought the predicted 30+ knots of wind. It peaked out early but still blew over 20 most of the day. Tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same.

Beautiful Day

2011-04-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

Weather was great. Lots of kiters and lots of people on the beach, although not as many as I expected.

How Many?

2011-04-29T21:23:00.001-07:00

This weekend looks to be great and may be one of the last good weekends of this season. I wonder how many kiters will show up. Several days this week had okay wind but very few people bothered to come out. The beach may be crowded with weekend tourists so we should get out there early to lay claim to some space.

Below is another photo from Poulette.

Jimeh

Wind This Week?

2011-04-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

The forecasts keep changing and each one says something different. We've been having nothing but light southerlies for the last week and today is starting out the same. Here are a few pics from sessions past from Poulette.

Snapshot View

2011-04-16T17:26:00.000-07:00

Check out this alternative way of viewing the blog:

http://kiteboard-mexico.blogspot.com/view/snapshot

Best Wind of the Season

2011-04-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

It only blew for two days but it was strong and reasonably steady. Lots of people came out and it seemed like everyone enjoyed getting out in very powered up conditions. I was catching some big air but having to work my way back up wind with my 10M kite was a workout. There was only one other kite on the water when I was out there but is was still tough to keep a safe distance from him. My biggest jumps had a hang time of 7 seconds and that was plenty of time for the other kiter to change directions and get in my way. Luckily the one time that I was sure I was going to land on top of him he heard me and looked up and got out of my path.

Dane losing his board but not his cool.

Good Turnout

2011-04-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

We had strong wind today and it should continue tomorrow. A lot of kiters showed up. The surprising thing was that the water was cold. The chart is showing about 67 degrees. In town it was hot out, mid 80's, but out at the beach it was ten degrees colder. Brrr.

2011-04-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

The wind has been pretty disappointing lately but the forecast looks very good for all of this coming week. Unfortunately for me, I've been putting off a needed trip to Tucson until I'm at the point that I have to go. I'm going to try to be back on the beach on Thursday. The end of the season is fast approaching. Good luck to all of the kiters in my absence.

Two Good Days

2011-04-02T16:32:00.001-07:00

Poulette and Luque came down from Tucson for the second day of a two day blow. Luque brought his new kite - an 11 meter Cabrinha Nomad. Very similar to my Crossbow; great boost and hang time. Poulette took lots of photos including a couple of me in the process of throwing a back-roll kite loop.

More Than Expected

2011-03-28T08:55:00.003-07:00

We continue to get more wind than the forecasts call for. All last week was windy. Some days were great, some not so great, but all were kiteable. Buoy is calling for less than 10 knots today and tomorrow, but who knows? Wednesday and Thursday look better. More party photos below.

Party on the Beach

2011-03-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

It is party time on the beach for a fraternity and guests from the University of Arizona. They come every year and have a good drunken time. The wind was good too.

Three Days and Counting

2011-03-24T17:17:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday have all been 25 knots or more. Forecasts kept predicting relatively light winds but the sand has been blowing pretty steady. Hoping for another couple of days like this but it is supposed to ease off.

Dan and Jimeh

Big Tides = Cooler Water?

2011-03-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

The forecast is calling for light winds but it appears that the thermals have been giving our wind a good boost out at the kiddie pool. I had blogged earlier that I wasn't counting on the thermals much because the water temp had risen lately, but that has been reversed. I am guessing that the big tides that were the result of the "Big Moon" that we just had stirred up the sea a bit and brought up some colder water from down deep. Both of the charts that I refer to for water temperatures show surface temperature of about 65. That's 5 degrees colder than a week ago.

More Wind than Forecast

2011-03-22T18:12:00.001-07:00

Tuesday had a lot more wind than we expected. Sand was blowing hard. A bit gusty and nasty but great for boosting. The forecast is for some wind all week. No way of knowing if it will keep blowing hard or back off to the mellow conditions predicted.

Below is Jimeh enjoying the day.

Mexican Holiday

2011-03-20T10:58:00.002-07:00

Saturday turned out to be pretty good except that Monday is Benito Juarez' birthday and a day off in Mexico so the beach was crowded. Lots of people and lots of vehicles. Next week has wind almost all week, although the prediction is for it to be a little light.

Here is a photo of our newest and youngest kiter, Carlos Jr.

Late Afternoon Wind

2011-03-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

I think that we'll have late afternoon wind tomorrow, Saturday. If you can believe TempBreak, the water temperature is up to 70 degrees (21C.) That may limit the thermals and cut down on the wind so I don't expect too much. Tuesday still looks good.

Crappy Forecast

2011-03-15T19:25:00.003-07:00

Kenn

Kenn and Dane

Yesterday was good but today was extremely light wind. Kenn and his son Dane managed to get out for a while towards the end of the day. The forecast for the rest of the week has backed off to looking real lousy. Nothing until next Tuesday. At least the water is warming up.

A Couple of Nice Days

2011-03-09T17:46:00.001-07:00

Tuesday and Wednesday were good. Not sure about tomorrow. It was unusual for midweek that a bunch of kiters came down from Hermosillo and one from Obregon. Weather was warm and the water is starting to turn although it is still in the low 60's.

Wind, Wind, Wind

2011-03-04T18:51:00.001-07:00

Good wind, lots of kiters.

Great Wind

2011-03-03T18:11:00.003-07:00

We are finally getting some strong winds. Today was great and the next two days should be even better. My new kite has awsome power when you want it and plenty of depower when you don't. The amount of power available is actually a bit scary. I was jumping really, really high today but landing hard. I could have pushed for jumps even higher but I don't dare do it until I get my timing down on the landings. Below is a photo courtesy of Sid.

Windy Week

2011-02-28T18:58:00.002-07:00

Wind has been blowing. Should keep on blowing. I've got a new kite and I'm starting to get my timing down on it and it is awesome. It's a 2010 Cabrinha Crossbow 10M. It's got me gust hunting to boost big. Today had gusts over 25 but I hardly felt them since every time one came, I'd jump. Come to think of it - boosting to avoid gusts was how I got addicted to jumping. It seems like I used to kite overpowered a lot and one of my bailout moves for when I thought I was about to lose my edge along with any kind of control was to jump. Then I could get the kite back over my head, land, set my edge again and keep on kiting.

2011-02-22T16:31:00.002-07:00

Wind hasn't been anything that you can count on but most days there has been enough to kite for part of the day. Forecast is looking like more of the same until next week, with good wind maybe starting Sunday. Below are a couple of photos that Christian sent of a session in San Felipe.

2011-02-15T21:33:00.002-07:00

Monday and Tuesday turned out alright. Here is a shot of Roberto catching the last of the wind today.

Guest Appearance

2011-02-14T13:13:00.005-07:00

Gerald, Scott, Joe

Gerald and Joe drove down to stay for a couple of days but it doesn't look like the wind is going to cooperate. Forecast is for only 9 to 12 knots. Yesterday we drove over to the unfinished condos across the bay to check it out and what a mess it is over there. The whole area is torn up.

Another San Carlos Day

2011-02-12T20:35:00.003-07:00

Today was Saturday and it was windy so that means that the beach was full of kites. Lots of very good kiters, beginners, and every level in between. Lots of near disasters. In other words, a typical weekend.

Haley

Fer

Nice Wind

2011-02-11T23:50:00.004-07:00

There must have been a dozen kiters out today. Still, it was never crowded out on the water. Tomorrow is Saturday and the forecast is for another great day. If all the kids from Hermosillo show up it will be a packed day. Should be fun.

Jimee and Kenn late in the day

Wonderful

2011-02-07T08:55:00.003-07:00

The water was cold (so they tell me - I'm in a dry suit) but the wind was wonderful. I think most kiters had one of those "Best day ever!" days. Lots of smiles. Here is another shot thanks to Bob.

Fireman John

More Normal

2011-02-06T00:01:00.005-07:00

The wind started out cold, westerly, and light Saturday. It got better. Turned out to be a nice day. A few photographers showed up. That always gets us to push a little extra. Below is a photo that Bob Ingelhart took of Luque. Sunday and Monday are looking to be excellent.

Warming Up

2011-02-04T17:51:00.002-07:00

It is still colder than normal but it is warming up, getting into the high 60's. Normal is 75 degrees. Wind has been brutal here in town but has stayed from the north and I haven't bothered to go to the beach the last two days so I don't know if it was kitable. Tomorrow looks like better weather. I just hope the wind doesn't mellow out too much.

Brrrr....

2011-02-02T17:05:00.002-07:00

The forecast called for 35+ knot wind today but it stayed very northerly and there wasn't much wind at the beach. Several of us showed up to try to kite in big wind but just Tyler and Carlos had bothered to go out by the time I left around 4:00. Besides huge gaps in the wind, it was cold. Very cold. And tomorrow is supposed to be a lot colder. Brrr...

The wind kicked up a lot of dust as you can see below. It was an all around nasty day.

February is Almost Here

2011-01-29T08:19:00.002-07:00

January has had its good weeks and not so good weeks but still had plenty of kiteable days. There has been a lack of nuking days but that isn't all bad. Lighter wind is great for the beginners and for working on new moves without the worry of getting hammered. It also makes sitting on the beach much more comfortable. The social aspect of this sport is an important part of the fun of going to the beach at every opportunity. We have a great band of kiters here.
We just lost two of our anchor kiters as Glenn and Sue are on their way back to Canada. They will be missed. Glen has a nice variety of moves, and he does all of them with a smoothness that makes his style unique. It was great to see Sue's confidence and enthusiasm and proficiency grow during her stay and she's an inspiration to the other female kiters that are coming out to take up the sport. Way to go you two - hope to see you next year.
February is almost upon us and the forecast is calling for some strong wind. February is often our best month.

Another Nice Day

2011-01-23T21:58:00.002-07:00

Here are some photos that Greg took of me having fun on a Sunday. We were hoping for some nuking wind today but settled for 15 to 20 knots. This week looks a little weak, but should be okay.

Great Weather

2011-01-21T20:32:00.002-07:00

The wind hasn't been perfect but the days have been warm and sunny. Water temperature is a cool 61 degrees. Several people showed up today but at different times and I don't think we ever had more than three kiters on the water at one time.

Ramon and Glenn

More Wind on the Way

2011-01-20T07:09:00.002-07:00

The last couple of days have been quiet for wind but it has been good in general for the last couple of weeks and it looks like we might get several days in a row starting today. Not too many people have been showing up to kite which is too bad but it sure makes it easy to relax and have a good time out there. I have to work today and probably won't make it out to the beach but I'll be out there soon and I'll try to remember to bring my camera as I haven't had much to post lately.

Hi Helmut!

2011-01-14T17:58:00.005-07:00

Luque and Poulette

Sue and Glenn

Roberto

Jeff

Perfect Wind

2011-01-13T22:19:00.002-07:00

We have had good wind for a week now and today it was almost perfect. It started out a little strong and gusty but by 2:00 pm it had smoothed out and was wonderful.

On the Horizon

2010-12-31T09:05:00.002-07:00

Today is Friday, the 31st of December and the forecast is calling for very little wind. Tomorrow should be better as well as Sunday. The really good news is that it looks like we may get several days in a row starting Tuesday. The fly in the soup is that the weather forecast calls for clouds, cool temperatures, and maybe a little rain.