Semana Santa

Today and tomorrow appear to be our last chance to kite before the crowds and traffic really hit town. That is, if the wind cooperates. The forecast has been looking good but has weakened this morning to the point that it is very questionable. Maybe I'll bring out the 30M kite.

I'll be going to Tucson for most of the week, but for the rest of you - time to party!

Busy

There hasn't been a lot to report but the main reason for the lack of posts is that I've been busy with work and teaching kiting. I've got to make more time to enjoy paradise. The forecast for this week doesn't look too promising but you never know. Almost daily they change the forecast such that a day that was supposed to be good changes to nothing and a southerly day turns into a good northwesterly. We just have to play it day by day. A lot of days the air temperature is getting into the 80's but the water hasn't warmed up very much.

The beach is starting to get crowded already on the weekends and Semana Santa is coming in a week. This puts a lot of people dangerously close to the action. We need to consider getting better organized and maybe posting warnings about entering the kiting area. In some other areas the kiters have formed a legal organization and received a use concession for a section of the beach they use. I would hate to see us be banned due to being incompatible with other peoples use of the beach.

Having Fun

Nothing new to report. We've been getting enough wind to have fun. Weekdays are wonderfully empty of crowds. Everyone is working on different stuff and everyone is doing great. Today the wind was smooth, steady, with flat water. I'm hoping tomorrow is just as good. Forecasts keep changing and can't be counted on.

Jorge and Poulette are getting married tomorrow. Congratulations to a great couple!

On The Rocks

 Great Days

Saturday

If it is Saturday then Los Espriu must be kiting. Today was no exception. The wind was light but it was enough. Here is a photo of father and son.

Best Wind of the Season

Not everyone likes it when the wind blows really hard but a bunch of us do and we've had a week of it. Forecast calls for a little less today and tomorrow and then a few days off.

Photos

Great wind, great day. I didn't get any good photos because when I wasn't out on the water I was teaching. I'm hoping that others will send me photos or videos that I can post.

No Comment Needed

Wind is Back!

Great wind today. Started out around 1:30 and was blowing over 25 knots. It backed off during the afternoon but was good enough until sunset. Tomorrow should be okay and then it is supposed to nuke on Sunday. Next week is looking like a winner as well!

Back to the Doldrums

We've had a good run of windy days but they've come to an end and we'll have to put up with a weak week.

Here is a photo from Gary, the guy that is usually kiting next door in La Manga.

Day After Day

Finally we've been having a good string of windy days. Although it seems we never get the nuking winds that we used to get a few years ago, the wind has been nice and strong. Most days there have only been a handful of kiters out on the water. Water temp is about normal for this time of year - 63 degrees.

Couple of Good Days

We've had a couple of good days and today, superbowl Sunday, was looking real promising but it is almost 2:00pm and so far the wind is doing nothing.

Liar, Liar

The forecasts lied to us again. They promised at least 18 to 24 knots from the NW but it stayed north or even northeast all afternoon. Some of us went over to Estero Soldado to try our luck over there. Fernando and Art rigged up and went out but the wind wasn't great. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

No Wind Weekend

We've had a string of days with no or very little wind and that is going to continue through the weekend. Next week is looking much better if the forecast is right.

Lighter Than Usual

Winds have been lighter than we would normally expect this time of the year. We start out with only 12 to 15 knots but will have up to 20 knots for at least part of the afternoon. Should continue like this for a couple more days.

It looks like the crazy north winds should be over for now and the next 6 days will be back to what we've become used to the last couple of years - 15 to 20+ knots NW. It is looking real nice.

If anybody found a remote car clicker and key, Vincent lost his at the beach. He's the guy with the same kite as me.

North Again

It's been windy but is tending to blow cold and north. Today's forecast is another day of strong but north wind. Yesterday was calm at the beach until almost 4:00pm, when the wind finally turned northwest and came in strong. A few of us had already given up and packed our gear but a bunch of kiters stayed ready and were rewarded with a good session. (Water temp has dropped to 60. Brrr...)

Good Kiting

Yesterday was very good and we're hoping for a repeat today, although it isn't starting out too good. At noon Saturday it was already blowing, whereas today the wind started to get good and then backed off and at noon it hasn't settled into a steady direction. I still expect it to be a good afternoon. It is chilly on the beach but not as bad as other years. Water temperature is still 17C or 63F.

Another Nice Day

It was blowing strong and cold at noon. Then, as the temperature warmed up, the wind backed off. It was still a nice day. The guys from Hermosillo and Obregon stayed out on the water all afternoon. Plenty of action, plus a beauty named Belinda.

Video

I have a new still camera that also has video that seems pretty good. It is a $99 Canon Power Shot and I'm happy with it but the video is in MOV format and Windows doesn't recognize it. So I had to find a new video editor. Below is a test to see if everything is working now and compatible with this blog.

That is Beau in the video clip.

We should have good wind today and most of the week except Thursday.

No Nukes

Wind continues, not perfect and not as nuking as the forecasts say, but still very nice. So far, 2013 is looking very good. Water temperature is chilly but has stayed about 5 degrees warmer than normal, about 64 F.

Day Off

Today is a day off for the wind. Although some days have been marginal, most days have been kitable lately. This week is looking great if the wind direction doesn't turn too northerly, which is a possibility. 
Looking forward to a great New Year.

Weak Weekend

Friday turned out to be a very nice day. Typical for the holiday season it was chilly and a bit crowded.

Today is looking light but could be okay. Nothing on Sunday. Next week is looking really good. Although the water temperature has dropped, it is still warmer than normal for this time of the year - about 65 degrees.

Merry Christmas

Hi all, I'm in Tucson for Christmas but it looks like San Carlos is about to have three great days of wind! Enjoy and boost some big jumps for me. I'll miss seeing you all. Christmas on the beach has always been a special treat. I also I want to thank all my fellow kiters for making this sport and this beach so special. You're the best!

North Again

The last couple of days were pretty good, especially yesterday. The forecast was looking real good for Wednesday and Thursday but now both Windguru and Buoy Weather say the wind will be NNW, over 330 degrees north. If that is true, the kiting will suffer. Anything over 330 degrees usually means gusty conditions, at times off shore and at times big lulls.

South Wind

People have been calling, texting, and emailing me about the south wind tomorrow. South wind is almost never good. You might luck out and get a good session but I wouldn't bet on it.

See you all Sunday and Monday, I hope.

Weak Weekend

The forecast has petered out and it looks like no wind until Monday. Poulette was kind enough to send me some photos of the action a few days ago. That's me in the first one and Jorge in the second.

Harness

First, a wind report. I didn't make it out to the beach today but it looks like it picked up after 2:00 pm enough to kite. Tomorrow looks really good and possibly Wednesday. Then nothing is forecast until Monday.

Someone left a pump at the beach and Daren has it. Problem is that he is out of town for two weeks. He was going to leave it with me but then we forgot about it.

About a month ago I posted about a lost harness. Well, there is a guy that comes by the beach and sells clams and sometimes he just hangs out. His name is José. He claims he found the harness and that he pawned it for $600 pesos and would need that amount to reclaim it. Bullshit. He later offered the harness to Jesus from Nogales for $300 pesos. I've known José to be a thief and a liar for years. He has been known to "find" equipment before it is lost and then tries to sell it back to the original owner. Be aware and watch your equipment when he is around.

Also, if you are the last person to leave the beach - please look around and see if anything was left behind. Pick up anything you see and let me know and I'll post about it here on this blog.

Clouds and Wind

Thursday was looking pretty bad early on. Sea was calm, wind was light and from every direction, and it was cloudy. Still, by about 2:00pm the wind had come in and we were kiting. More importantly, the forecast is looking good for a whole week. No nuking days, but good enough to kite. Water temp is still ridiculously warm, 70 degrees or more.

Unpredictable

We've had some good days and some disappointing days and the forecasts haven't been too good at predicting which days will be best. Today looks good and the next week looks weak.

You Never Know

Here in town, San  Carlos, it can be calm or even blowing out of the south and yet it still may be blowing out at the beach. Most of this week has been like that. Yesterday looked terrible just five minutes away from the beach but we all had a good day, although a bit gusty. I am writing this at 11:30am and the sea is calm, the sky is cloudy, almost no wind, and the boats in the bay are pointing in all different directions, but I am still expecting to see wind when I go out there in a couple of hours.

Okay

Saturday was okay but the wind started to turn to the north and got a bit gusty and weird. Sunday should be strong and nasty, really bad near shore.

Used Equipment For Sale

Sold!

Joaquin Palacios Molina, from Hermosillo is selling his equipment. He bought this stuff used, in very good shape and he never used it. The kite is probably 2007 or 2008. For more information call him at 66 22 33 99 44 or email at info@didactas.com

For $10,400 pesos this setup seems like a pretty good deal

Sold!

.Kite de 9 mts, marca Slingshot Turbo 2
.Tabla con funda de 138 cms, Liquid Force Influence
.Bomba de aire nueva
.Arnés (regalado)
.Quillas (regaladas)
.Kite Trainer (regalado, nuevo vale $100 usd)

Precio:
4 mensualidades de $2,599.97 pesos.

North Winds

This weekend forecast is looking mixed. Saturday will be light but should be enough. Sunday and Monday will have more wind but the forecast says it will be from too northerly direction. We've had days lately that have been better than the forecasts, so let's hope that continues.

Update: They are predicting clouds for Saturday so it may not blow as much as I thought.

Cold Water is Coming

Sunday we're going to have light winds, kitable but not much power. Monday and Tuesday look more promising. The water is cooling off quickly. It is already down to 77 Fahrenheit or 25 Celsius. Not cold but the wind chill can be uncomfortable.

Strong Wind

Good strong wind today that should continue tomorrow.

Marcos jumping:

Fireman John:

Wind

The season cranked up on Wednesday and it looks like the wind is going to really blow today. Maybe gusts over 30 knots. We've had a few beginner kiters showing up and making good progress but they'll get spanked today.

Here is a photo of Roland getting one of his first good runs on a board. Remember those sessions?

Wind is Trying

The wind has been blowing WNW (or something close) pretty much every day but not quite hard enough. Tomorrow looks better and then it should really kick in starting Thursday.

Heaven

Friday was wonderful! The water and air temperatures were both in the mid 80's, and the wind was strong and stable. October kiting is the best. Tomorrow looks like no wind but several days next week could be good. Any day with NW or WNW wind has the potential to bring enough wind. Right now that includes Sunday and Tuesday and then for sure good wind starts Wednesday and lasts the rest of the week.

Harness Left Behind

We had a good weekend for wind, although Sunday was pretty light. The forecast doesn't look too encouraging. We are already getting some clouds from hurricane Paul, which should stay on the outside of Baja.

Dan, from Tucson, was kiting this weekend and left his harness. This was his email to me:

hey don, I was down kiting this last weekend and left my harness sitting on the the cement in front of the abandoned building.  it was left sunday at sunset.  its a dakine pyro black and white.  if you see it or hear that anyone has it, please let me know.
Dan Schur [dschur4@gmail.com]

The Season Has Started

The season is off to a good start. Wind was strong and the water is still warm. The weekend should be awesome.