Coastal Living Magazine July August 2004
by Sarah Brueggemann Photography by William C. Minarich
Standing on warm sand under a cerulean sky, I attempt to lasso the wind. A few gentle shifts of a control bar and the practice kite sketches infinity signs in the air. It darts, dips, and gains momentum--propelling my body into the surf and my heart in my throat.
A bystanders asks if the practice kite could lift me off the beach. "Nah, it's like putting her on a pony where her feet still touch the ground," replies Cliff Stone, a teacher at South Padre Island Kiteboarding. "She wants to be on a real horse."
I get my wish. Cliff straps me into a harness and sets up a kite with a 20-foot wingspan. As I launch the equivalent of a frenzied stallion, it dashes off, dragging me face first across the water. "How...do...I...make...it...stop?" I gasp between dunks.
"Crash it," Cliff advises. No problem. I let go of the bar, and the kite depowers. (A safety leash still connects me to the lines.) I raise my soaked head, beaming, and shout, "I want to go again!"
In the relatively new sport of kiteboarding, riders attach their feet to boards (similar to wake or snowboards). They are pulled by large traction kites. "It's the best way I've ever found to enjoy two aspects of Mother Nature," says Cliff. "I flirt with he waves and play with the wind. It's complete freedom."
Before students jump on boards and into the air, they spend time learning proper techniques. Most folks require six hours of instruction prior to buying gear and going out with a buddy. My first effort reveals these truths: No one can out muscle the elements, and newbies need all the help they can get.
Luckily, I'm in one of the best spots for beginners. On South Padre Island, Texas, a narrow strip of rolling dunes cradles calm, clear Laguna Madre. "It's very safe, with no obstructions such as rock jetties or markers," says another coach, Shane Gordon. " And since it's so shallow, if you crash you can just walk back to the beach." He adds, "It's kind of like we're cheating, but really we're taking advantage of our natural surroundings."
Almost anyone can master the basics of this daredevil activity. Women excel at kiteboarding because it doesn't require much upper-body strength. A harness lets legs and the midsection do most of the work. Adverturers from ages 68 to 9 (children must weigh enough to handle the kite) have honed their skills here.
Already a surfer, 12 year -old Eddie Hall watched the big guys aviate a times and wanted to try it. On shore today, Eddies pinched, determined fingers straighten out 100-foot-long red and blue lines. "He's getting to the age where it's like pulling teeth to get him to do anything with us," says his dad, David. " Hopefully this will be something we can do together."
When asked if he wants to go pro, Eddies replies matter-of-factly, "Of course." Just watching the pros is sheer exhilaration. These dynamos hang by a thread, performing back flips, loops and handle passes. Explaining some of the more advanced moves, Shane says, "A varial is when they combine tricks together, sometimes 50 to 60 feet in the air."
"Did you say burial?" I ask. "No, if you let go, then they call it a burial," he retorts.
This afternoon, at least, I won't get to tackle any tricks. The wind dies, and slight breezes won't sustain larger kites. Any puff of air and I leap to my feet ready for liftoff. "For people who feel the buzz, it's the biggest thing going," says Cliff. "To the rest of the world, well they're still learning."
