The airlines are getting crazy with all the fees and charges associated with board bags. Sometimes, but not always, it pays to curbside check your bags and tell the baggage handler beforehand that there is a big tip in it if he foregoes the charges. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Plus, waiting in the ticket line with a huge board bag isn’t very fun either.
Arriving at your destination
Kite boarding bags and boards tend to be a lot smaller than surfboards, yet you should ensure that you have the right kind of transportation once you arrive. Things get a little bulky once you factor in board, kite, tools, harness, bars, etc. not to mention your regular bags.
Getting wet
Any good kite boarder knows that you should ALWAYS check out the spot thoroughly BEFORE you get your feet wet. Where is your entry and exit? How will the wind and tide effect both? Are the winds gusting or stable? Do you know when they die down or shift? Are there rip currents if you get stuck out in the water and the wind dies? Is it sharky? Is there anyone else out at this location? If not, why?
It’s always great to think about getting a good kite session in with no one out but you, but is that what you really want? Having a bro or someone else out with you is always a better idea. Too many factors to worry about when you’re alone and it’s always safer with more people watching out for each other.
The last time I went to Fiji, I brought my Cabrinha kit and was having a blast, when I dumped my kite. When I went to get it back up in the air, to get back to my takeoff beach, the lines got tangled in the Sargasso grass that floats on the surface. It was impossible to get my kite back up. Lucky for me, I was a short way away from waist deep water and swam to gain footing. I had to pull safety release to let my kite flutter, or the wind would have kept pulling me into deeper water (I was in a bay and would have eventually landed on the beach to which the wind was blowing, but it was a good ways away). I had to pull with all my strength to get my line and kite up to the beach. I then had to pull the hundred pounds of grass out of my lines. By the time I was done, I was spent. I gathered up all my gear and did the walk of shame. This entire ordeal could have been avoided if I knew of the Sargasso grass in the bay and found another place to kite. Better for you to learn from my mistakes.
Respect
Number one, respect the locals. I mean in all facets. Respect their beach, their culture, the beach where you get your gear set up, everything. This will help you in more ways than you can ever know. This is why I really recommend having some friends there before you arrive. Kite boarding with a local is a much easier transition than not. Almost instant acceptance. Not to mention having someone that will teach you the in’s and out’s of the spot.
Research your destination accommodations
In this day of Photoshop and picture manipulation, ensure you have more than one source for your destination information. I’ve stayed at places that look awesome on the website only to find out that I was actually staying in the back room with holes in the mosquito nets big enough to drive trucks through.
Training
I strongly recommend a rigorous training program at least a month before you go. This will get your motor skills at their prime and your cardio pumping. Depending on your destination location, you will use one-hundred percent of your skills, endurance, focus, nourishment, and so much more.
Nutrition
I’m not going to tell you what to eat on vacation, and I’m sure you know it’s simple. The better you eat (and drink), the better you’ll perform. I will say that you need to hydrate yourself a lot more in the tropics that elsewhere. I learned this the hard way by getting a kidney stone on the Big Island of Hawaii and that wasn’t fun at all. It all could have been avoided if I drank more water than I did. Ensure you are drinking purified, bottled, boiled or treated water only. Also, ensure that if you do have ice in any drinks, the ice comes from one of these safe sources. For more information on foods and drinks, visit the Foods tab within Tropixman.com
See Travel Checklist for more information
Kite boarding Gear:
Board(s), Board bag, harness, lines, bar, kite, pump
Air bladders, patch kit
A good-sized, carry-on travel back pack
Duffel bag
Tool kit with all sorts of “extras” for those little emergencies
Wet/Dry Bag
Helmet for Sun & Impact Protection
Beach Towels - 1-2
Video Camera and Supplies / Digital Video Camera etc.
Dress:
Reef Booties
Rash Guards - short and long sleeve
Sunglasses (polarized preferred)
Sunglass Leash
Boardshorts– at least 3 pair
Regular Shorts – 1-2 pair
Light weight casual clothing. Shorts, T-shirts, Sarongs, etc.
Slippers (Flip-flops)
Medical:
Health Check-Up. (Update Immunizations - Typhoid & Hepatitis advised for Indonesia)
Anti Malaria Medication. (Larium, Malerone, or Doxycycline for Indonesia)
Personal Medication
Basic Medical Kit
Insect Repellent
Entertainment:
MP3 Player / CD Player w/CD’s / Batteries
Books & Magazines
Still Camera and Film if needed
Handheld Game Set
Electricity Adapter (know your electrical requirements)
KITEBOARDING
Before you go
Kite boarding is a blast and what better place to kite board than the tropics? Since the tropics are known for their tradewinds, beautiful crystal clear water and plenty of sandy beaches, it makes for an awesome place to harness mother nature. Check the Travel Checklist page and the items below to ensure you have everything.
You’ll see in the Surfing tab that I am a huge proponent of having some friends at my destination before I arrive. I get on the Internet and meet people through local websites and see if they need anything from my area before I come out. A great website is wannasurf.com. My last trip to Tahiti I met a guy online and all he wanted was some refried beans and some Ibuprofen (I guess it’s hard to get there). I got this stuff for him with no expectations, and he styled my wife and I out with a kayak, surfboards and access to an amazing reef with a left that rivals a small Pipeline (with only two other guys out!). A great way to meet the locals and be an instant friend.
