View allAll Photos Tagged kiteboarding
Actually I was not going to do any sportsphotoraphy this day so both the lens and camera are completely "wrong"... But it was a lot fun never the less :)
sunset at castle island in boston - the kiteboarders rode until it was really dark (one guy even had a headlamp : ).
Another day of crazy surf- swimming was a workout.
Hither Hills State Park, Montauk, Long Island, NY
August 13, 2010
My family and I have been coming to camp here pretty much every summer since I was 7 years old.
At the easternmost tip of the narrow South Fork of Long Island, some 110 miles from Manhattan, is Montauk. Settled by the Montaukett Indians and then by the British, George Washington commissioned a lighthouse at Montauk Point in 1792. In 1898, Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were quarantined nearby upon their return from Cuba. In the 1920's a large resort began to be developed here, but was pretty much destroyed by the great 1938 Hurricane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_Hurricane). During World War II, it was the site of a number of coastal defenses and a trans-Atlantic communication station.
Somehow the town has managed to escape the glitz, polish, and snobbery of the nearby Hamptons, and retains a down-to-earth working/middle-class demeanor. Surrounded on 3 sides by water, it is a major fishing town, and you can hang out at the docks and watch professional (and amateur) fishermen come and go. We once met a crew of 4 about to embark on a 7-day stint in the North Atlantic, and one night, while watching a freshly caught shark being filleted, heard the fisherman remark: "tomorrow this will be on a plate in Manhattan".
During the summer, Montauk attracts hordes of tourists drawn to the excellent beaches and surfing. The town also figures in a number of cultural pieces, such as the poignant "meet me in Montauk" of the 2004 film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". In the downtown stands the Memory Motel, which influenced the Rolling Stones' song of the same name, written during their visit here with Andy Warhol during the mid-1970's.
Thanks to the remnants of Isaac, we had a rare north wind on August 30. That brought a few kiteboarders out to Grapevine Lake. Large Size
For their spring break splurge, Josh and Maddie decided to try their hand at kiteboarding. Each took a 3-hour lesson with their own instructors from LTD Watersports in Destin.
What was really neat about watching the whole thing was the well-thought progression of instruction by the trainers. First, they both got to learn how to fly a small training kite on dry land. After that, they geared up and learned how to unpack, inflate and set-up the full-size kite. Next it was out to shallow water where they learned how to fly a full-size kite while standing in the water. After they got comfortable with that, they were then allowed to try letting the kite pull them through the water without a board. Lastly, after over 2 1/2 hours of instruction they were finally allowed to strap on the boards and try to stand up and actually kiteboard.
For two rural Indiana parents who were a little uneasy with the whole idea in the first place, we were bery impressed with the emphasis on safety and ensuring each student was comfortable with each step before moving forward.
Before we left, we were able to watch the instructors go out and rip it up themselves. After seeing how difficult it is to learn, we all appreciated their talent a little more as they zipped and flipped, flew through the air!
For their spring break splurge, Josh and Maddie decided to try their hand at kiteboarding. Each took a 3-hour lesson with their own instructors from LTD Watersports in Destin.
What was really neat about watching the whole thing was the well-thought progression of instruction by the trainers. First, they both got to learn how to fly a small training kite on dry land. After that, they geared up and learned how to unpack, inflate and set-up the full-size kite. Next it was out to shallow water where they learned how to fly a full-size kite while standing in the water. After they got comfortable with that, they were then allowed to try letting the kite pull them through the water without a board. Lastly, after over 2 1/2 hours of instruction they were finally allowed to strap on the boards and try to stand up and actually kiteboard.
For two rural Indiana parents who were a little uneasy with the whole idea in the first place, we were bery impressed with the emphasis on safety and ensuring each student was comfortable with each step before moving forward.
Before we left, we were able to watch the instructors go out and rip it up themselves. After seeing how difficult it is to learn, we all appreciated their talent a little more as they zipped and flipped, flew through the air!
Another day of crazy surf- swimming was a workout.
Hither Hills State Park, Montauk, Long Island, NY
August 13, 2010
My family and I have been coming to camp here pretty much every summer since I was 7 years old.
At the easternmost tip of the narrow South Fork of Long Island, some 110 miles from Manhattan, is Montauk. Settled by the Montaukett Indians and then by the British, George Washington commissioned a lighthouse at Montauk Point in 1792. In 1898, Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were quarantined nearby upon their return from Cuba. In the 1920's a large resort began to be developed here, but was pretty much destroyed by the great 1938 Hurricane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_Hurricane). During World War II, it was the site of a number of coastal defenses and a trans-Atlantic communication station.
Somehow the town has managed to escape the glitz, polish, and snobbery of the nearby Hamptons, and retains a down-to-earth working/middle-class demeanor. Surrounded on 3 sides by water, it is a major fishing town, and you can hang out at the docks and watch professional (and amateur) fishermen come and go. We once met a crew of 4 about to embark on a 7-day stint in the North Atlantic, and one night, while watching a freshly caught shark being filleted, heard the fisherman remark: "tomorrow this will be on a plate in Manhattan".
During the summer, Montauk attracts hordes of tourists drawn to the excellent beaches and surfing. The town also figures in a number of cultural pieces, such as the poignant "meet me in Montauk" of the 2004 film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". In the downtown stands the Memory Motel, which influenced the Rolling Stones' song of the same name, written during their visit here with Andy Warhol during the mid-1970's.