..a giant kiter showed up over the horizon, probably doing a downwinder from sauble..

Important detail.. 12m yesterday would not have worked for you and wasted your time.

+1 Leo. Thanks for sharing the stoke. That last pic is pretty good.

nice pics leo, wow 9m all day thats sweet, but it shows me how much grand bend can be different from kettle point and its only a few miles from there.
i rode in GB yesterday from 11am till around 2pm and used 14m the whole time. sometimes it wasnt enough because of the current near shore.. Wish i would have joined you guys in KP. catch ya next time
cheers

Hi Shaun thanks, Matt took some of the pics.
We had decided on KP because the wind gradient was actually strongest right at the bottom of lake Huron we even considered the other spot south of KP, but our familiarity with KP made us decide on it. It gradually shifted from from NNE to NNW (and with that came the clear skies) so I would guess that you might have gotten a bit of a wind shadow in the morning but might've been fine in the afternoon? Some folks were riding on the Ipperwash access side which is better for straight north when the wind is not strong enough due to onshore + waves.. but it turns out that it came in nicely. I think MB might've gotten some of the leftover wind but otherwise I'm guessing there were no other spots for yesterday (we wouldnt have driven so far). This afternoon looked fine, I haven't checked.. it was cold but once we got going it was fine.
Hope you had a good sesh and weren't there alone?

Anyone going to KP monday or tuesday?? It'll be cold but looking look good wind

Yeah i was solo on that session leo. Not something i do very often but i had full head gear pfd. I just pretty much mow the lawn and dont try anything that would get me into trouble. and i never go out farther then i could swim back in. Im going to KP today hopefully there will be a handfull of brave souls too battle the coldfront!!

So I never ended up making the drive out it just seemed to far and the weather here wasn't adding to my motivation, but from the looks of it you guys got a great day.... I did end up going out yesterday to a more local spot with Astro Boy and the crew, and got a solid 5.5 hours of 12m riding.... Wish I could make it out today, but work always get's in the way. For those of you riding play safe, it seems really gusty and shifty out there today...

thanks SuperFly..

Nice pics

Now I'm going to be blunt. KP is not a beginner spot on any wind direction. NW is the cleanest wave and wind which is sweet for an experienced Kiter . More north and you have bigger messy waves with cross chop (still do able for those with experience), more west and you have wind which is in a rotor due to the wind coming over the point (this means your kite will Hindenburg often unless you keep it flying). The bottom line is while you are learning you do not need waves or super gusty winds to worry about. Stick to places where there is small chop and more steady wind.
KP can maime you if you let yourself get pulled onto the rocks which by the way are on both sides of you. I've experienced both and they are not very friendly...

What spots would you guys suggest for a beginner in the GB area then?

Good spots to learn in SWO due to shallow flat water

Oliphant virtually open no obstructions except the crowds....
Mitchell's Bay (must launch in water with helper or drift launch)
Rondeau Bay good spot but sketchy launch with a pier downwind

If you refuse to drive then I would wait for a side shore wind which will keep the waves down on Huron, but this will not work at KP because of the point... maybe on East or ENE wind closer to Ipperwash but if you bail and cannot get out you will still get washed up onto slippery rocks with razor sharp zebra muscles.

With learning to Kitesurf comes a lot of traveling that is just the way it is.

Pete

Laughingman wrote:

QUOTE:
Nice pics

Now I'm going to be blunt. KP is not a beginner spot on any wind direction. NW is the cleanest wave and wind which is sweet for an experienced Kiter . More north and you have bigger messy waves with cross chop (still do able for those with experience), more west and you have wind which is in a rotor due to the wind coming over the point (this means your kite will Hindenburg often unless you keep it flying). The bottom line is while you are learning you do not need waves or super gusty winds to worry about. Stick to places where there is small chop and more steady wind.
KP can maime you if you let yourself get pulled onto the rocks which by the way are on both sides of you. I've experienced both and they are not very friendly...

Dude, you forgot to mention the SEA MONSTERS!

haven't seen any sea monsters yet but I have been attacked by jumping fish a few times!

Laughingman wrote:

QUOTE:
Good spots to learn in SWO due to shallow flat water

Oliphant virtually open no obstructions except the crowds....
Mitchell's Bay (must launch in water with helper or drift launch)
Rondeau Bay good spot but sketchy launch with a pier downwind

If you refuse to drive then I would wait for a side shore wind which will keep the waves down on Huron, but this will not work at KP because of the point... maybe on East or ENE wind closer to Ipperwash but if you bail and cannot get out you will still get washed up onto slippery rocks with razor sharp zebra muscles.

With learning to Kitesurf comes a lot of traveling that is just the way it is.

Pete

Cool. Thanks.

I don't mind driving around hunting for spots. I have access to a few cottages on Simcoe on north wind days that are basically private bays (no public access), but Simcoe is a good 2-3hr drive from London. So sometimes it is just not going to be "easy" for me to get out there. I will check out those spots you mentioned tho.

I understand you guys not wanting to see some beginner show up in conditions and shore line that is above their skill level. Last thing I want as well is to get wreaked on rocks and sea monsters.