Kitesurfing is a technical sport, similar to windsurfing, but it differs considerably in the method of moving the board – it is used in the same way as while riding the wave, tilting the board with its edge (similar to snowboarding); in windsurfing, on the other hand, the board is kept flat.
Year by year, kitesurfing gains new enthusiasts. The kite-propelled board represents a new, exciting extreme sport. A very spectacular sport, we may add. Colourful kites racing through the winds and sparkling water – this is a spectacle worth seeing. You cannot compare the incredible feeling of lightness provided by the kite to any other sport. It is this lightness that allows you to use, in comparison to other disciplines, an infinite number of tricks and jumps. In the case of windsurfing, learning on your own is often practised, even though it is not the most effective method- in kitesurfing this way of gaining skills is very hazardous and discouraged by everyone. Under the watchful eye of an instructor, you make progress hour by hour. When you try to get on board, you immediately get in the foot straps. The kite is connected to the harness, and with just one move of the kite you can sail. In a few days you can learn how to turn while gliding, and simple jumps, 2-3 metres above the water’s surface, with one to two twists, is a matter of a week. It is very important that a strong wind and waves are not necessary to do jumps with a kite. With winds of 7-9 knots (3 on the Beaufort scale), we are able to have great fun gliding and performing extremely high jumps.
Baltic Sea is wide open for those who seek exciting moments while kitesurfing through waves. Professionals claim that kitesurfing is much easier than windsurfing. While using the kite, broken mast or a torn sail are not a problem. When you are in breaker and a wave is coming right at you, just take a deep breath and wait until foam flows along your backs. Moreover, the kite pulls you up, and thus serves as a protective vest. When you do not feel like swimming through the waves it is enough to bounce up just before the wave and land behind the breaker. You might find it interesting that such a way of swimming greatly warms you up. The necessity to keep the kite moving requires increased arm exercise. In contrast to windsurfing, there is not a moment when you can lay your hands on the boom and then you cannot take them off when wanting to turn.
While the Baltic Sea is for advanced kiters, Puck Bay is great for beginners. With perfect wind conditions – every day 2-3, sometimes up to 4, Beaufort Force, it is just what kitesurfing adepts need. It is worth noting that the first two hours of training is flying the kite from the shore, to which you need only small gusts of air – no wetsuit needed. Yet another advantage of the bay is its exceedingly shallow waters with shoals you can soar above on a kite. During the first turns and jumps, it is not a problem to stop and rest when the kite falls down. You can feel the bottom everywhere, which adds to the safety of the place. When the wind stops or when you experience some problems with the equipment, you can just walk to the shore.
