Well, since I busted my knee kitesurfing in September I haven’t really been in the water much. Thankfully, the knee feels a bit better now and I was able to go sailing on Saturday to Dolly. It’s funny how, if you are out of the water for a while, you kind of forget how good this sport is. Then you go back in and have a wave session in you local spot and it just feels amazing. Medium size waves, cross shore and nicely powered on a 5.3. Awesome! Wind is definitely back and temperatures and down. Hopefully this weekend I’ll be out doing a bit of freezing freestyle in Malahide. I can’t wait…
Dollymount
December 1st, 2011Well, since I busted my knee kitesurfing in September I haven’t really been in the water much. Thankfully, the knee feels a bit better now and I was able to go sailing on Saturday to Dolly. It’s funny how, if you are out of the water for a while, you kind of forget how good this sport is. Then you go back in and have a wave session in you local spot and it just feels amazing. Medium size waves, cross shore and nicely powered on a 5.3. Awesome! Wind is definitely back and temperatures and down. Hopefully this weekend I’ll be out doing a bit of freezing freestyle in Malahide. I can’t wait…
Prasonisi September 2011
September 17th, 2011
Wow! Just back from two weeks with Johnny-99 in sunny and windy Prasonisi. What a place! Sailed 13 out of 14 days. Kitesurfing first thing in the morning for a couple of hours and windsurfing till sunset wearing just boardies all day. It can’t get any better! We went snorkeling, cliff diving, swimming at night, bbq on the beach…
On the kitesurfing side, I started doing some decent jumps. I can see why people like this sport. After just a few days in water for a couple of hours you can do some pretty high jumps and get a great buzz out of it. It would take years windsurfing to get that feeling.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I still am and always will be a windsurfer first. I love the technical side of the sport and doing fully powered freestyle and wave riding, but for jumping, kitesurfing is easy and accessible from the beginning.
On the windsurfing side of it, I nailed a few fully planing flakas, spocks and spocks 540′s, a double flaka and was very close to a few cana bravas. I just love the sport.
The mission for the winter has to be konos and funnels.
Best of all though, it has to be the fantastic people I met and the great memories and friendships I found. This really is what makes this place magical.
Thank you all. I hope to see you all soon. I mean it.
If anyone wants to join us next year for an incredible holiday, contact me. You are all welcome to come along. The more the merrier!
Kitesurfing Poolbeg
August 8th, 2011
Poolbeg Kitesurfing
I had my first ever kitesurfing session in Ireland last weekend. Poolbeg, around 15 knots. In fact, it was my first proper kiting session ever. Chris and I had the whole beach for ourselves. First good try of my Cabrinha Convert 11m and I loved it. It was nice and stable with a soft and constant pull. I struggled to stay upwind at the beginning, but after a while I got the hang of it. That’s the good thing about kitting I guess. In a matter of hours you can be blasting up and down quite confidently.
Unfortunately, I got severely dehydrated and by the time I got home I was almost dying. The fact that I had a serious leg workout in the gym in the morning sure didn’t help. I couldn’t sleep all night with my legs twitching and on Sunday I could barely get out of bed.
Note to self: make sure you drink plenty before getting in the water.
New wave spot
July 20th, 2011
Mayo secret spot
Great weekend!
On Saturday Oisin and myself headed to “Costa del Kilcrea” for a sunny and warm freestyle session. Summer wetsuits and plenty of spinning and splashing.
On Sunday “Team Surfdock” headed west to try a new secret wave spot somewhere along the Mayo/Sligo coast. When we got there we found cross-off winds with medium size waves. As the tide turned the waves picked up nicely to head to logo high of pure joy. Getting to the water was tricky as we had to carry our kit over slippery rocks, limpets and finally a blanket of seaweed that felt like arms grabbing you trying to pull you down. A good 15-20 minutes to cover the 40 meter obstacle course.
The reef break made it easy to head out and the mental winds and swell out the back certainly presented a good challenge where even jibing was a major struggle.
We sailed all day until our arms almost fell off and headed back home with a huge sillly grin in our faces.
We’ll be back
Wellcome
July 18th, 2011Welcome to my new blog. I’ll be updating it regularly with all my water sport related activities and sessions.
Whether it is windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing or SUP’ing the ferry waves, I’ll be there trying my best.
Come winter, I’ll be hitting the snow and trying not to break many bones. You’ll see it all here.
I hope you all like it.
Big thanks to Oisin and Surfdock for setting it all up