Hampton kitesurfing in a good sea breeze #591

 Session 591.  A nice strong sea breeze at last!  I rigged my Union 9m to the bottom knots.

There were quite a few people on the beach. Kiters were congregating in the middle.

I launched Anthony then got a launch.  Plenty of power but not too much.  

The bay waves were nice.

I kited between the groynes then tacked up to the marina where the wing foilers hang out. A couple were out in the strong wind enjoying the swell.

I returned to the kitebeach downwind surfing swells, then finished with some tacks in the bay surf.

Hampton kitesurfing in strong cool wind #589

Session 589. Launched at 2pm on my Union 9m kite.  The wind was around 15-20 knots with some decent bay waves. There was a short lull so I landed my kite until it picked up again.

I did a few tacks onto waves then a short tour up towards the lifesaving club where a windsurfer and a couple of wing foilers were having a good time.

I then went down to Green Point and surfed the waves there. The wind picked up. I was able to get back to Hampton with the kite depowered after two tacks.

The wind was then gusting to 30-35 knots so I came in and Mike landed my kite.

A really good session overall.

Kitesurfing Hampton, a good sea breeze at last #588

 Session 588. A nice sea breeze at last.  First session in spring suit too.

I started in about 22 knots, it dropped to 18 knots for a while then came in hard at 25+ knots.

One guy nearly ended up on Beach Road hanging onto his bar with outstretched arms after his chicken loop detached. Eventually he let go and his kite crashed into shrubs and Anthony secured it.

 

 

Kitesurfing Hampton to Green Point with good wind #583

Some good wind again late in the afternoon! 

I kited on the bay swell down to Green Point to catch some waves, then back upwind to the Marina and downwind slalom back the beach.

Very happy with the new Union 9m kite.

Kitesurfing Hampton with the Union 9 and some good wind #582

First session on a new Airush Union 9m kite  I was able to buy a discounted for a good price. Airush have discontinued the Union model so it was my last chance to get one.

I have changed my quiver from 6, 8, 10, 12 to 6, 9 and 12. This will be better for travelling and take up less room in the car.

The kite flew well and there was plenty of wind. Had some fun in the bay surf at the beach and slalom turns on the rollers going downwind.

Kitesurfing Hampton - first session with new Lithium 9 #581

Session 581. I tried out a Lithium 9m V3 kite that I have just bought second hand.

It had good power but the kite was flying strangely when powered up - the canopy was folding a bit on the wing tips. I will check the line attachment points on the kite.

Kitesurfing Hampton with the 12m kite #580

Session 580. There was better wind for this one, no problems staying upwind.

Hampton kitesurfing not enough wind! #579

The wind seemed a bit light when I was getting ready on the beach but I thought it was worth a try.

There wasn't enough wind to get going properly. I went downwind and made it into the beach dodging some reef on the way in - very glad I was wearing booties.

There wasn't much beach to land the kite either but the light wind helped.

Kitesurfing Hampton out to the channel #540

Nice steady wind so I did a downwind tour at to the shipping channel, enjoying solitude out on the bay. 

Returned to the Sandringham breakwater and the surfed the rolling swell back to the beach.

Kitesurfing downwinder armada Ricketts to Hampton #539

Fantastic downwinder in a solid sea breeze today with a veritable armada of buddies.  We left my car at Hampton then I got a lift to Ricketts Point. 

I did a few tacks waiting for everyone to get on the water then headed off riding the swell and some reef breaks close to the shore.

Going past the HMS Cerberus wreck is always interesting but its sad to see it collapsing into the water.

I almost contacted some reefy rocks lurking in the shore break on a beach.  Past the Hampton Marina and then some nice speed runs behind the breakwater.  Lots of Wing Foils out there now. 

I got to the beach very happy with the tour. My wrist and right arm is getting stronger and were fine for the journey. 

This is probably the best short downwinder in Port Phillip Bay with great scenery, some nice reefs and excellent beaches.

Kitesurfing Hampton in a seabreeze, back on the water at last #535

Session 535. A long time since my last session, recovering from broken metacarpal in my right wrist (from a bike crash in a local park). Nice sea breeze at Hampton but not very strong. Warm weather. Great to be back on the water again.

Kitesurfing Hampton in solid 30 knots #529

Session 529. A solid 30 knots whipped up some good waves at Hampton. Anthony and I decided to give it a go. Getting out through the shore break was challenging. I was considering stepping off the groyne but the rocks in the water were slippery. I was able to get out from the main Hampton beach. 

The bay swells were breaking over the reef between the two groynes and further out. The Union 6m kites was very stable. I even depowered it for a while. 

Kitesurfing Hampton and Green Point in 30 knots #524

Session 524. Strong winds in the afternoon up to 30 knots. There was a good bay surf at Hampton and several kiters out enjoying it. The reef between the two groynes at the kitesurfing area was working too.  

I headed to Green Point surfing some big swells on the way there. There were some good sized waves on the reef break, after three runs I headed back.  My 6m Airush Wave kite was a good kite for the day, good on the waves and still able to get up wind.

The waves back to Hampton were good too.  I was surprised by how many other kiters for out - they were using 7, 8 and even 9m kites. 

Kitesurfing late afternoon at Hampton, should have tried the foil board #523

Session 523. I was hoping to get out on the foil board again on a late afternoon sea breeze, but the wind was around 15 knots and there was some swell so I used my surfboard.  After a few tacks the wind dropped a bit, so I headed in.  A kiter on a foil board appeared in the distance and was really moving.  It was ideal conditions for the foil, when I was struggling to stay upwind.

I need to get a few more sessions in on flatter water to get the my foiling technique sorted.

Kitesurfing Hampton with some kiteloops #521

Session 521. Tried a few kiteloops today. The Union 10m kite turns nicely and is fairly easy to loop.  I initiated the loops on the way down to reduce the power.  I landed a couple, it was not too scary.  

Committing to the loop and getting the board pointed downwind are key points.

These were powered kiteloops, not heli-loops.

Kitesurfing Hampton in frontal wind, relief from the heat #520

 Session 520. Nice to get some frontal wind on Port Phillip Bay after a very hot day yesterday.  

The first half of the session I was powered up for some big jumps and the waves were building in size. For the second half the wind dropped a few knots and the waves got smaller.  

A good turnout from the lads and a good time was had by all. 

Great kitesurfing in classic Hampton sea breeze with a tour to Green Point #519

Session 519. A classic Hampton sea breeze and tour to Green Point made for a great session. After a few tacks in nice bay waves between the rock groynes Anthony and I headed across to Green Point for some good wave action. There was plenty of water so the reefs were well covered.

I was well powered on my Union 8 so it was easy to tack back to Hampton where more kiters were on the water.  Nice sunny warm weather, warm water and a good stiff sea breeze - summer is here! 

Kitesurf downwinder Hampton to Port Melbourne #511

Session 511. There was good southerly wind today so a downwinder was on. I left Hampton on my 8m kite and surfed some bay rollers down to Green Point where the reef break was working with some good waves.

On to Brighton past a couple of windsurfers and only 2 kite on the beach.  Past Brighton Marina then onto Elwood finding some good swells along the way.

The surf at Elwood was good and the reefs a bit further along were working too - although one was very shallow.  I kited into the St Kilda Marina where there were a couple of kites out then continued on past Middle Park to Port Melbourne.

Really good to get in a downwinder - I am not very kite fit yet so this was a good workout and a scenic tour.  Anthony met me in Port Melbourne and drove me back to Hampton which was greatly appreciated and saved me a tram and train trip back. We had a good coffee and some lunch.

The North Cross board was great for fast turns but its lighter in the chop - I will hang onto the Nugget as a weapon of choice for big downwinders.

Here is a really cool animation of the trip using ayvri.com: 

Kitesurfing Hampton with strong south westerly

Session 502. Nice late kitesurfing session at Hampton with some good bay waves.  Got a little crowded at times.  The surf and bay rollers further out were good. 

Here is a short video, you can see Jeff Steele in action too.

 

Late sea breeze at Hampton filled in nicely

Session 497. Got down to Hampton late in the afternoon with a SSE sea breeze, on the water with my Union 10 and Wainman Passport board I was a bit under powered.  After a couple of tacks I was considering coming in but the wind was building up to a nice 20 knots so I was nicely powered for the second half of the session.

The Wainman Passport is lighter than the Nugget and turns well.  I am going to use it more.