Alameda is dying! Other good spots for beginners?

[SardegnaKite]

Hey, I'll be there tomorrow...let's hope!

[jwest21]

Third is the place to be! Once you've gotten your self-rescue, launching (very important to feel confident in these two) and body dragging down, which is pretty doable to practice any day during peak wind times at Alameda with a 12m+ even if you can't get on a board, it's time to move on to third. Learn all you can about the location because it's a daunting experience compared to sandy shores and if you're to sociable type make some friends before launching that know to look out for you. Body drag out and around until you come in at lower launch (or hopefully back into upper launch) before getting your board out for a go. Coming in at lower launch can be the trickiest part of a session and my biggest advice is to be prepared to lose wind as soon as you hit the point, wrap up your lines and swim (or walk in low tide) toward the sand. If you're already south of the beach by the time you've wrapped your lines you either came in too far south or didn't get enough self-rescue practice. I put in a little time helping some kiters out of the water at the rocks just south of lower launch and it's slippery and dangerous, avoid it at all costs; though I encourage you to help some less fortunate kiters out so you know what to expect should you find yourself in such a position.

Stuck in New York until Tuesday because of Irene but I'll be back out at third very soon, probably every day this upcoming long weekend; hopefully some veterans are prepared to help me retrieve my lost board.

[SardegnaKite]

Thanks everybody!! Well..hum... honestly I'm a little confused!!!
I should come by 3rd and take a look...

[Aloha]

Go tomorrow if you can--I think it will still be low tide-ish during the afternoon. I was able to stand surprisingly far out today. Probably would have been a great newb friendly day.

Ciaooo

-P

[SardegnaKite]

:( :( :( :( :( :( :(
Just done with work!

[maxsteamer]

It seems there is a beginner spot at 3rd ave, is that true?

3rd is not for begginers ?? You could get hurt bad and with the tide this time of year and the sun going down much faster your just asking for trouble ...The season is over for you bro..unless you find an experienced kiter who will kite with you and leave when your back on the sand..better to be sad then dead wrong bra..

There was a kiter on this thread that said a big board and big kite is not for begginners, this is true.. and lulls can be deadly, as that big kite can fall out of the sky..then power back up and if your not familiar with that sh*t !! you could end your session at the ER..

If you must kite then make sure you go with a experienced kiter ..if you can't find one then call me at (510) 814-1074.or PM me here.. I helped a guy pull his kite out of the bay today with sea-grass all over his lines and he could not believe that his kite would not relaunch.. I told him it was not him it was the time of year. :roll: I think he's still down there trying to get all that grass off his lines.

Get over it ... the season is over for a beginner??.. unless you can find a kiting buddy that will have the abillity to help you in any scenario. remember if you get hurt you hurt all of us that kite??.. and you run the risk of shutting down that launch in the future for kiting there.

Max be with you " " unless you opt-out with restrictions

[Thor29]

Last year was my first season. I kept getting skunked at Alameda, the season was ending, and I still couldn't go upwind. So I finally went to 3rd Ave. I ended up downwind of the lower launch and the tide was high. I punched out and swam to a windsurf launch path. Unfortunately, I didn't wind up my lines and when I got out the lines tangled up in the rocks. I left the bar and came back later at low tide but still had to cut the lines.

So then I went back at low tide. I kept trying to go upwind but eventually found myself way too close to the bridge. I looked up at my kite, there was a lull, the kite fell out of the sky and the current swept it under the bridge. I hit the release and as I swam to the kite I got tangled in the lines. It was pretty scary. I managed to untangle the lines, get the kite, and wade to shore. On the plus side, a friend of mine had shown up to see what kiting was all about and he gave me a ride back to the parking lot. (Needless to say, he never took up kiting).

Based on those experiences, here's my two cents: if you can't go upwind, go at low tide and get out at the lower launch. The problem is that if you do that, the ride will be really, really, short. And then you'll be one of those people walking a kite on the bike path (which I think is not a good idea and I still don't know why people do it on purpose). On the plus side, it's much easier to learn if you actually have wind. If I had kept trying to go to Alameda I might have given up in frustration before I ever learned to go upwind.

[behindThePeak]

And then you'll be one of those people walking a kite on the bike path (which I think is not a good idea and I still don't know why people do it on purpose).

the shower. it's all for the shower. :) it's kinda fun too: attach your leash, sling it over your shoulder and sprint into the wind. great warm up.

anyway, is it really a bike path? pretty sure it's for general use. The way i see it: the more kites hiking that stretch the more likely Johnny mcBikeTooFast will actually slow down before reaching the blind corner at the parking lot where everyone (and their kids) are hanging out.

[NCKite_Ryder]

All you beginners have it easy today with your SLE Bow Style Kites..... Try learning at third on a 15M 04' Fuel "C" Kite (that leaks and has holes in it), a bar with 3" of throw, and a 171 Light-wave Cadillac! :shock:

Everyone pays their dues at Third. Just know how to self rescue and you will be all good. Bring your kite knives and spend the time to wrap your lines. If your goal is to rock Crissy then you will highly benifit from a few long swims in from Third. If you don't know how to self rescue go to Alameda and learn to self rescue. If you have never stayed upwind EVER..... you probably shouldn't be out there.

Truth be told is the Bay Area kinda sucks for learning... Go to Maui, Floras, Caribbean, La Ventana, Hatteras, or some other epic kite destination and after 5 days you will be Bay Area Savoy.

On a side note: Third will go off (a handful of days) every month of the year and the winter months can be sketchy. The winds can be cold and weak, with lots of West making it offshore. These are the most dangerous for beginners cause of the water temperature and the concept of breaking down and floating across the channel.

Just be smart and safe, its super easy to be over-excited and do stupid stuff like "go out without your leash and do unhooked moves" happened to me the other day, then i realized it eek...

[reyrivera]

... Everyone pays their dues at Third. ...

Aah, ..., umm, well, umm. .. Is there a TPS report for that?