Friday the 21st of September, I had the best time thus far on tour, with my introduction lesson to Kiteboarding Curaçao. This was the most exhilarating, exciting, fun, and one of the best activities I have done. Before my lesson, I got to enjoy the relaxing view of the Spanish Water Curaçao.
My first lesson was simply an introduction. It was not as if I was given the board and was sailing around Spanish Water. In other words, I was taught how to set up the kite by pumping up the kite and connecting the lines of the control bar to the kite. However, before that, I was in a harness and it is this harness that the control bar and kite are attached to. Don’t worry if your harness is tight, it is meant to be very tight to your body for your safety and to be sure you are in the correct position to be connected to the kite. After all the gear was set up we discussed the safety measures in place to disconnect me from the kite. It is through the harness I was connected to the kite and so I was taught three different techniques to use to disconnect my harness from the control bar.
Spanish Water Curaçao
Once done with the instructions we stepped abroad a boat and cruised over Spanish Water to the empty “Kite Spot” on Spanish Water. We stood, my instructor Alex and I, on a small reef where we could still stand in the water. Alex began our lesson on Kite Control by launching the kite and maneuvering it in the sky. He taught me how to turn the kite, how to power up, and how to depower the kite. With power up, the kite will pull you as you have pulled down on the lines and with depower, you are releasing tension on the lines, which lessens the pull of the kite.
After watching Alex maneuver the kite it was my turn. I will be honest I was a little nervous but still, I was even more excited. I felt truly up to the challenge and I was amazed at how fun it really was. I did underestimate the strength of the wind. Watching the instructor Alex, I can say it takes experiencing the wind to understand and respect the power of the wind. Once I was connected to the kite and so my battle began against the wind over control over the kite. Together with my instructor, I got the kite to fly and quickly learned how to keep my kite up in the sky. To be able to do so I would need to be aware of the wind, the kite, and adjust the kite as needed. So, there I was standing in the water and my kite flying, it was actually flying! Nothing could wipe the smile off my face, well besides the kite hitting the water. However, even with the kite falling it was just another challenge, another chance to get my kite flying once again! To get the kite back in the air takes both patience and decisive movements as first had to wait for the kite to get back in position and catch the wind. Once the kite was in position, in the wind, I needed to get it back in the sky and right above me! It was so satisfying every time I got the kite in the sky and for every minute I kept it there. I was even told by Alex that my control, for my first lesson, was amazing! I was happy I made him proud and worked hard to go through my exercises as he asked.
Kiteboarding Curaçao
These few hours of learning how to kiteboard were ferocious, exquisite, and wonderful! The wind was unyielding yet and to be able to control, manipulate, the kite left me feeling extremely proud and accomplished. I was oddly invigorated after my lesson, I thought after all that hard work I would be exhausted but I felt excellent, energized even! This was such an amazing activity, truly I had a lot of fun. I look forward to experiencing more of this sport.
