Santa Cruz Season in Full Swing

The season has hit in a big way! The month of March has featured almost nothing but windy days and steady Overhead to 2XOH swell. After many more sessions on the Synergy it is even better than I originally thought--it has clearly improved my kitesurfing due to the greater responsiveness and range. Unlike previous new PL ARC models, I can't think of any areas of compromise in the design . . . It simply does everything better.

After beating my body back into fighting shape (probably doing what anyone reasonable would consider "over-training"), the six-pack is back, there's no more soreness left, and the last two days have been maybe the most skilled sessions of my life. Every time I make the short drive up the coast from Santa Cruz to Davenport/Scott/Waddell I'm just marveling at the perfection of our climate. So many sunny days with wind and surf: I'm definitely living in paradise :-). The experienced is enhanced further this time of year with the migrating whales starting to appear and heaps of dolphins swimming around outside the impact zone.

I know I've written of this many times, but more than ever before I'm now really towing-in to "catch" the wave and then surfing it whilst completely forgetting about the kite drifting over my head. Fortunately by holding it in a stall position it has so far always safely drifted until I cut back hard and re-tension the lines. I do now see more and more people experimenting with this style, but it just doesn't work as well with an LEI as total loss of line tension usually means it's Hindenburg time. So the LEI crowd is starting to enjoy using the kite as a spinnaker in stronger winds, by they dare not ride whole sections this way in light wind. Without a doubt, PL has a fundamental wave riding advantage due to this capability (not to say other brands don't have their advantages).

Peter Lynn Jr. has been coming down to Waddell on weekends as well and is really fun to ride with. I may be a pretty decent kitesurfer now, but watching Pete's it is clear he's on the level of the very best Santa Cruz world-class and pro riders. I hope I get there someday. One thing is for sure: if I don't, it won't be for lack of trying! It has been so great this month that I'm actually leaving my gear behind on my vacation to Puerto Vallarta tomorrow. I'll focus on family time on vacation as I'm getting far more than my fair share of epic kitesurfing at home.

Cheers,

Gideon