Thinking now back to my surfing journey, it brings back lots of memories. Some make me smile, some are just precious moments and some which are actually quite terrifying. All the things that could have gone wrong!! Luckily they did not! 😀
Kitesurfing? Mmm interesting…
The very first time when I heard something about kitesurfing was from Triin when she started taking lessons in Estonia and after that I have a memory of one of our Skype conversations while she was living in Spain. I remember she was sharing her experience with lessons and talking about buying gear and so on. At that time I had no interest in it. Yes, of course I was cheering her on, but I didn´t think something special of it (harsh I know :D), at least not so that I would start surfing myself too. I was at that time occupied with my track & field trainings, first job and university studies. So it was more like, yeah, cool leisure time activity you have got and keep me up to date how it is going, but I didn´t picture myself on water. Perhaps Triin instigated that one day she will show it to me and I will fall in love with it but yeah…nothing indicated that one day we actually would be sharing this passion together.
First kite flying
My first kite flying experience is exactly what they teach you not to do! Triin had moved back from Spain and her boyfriend was also kitesurfing. We had a weekend getaway at Saaremaa with group of our friends. Some where kiting and some where not. What year it was, I unfortunately do not remember. Triin was back from Spain, so maybe in summer 2012? I don’t know why but at one point Triin’s boyfriend decided that I should also try flying the kite. So I was quickly introduced with the basics (roughly only with wind window, how the kite flies there and if something goes wrong just remember to let go of the bar!). After introduction I put on a harness and we went into the water and got my very first flying experience. Literally… Of course, I did everything wrong, pulled the bar strongly in and lifted myself and teacher out of the water. Got really nice faceplant points, a good laugh and appropriate scare! After feeling the kite’s power and digesting through our lucky crash, I decided that this is something that would need more learning time from me. I believe that this exact moment, a wish to get a hang of it started to grow in me.
Taking a course in Tarifa
In September 2012 I took my very first kitesurfing lessons in Tarifa. We had one of our very first kite trips there and as I was travelling with others who already kitesurfed, I decided to take course out there. To rush ahead I can say it was a bloody damn good decision! My lessons went well, got my first stripes on water! 🙂
I took a course from one of the local IKO Training Centers – KTS Tarifa. Unfortunately, I do not remember my teachers name but I do remember he was cool rasta haired local guy. 😀 Back in the day a board leash was still in use and you can only imagine how many bruises I had on my lower body. It was quite hard as a student to get pass the waves which were really close to the shore (Tarifas trait of character) and the board kept kicking me all the time. I even remember at one point I asked if I could loose the damn thing (as I was so frustrated) but the answer was no. So ended up happy and blueish at the same time 😀 Today IKO has panned the usage of board leash because of the same safety issue! It can end up really bad.
Best memory of the trip is my very first ride, stripe on water. It took place on a lagoon which occurred with tide on meadow. You had to walk pass of cows close to the beach and you were able to see people kiting on cattle range. Lagoon was circled in with railings. While I was still taking lessons, somewhere middle of our trip, I was determined to try the board on.. It was shallow, so I was able to sit and place my feet in straps and try my very first water start. I had one of our friends helping me out, giving me basics. I remember after few attempts I got on board and rode across the lagoon – it was my very first ride on water! It was so exhilarating, for sure something I never forget. After I stopped, I stood up and raised my hands up in the sky like the winners do and screamed of joy 😀 On the other side of the lagoon my friend did the same. Lunatics I know! Other kiters (strangers) who saw me standing there cheered me on – some rode pass me and gave me high five, others waved etc.. It was crazy but this was the moment when I understood that surfers keep together.
After Tarifa I actually didn´t continue to surf in Estonia. I cannot remember exactly what was the reason but I think I was still doing my track and field competitions, had other things in mind and of course I didn´t have my own gear… So I think these things all together formed a one big reason why I didn´t chase the wind.
In the beginning of 2014 we had another kite trip to Vietnam (Mui Ne) but I still wasn´t kitesurfing. Went for a bodydrag but I wouldn´t call it surfing. So more like a tourist trip if being honest 😀
Summer 2014 I found my determination and got back up in the saddle. We had another kite trip planned for Zanzibar and we (me and Triin) made a pact – getting me surfing for Zanzibar. During this summer I started to chase the wind and continuously wrote to Triin to go kiting. She helped me to remind stuff that I learned in Tarifa 2012. Also as I still didn´t own much more than calypso and boots, I borrowed gear from her. So it grew to be our thing – best friends’ quality time.
In the beginning of next year we went to Zanzibar and after that you can say – rest is history. As it was windy approx 90% of the time, I got lots of practice, loads of self-confidence and started to call myself a surfer girl 🙂 After Zanzibar it came clear to me that this is something which makes me really happy and enables to loose myself entirely – just enjoy the ride. So bought my first gear and been surfing since then when ever I can 🙂
See you on water!
