Rye and Greatstone 9-13th August

My lessons with 2XS at West Wittering scheduled for 4th and 5th August has been cancelled AGAIN! I've been trying to arrange these since before covid and lockdown. While I appreciate this is due to the lack of wind, waiting a further two months for rescheduled lessons on 3rd and 4th October is daft, how is it possible to learn a sport with such a schedule, thank goodness for Camber Kitesurfing Centre.

'Windy' is telling me next week 9-12th August there is onshore wind at Greatstone (Dungeness). I join Rye Tennis Club so I can camp in their field, get the bus serviced and travel down on Tuesday.

It's windy when I get to Greatstone and one of the instructors advise I take an 8m kite out.

This is the first time I've used this Windrush kite but it was great fun, fast to react and very manoeuvrable. But, the same old problems occur. I just can't get the balance between kite and board right. I get up with too much power and don't get the edge of the board dug in leaving me vulnerable to being pulled over the front. Alternatively I skid over the water with the board across the wind. Still, I'm getting set up, carry my kit the mile to the water, launch and return without crashing the kite in the mud. Things are improving.

Dungeness is bleak with an eerie beauty. Here you can see the wind farm in the background. Rye is behind the farm so it is always in view and obviously a great

indicator of the wind state.

My trips to Greatstone from Rye has the windfarm to my left, then straight in front, back on my left and finally behind me.

On Wednesday another lesson at Camber with Steve. Not my best and we conclude: less power on getting up, weight on my back leg and point the board downwind, it should be possible but I just can't get it!

Thursday I cook breakfast and then take a look at who's playing tennis. It's social tennis morning and I meet Sian, Helen and Chris looking for a fourth. I've not played on grass for years so this is an ideal opportunity and I go to change and get my racket. It was fun and I occasionally hit the ball in the court, so for a first game as a new member I was happy enough.

In the afternoon it's back to Greatstone for a lesson with Joe at 5:30. The wind had dropped and I failed to launch the kite successfully something I had been doing with ease when the wind was stronger. I need to use the same technique as on the water; bar right out, walk across the wind until the kite is on the edge of the wind window and stops flapping and with one hand, ease the kite into the air. On the water I was getting the board on my feet and diving the kite, but going sideways. Why can I not get the weight on the back foot and the front foot pointing downwind? The wind dropped and I was struggling to keep the kite in the air. Joe was unable to relaunch it so we packed the kite up on the water and Joe set off for the beach. The walk back at low tide is mile through sand and mud and was awful. My blood sugar was low and at one point I felt like sitting down and waiting for the tide to take me into the beach. That far off the beach the houses on the shore are tiny and I found it difficult to identify the car park/toilets where we started from. Still I made it, got my wetsuit off (this is becoming an issue) and drove back to Rye TC for a great hot shower.

Back at Greatstone again on Friday with my favourite Nexus 10m kite. Met Anthony from Battersea for the second time in the week. Discussing the issue I have riding the board he said he had the same problem until he took a holiday in Fuerteventura with Natural Sense Kiting. Here they were taken out on a rib and left to kite on their own in open water with the instructor coming round on the rib to give advice - Sounds exactly like François in Fromentine France!

Saturday at Camber Sands - Crazy! No wind so I thought I might have a pub lunch at The Owl. That was a mistake, with traffic at a standstill and cars blocking junctions just to make a few meters progress. The Owl wouldn't let me in their carpark so I won't be going there again. Instead I went back to Dungeness and the Pilot to be questioned whether or not I would be staying for lunch, cos camper vans had been taking liberties recently. Another venue to cross off my list of places to eat. Too many people around for the buggy, I set off for home.