Thanks Kyle. This is truly the most comprehensive guide of this area I have ever seen. Very useful and inspiring. I hope your knee heals quickly and that you are able to rip up the coast soon.
Hey Kyle i have one more question if any kiters happen fell down near shore then will wave currents pull them in to deep water ? or what ? cuz different wave current effective at different locals over world ?
good question gary. It's not easy to answer though - it depends on the shape of the bottom, and of the bay or beach.
basically currents move in a circle. if water goes in at some point, it's got to come out at another. There will be a section where they suck out, and section where they push in, and everything in between will be a sideways rip. in surfing the suck out part is called the 'channel'. you use this to get out past the breaking waves to the lineup, but it can also suck you out to sea. where these sections are, and how big they are, is determined by the bathemetry and shoreline. That's where a kiter might get sucked out.
Then waves themselves suck out just slightly in the through and push in on the face and peak and whitewater. but bigger swell means more surge so more currents.
waves, tides and currents are pretty cool stuff. I studied it a bit in Uni and those were the coolest classes by far. Worth a google for sure. Surfline.com also has some good info.
most times when you're kiting though, it'll be onshore, or side-onshore winds. so your kite will tend to pull you towards shore. your board will usually get pushed by waves and wind in to shore too. So onshore angles are pretty safe. just watch for the channels.
What do you think about wearing a lifejacket while kiting in the waves? It is not used for surfing in the waves, but for those of us that kite regularly with one, do you think it is wise to continue to wear it or better to leave it off while in the waves. I guess I'm just thinking about how much more you will get carried by the waves if you are sitting in the water. My gut says to keep using it, as if I'm sitting in the waves in a position to be carried by them I would have a few other issues too. Just wondering if you had any thoughts on it.
Kyle or anyone with experience in Tofino - spot suggestions for riding a SE/SSE? I'm going surfing this weekend, BWD is calling for a 20kt SSE on Saturday afternoon. Is Long Beach worth a shot, or should I just leave the kites at home?