Kite Boarding

Kite surfing/boarding is a very popular water sport here, and in driving along the coast and through some towns along the peninsula we frequently see guys out catching the wind. Because of the strong winds here, they really pick up speed and get huge air when they jump waves and do tricks. It’s fun to watch! Seems like these surfers stay in shallower water than regular surfers. Jim has decided that this sport is his new aspiration, but a Capetonian friend said to him, “Well, it’s really difficult. Requires leg, back, arm, and abdominal strength, and proper coordination of the kite, the wind, the waves, and the board. You need to learn to surf first.” So that’s the starting point. We’ll keep you posted on that one…

We watched the man in this photo, as well as three of his buddies on their own boards, one recent Sunday afternoon. It was sunny but very windy and chilly, thanks to the southeaster wind current. You can see part of Table Mountain behind him (rising to 3500 feet), as well as downtown Cape Town, Lion’s Head and Signal Mountain. The city is actually in a bay (Table Bay), and its harbor is one of the busiest in Africa. (We also sat and watched huge container ships coming in and out of the bay.) Our apartment is off to the left side of the photo, a 10 minute drive from this beach. Wow, a nice transition from the Midwestern prairie, and we hope to enjoy the coast more now that the weather is getting warmer!