Inspired by my father, I’ve always had a love of the wind and water. From that first sail, in a light summer breeze on an El Toro at our local reservoir to a bald headed jibe in 30 knots of breeze and ebb tide, racing on the SF Bay, a wealth of memories comes to mind. Now reaching my seventh decade, I’m beginning to see life’s horizon in the distance. This certainly causes one to reflect on what you want to do when you grow up and what remains undone.
Said so eloquently, the essence of happiness is simplicity.
And kite boarding may be one of the most simple and intimate ways to connect with the wind and the waves. The City Front spectacle of kite boarders skipping over the ebb chop sparked my imagination. This would require a skilled and knowledgeable guide before venturing into this unknown water wilderness. Nat Lincoln, Edge Kite boarding instructor became my trailblazer on this new journey, keeping me off the lee shore and always offering encouragement. After hearing that his AC skipper client was up and riding independently on his very first day, I was determined to put my best foot forward! However on day 4, I was mostly in the water rather than riding on top of it.
Anxiety increased with the wind speed and the kite size and I set a eject record of sorts, clumsily hitting the safety release with my board within the first few minutes of body dragging out to the launch site requiring a shore side untangle of lines and equipment. But day five was a different story. The wind was stronger, the kite bigger and suddenly I was in charge, skimming across the water not bothering to watch the kite, but taking in the texture of waves and water as my board carved through the ever changing seascape. An epiphany of sorts, my journey has just begun. – Anarchist Dr. Joe.
