Kitesoul Magazine #12 English Edition

130
TRIP
A Paradise Called Home
When I first
stepped foot on
kite beach I was
taken back by the stunning
colour of the water. It was
such a vibrant turquoise
it did not look real. Even
the bottoms of the few
clouds hanging over head
reflected the colour of the
ocean making me take a
second look to make sure
my eyes were seeing right.
The beach was long white
powered sand covered in
nothing but footprints and
people launching kites. As
I went out to teach my first
lesson in TCI I discovered
the ocean floor was completely
clear from any debris,
shells, coral or stingrays.
It was 100% just soft
white sand. I have never in
my life seen anything this
perfect. The water at low
tide came to just above my
knee and high tide was up
to my shoulder. After completing
my first day on the
job I decided this was the
place for me.
Trying to find a place to
rent long term was a bit
challenging. The island is
only 33 thousand people
and it is not very developed.
Most of the houses
are rented out nightly
or weekly for tourists at
premium rates so when
a friend told me a place
opened up on the marina
that morning I called
and took it immediately.
It didn’t matter what
it looked like as long as
I could afford it. When
I saw my new place for
the first time I just about
cried. It was a beautiful
one bedroom ground floor
apartment right on the
marina. The entire place
opened up to two catamarans
parked out front with
a boardwalk leading right
past an italian restaurant
into the pub. I mean who
could ask for more! In the
mornings when I sit outside
and have my coffee
I watch the tourists excitedly
board the catamaran
for a day excursion .
At night I sit with a glass
of wine and listen to the
band playing at the pub
and watch people dancing.
Its a great way to live and
not feel alone.
The best thing about Turks
and Caicos is the people.
Everyone is so friendly
and the friends i’ve made
here are genuinely happy
to spend time with me. I
find no one has a attitude
like they are better then
anyone else and they are
just enjoying the blessed
island life. Recently i
have made friends with
the local wake boarding
crowd (http://www.nautiquesports.com/)
who
have kindly invited me on
various boat trips. Wake
boarding is the best compliment
to kiteboarding
here on the island. On non
wind days the ocean is butter
flat, shallow and clear.
It’s such an amazing feeling
to be gliding along the
water and see a turtle or a
sting ray below you as you
share the canal between
the mangroves.
On other non wind days
we like to go Stand UP
Paddle boarding through
mangrove island. I went a
couple times with SUP Provo
(http://supprovo.com/)
and learned all about the
importance of mangroves
and how they are an es-