Kitesoul Magazine #25 International Edition

138
NAVIGATION
Blue Moon: kitesurfing in the moonlight
Group sessions, all the better if with
expert riders
A night kite session, even with a beautiful and inviting full
Moon, it's not for everyone. Poor visibility conditions make
everything more difficult, especially if something goes
wrong. A beginner or a kiter who is not quite such an expert
rider or used to the safety systems or self-rescue should remain
ashore. Even expert riders should never kite alone but
keep an eye on and assist one another during the session to
cope with any problem. Groups of two or three riders would
be ideal, riding upwind together keeping a safe distance
from one another.
Any rider during a night kite session, even if only minutes
short, should wear standard safety equipment, that is a life
jacket, or impact, helmet and line cutter secured to the harness.
Also, wearing a headlamp it’s a good idea, very useful
not only to get the gear ready and handle it but also during
the session and in case of any problem. Once in the water
it can be turned off now and then, just to enjoy the natural
light of the Moon, but with a simple click you can count on
an additional light source.
Navigation lights, night companions
Handling the equipment, especially the kite and the lines of
the control bar and the safety system, represent the most
critical factor during a session with poor visibility. But for
some years now, on the market you can find LED lights that
can be fixed to the kite but also to the lines and even to the
board. They are water proof devices available in different
colours which help seeing the strategic parts of the kite, for
example the leading edge or the tips, the lower or upper surface,
the pre-lines of the back lines or the bridle systems.
Some ad hoc models can be easily purchased online on
specialized websites, such as www.cobrakites.com or www.
passionkites.com.
Thanks to these navigation lights, less than a year ago the
Portuguese kiter Francisco Lufinha managed to cross the
Atlantic Ocean from Lisbon to the Madeira Archipelago, riding
through the night on high seas.
In short, riding at night, gliding on a board pulled by a kite
that stands against the sky and a seductive full Moon carries
an undeniable charm. You might not try any manoeuvres
and radical jumps, but even so you will enjoy the peace
and that special charm of the sea which at night is even
more mysterious.
NG iN cYCLADES
SHORT story
ze’s original design
YOU CAN SPORT THE FEATURED ADVENTURES OF KITER SOZE ALWAYS
WITH YOU, PRINTED ON THEMED T-SHIRTS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED
ON HTTPS://KITERSOZE.THREADLESS.COM.
07
ardoq
Kitesurfbasically is
the Art of
Waiting