Dan's Papers - July 4, 2008 -

My best friend and I always seem to find a way to turn some mundane activity into an intense competition. Some people would simply call this competitive habit masculinity. We, however, take it to the next level.

For example, we were at the beach flying kites this past weekend. Rather, I should say we were both attempting to fly kites. After much frustration, the wind finally picked up and the kites lifted off. That, however, wasn't enough for us. We created a competition to see whose kite could fly the highest. There was no real way for us to gauge the heights of our kites since they were both pretty close, but we argued back and forth making our cases as to whose kite went the highest.

We ceased making a scene at the beach, called it a draw and decided to throw a football around. While we were having a catch, my friend pointed out a man, who looked like he was a body double in the movie 300, walking on the beach with a board and something that looked like a parachute. We couldn't figure out what he was doing, but we saw the girls we were scoping out switch their attention from us to the dude who went into the water with his board and parachute. Within minutes, he was whipping around the ocean on this board of his with a kite that definitely went higher in the air than the stationary kites my friend and I were arguing about earlier.

As we were walking back to my car after watching the man we called "The Greek God," we tried to figure out where we went wrong with the women. It probably was the moment we were flying kites, but we couldn't admit to that. So, we decided to check out kitesurfing.

Now, I'm not a water sport expert, but kitesurfing looked pretty easy. The guy who went from lying on his back in the ocean to standing and riding waves as the kite went higher and higher in the air looked like he didn't even break a sweat. I figured I'd be cruising around the ocean in no time. I went home that night and did some research. If there's one thing I can tell you from my research, it's that I was wrong.

Not that kitesurfing is impossible from what I found, but it's definitely not as easy as flying a kite. First off, kitesurfers have to be strong and have a good sense of balance to be pulled through the water. People attempting to kitesurf should also be pretty good swimmers and comfortable in the water.

Without a doubt, the main thing when it comes to kitesurfing is safety. It's important to check the weather forecast before heading out and to continue checking the weather and wind conditions while you're out in the water. Kitesurfers should also ride with side-shore winds and avoid kitesurfing in crowded areas, near rocks, trees or power lines. And when it comes to launching or landing the kite, kitesurfers need to be extremely careful, as that's when most accidents occur. It may be a good idea to have a safety knife attached to the harness for cutting tangled lines.

In order to minimize possible dangers, it's highly recommend that beginner kitesurfers take lessons. The equipment can be misunderstood and the kitesurfing classes tend to focus on teaching the important skills of kite launching, flying, landing, using the bar and lines, as well as teaching beginners about the safety devices.

One of the first lessons taught to most students is body dragging. Body dragging is exactly as it sounds, in that the student's body is dragged through the water as the kite flies in the sky. This technique can come in handy later on if a kite surfer loses his or her board mid-kitesurfing and needs to get to shore. Usually, the next step after body dragging is getting your feet hooked up to the board. After that, it's hopefully smooth surfing.

However, getting started may not only be a physical obstacle for some, but a monetary one too. Basic kitesurfing equipment can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the gear you buy. The essentials are a kite, board, harness, bar, and lines. However, some people may want to have a life jacket, wetsuit and gloves among other items.

After researching these kitesurfing basics and seeing what's involved, I think I may go back to just flying my kite and realizing that there are just some things I'll never be good at. Admitting that to my friend, on the other hand, is something I don't plan on doing anytime soon.