And we are certainly getting it…..consistently awesome days with blue skies, sunshine, warm water conditions and wind, wind, wind…..

With school holidays upon us we have been busy with the influx of adventure seeking visitors to the town, and with the wind making other activities not so attractive we are onto a winner.

The 22nd of September saw us out on the sandbar at 1770 with Ryan in a 15knot wind for his first lesson, using the trainer kite and flying the 6m Naish.

The next day saw us out there again in what can only be described as epic conditions…..2.5 hours on the sandbar in a sweet 20knots plus with the 6m Naish. LJ manages to pull off some body dragging in the estuary on an outgoing tide….having himself a blast (hard not to under these circumstances).

On the 27th we took Anthony and Nigel out for their first taste in slight winds….able to achieve some skills in slightly less than optimum conditions with the 9m North EVO still providing some pull….

With the perfect Northerly conditions the local flyers have also been out in force carving it up…..Craig is now pulling off some great upwind jumps and Richie has been progressing at lightening speed with his new Naish 12metre girlfriend …

Here is craig who has progressed so well in the last couple of session on his North Rebel 12 m

Luke carving it hard in front of Privilege

Richi looking really relax on his new board and kite …

Luke and Richi flying fast …

Richi executiing an almost perfect jump … not bad for a beginner with brand new 12m. Naish Helix

Luke carving hard on the Cult Naish 10.5 m

Dont forget the Coolum Kite Festival will showcase some of the best kite flyers from around the world. Kites of all shapes and sizes will be on display including some massive character and theme based kites. The 2009 Festival will also showcase Kite Surfers from around Australia competing in the competitive waves of Coolum Beach. Displays from parachute jumps are also a regular inclusion, as is a huge cultural arts component and a popular music festival.

More information can be found at http://www.coolumkitefestival.com.

We are definitely participating to that Race/Downwinder 10-11th of October 2009, from Great Keppel Island to Yepoon … really exciting and here are the latest information:

It will be on the weekend of the pinefest 10th to 11th October I’m just finishing the forms tonight and it should be on the web site very soon www.yeppoonpinefest.com.au

Option A is $95.00 plus $65 for aksa membership Inc Boat over on Saturday, accommodation Keppel haven, Dinner and Breakfast at the pizza shop

Option B is $55 plus $65 aksa membership boat over Sunday that’s for kitesurfing it will be the same price for the windsurfers apart from the aksa membership its $60 for a sailing member at the sailing club or if they have a silver card.

People need to have the experience to do this event its 18km down winder. The event will start about lunch time on Sunday the 11th depending on the winds.

For more information please contact us or Stuart Suthers
T: 07 4927 6666 | F: 07 4927 4840 | M: 0417 057 989
Email: stuart.suthers@bluescopesteel.com

New arrival in the team of KiteSurf 1770 … Barbara Privilege … She has been around from Sydney to Agnes Water on the boat … and after that trip … she decided to be a full member and support to our team … we welcome her warmly !

We are experiencing the best Northerly wind since last summer blowing 15-20 knots every days … teaching and riding on the sandbar is delightful in these conditions … and it is not even the beginning of summer !?

Hey guys and gals…..not too much to report for the last two weeks with unreliable wind keeping us focused on our moving mission to our new premises….( 3 Graham Colyer Drive) so not enough excuses to avoid humping furniture up and down stairs but at least we got it over with quickly.

Click here for the link to google map …

Our new location is top notch, one block from the beach and plenty of room for all the accessories of kiteworld that seem to accumulate wherever we go.

The 7th of September saw us out on the 1770 Sandbar with Lorenzo for his first session achieving a board launch topped off by a supreme stack but he kept at it with great results.

On the 13th we tripped the van fantastic down to Broadwater Haven with Lorenzo again and Sandra joined us for her first day. Unfortunately the wind did not co-operate so we unloaded the stand-up-paddle boards and took them for a spin on the estuary so all was not lost. Cedric and Luke also had a crack at kiting with the sup boards with some surprisingly good results.

The 16th September we signed up Stefan and Yvonne, a couple from Germany, for the kite boarding experience, with the first lesson down on the main beach in 15 knots solid sou’easterly with both mastering their skills on the trainer and the 15 meter Cabrinha…..now all we must do is wait for the wind to return….

While we are waiting for the new season to crank we have been entertaining a few locals and backpackers with free tours on the new SUP (stand-up-paddle boards) with excellent feedback on how rewarding it is … permits should be in-hand in a few days so get in quick for a free tryout of the latest craze.

The tours we developed are adapted for everybody from really young age (with parent) to the tender 90 year old !
Everybody can practice that sport safely and we probably have the most beautiful estuary to cruise around the 1770.
A totally new experience that will leave you speachless ….

School holidays start next week so if you are heading our way don’t forget to book in advance…..

Also don’t forget the big “Downwinder” as part of the Yeppoon Pinefest….come and join us for this unique experience……details at www.yeppoonpinefest.com.au.

As announced in the last blog, Aidan, representing the North and Naish kite and boards brands, came over in Agnes Water on the 12 of August to demonstrate the quality of the new 2010 Naish and North boards and Kites … Not the best condition to do a demo day but Luke manage to carve it hard in the waves on the new Naish Torsh 11m unstrapped on his surfboard ! Really interesting new range of kites and board! We got really impressed by the new North Board which includes a board for all level … extremely good quality !

Another note on our new website which is starting to take form and should be online by then end of september … cant wait !

An action packed few weeks here with some rockin’ northerly action keeping the dream alive at a time we are usually couched up and losing form.

With the northerly action we have been spending a lot of time on the 1770 Sandbar in 15-25 knots with a wide variety of students from all over the world and quite a few experienced kiters tagging along as word of our choice location spreads like wildfire.

The 17th and 18th saw us out on the sandbar with Neil having his first lesson and cruising through level 1. Stefanie, Denis and Nadine (all independent kiters) joined us also for what can only be described as a super sweet session carving up the estuary in smooth wind and perfect water conditions.

With the South Easterlies kicking in on the 19th we packed the van and headed out through Deepwater National Park for a Broadwater Mission with Stefanie (she can’t get enough), Michael, Chris, JoJo and Pauline. All the newbies having a blast and the hotshots strutting their stuff with the wind dropping out late in the session unfortunately preventing attempts at boardriding for the new guys….but there is always next time guys….

The 22nd saw us out with Andrew from W.A and Blake both completing Level 1 certification with ease in 15-20 knots on the Sandbar.

Sunday saw us out on the Sandbar again with the addition of Sandrine to the crew. Andrew did a great job riding the board …. way to go mate! Craig also came out for the session and got himself in a bit of strife tangling up in some trees but a successful rescue mission is always good to keep us on our toes.

After a few days of rest and relaxation (more kiting with no students) we had a great session with Cecile in 15-20 knots learning kite control.

The added bonus of where we are has also provided us with some amazing dolphin action with Cedric spotting a new baby dolphin cruising the waters of Round Hill Creek on Saturday.

Also some big news for us is we are moving to a bigger and better location with the advent of becoming an accredited IKO Centre and with the addition of the Stand-Up-Paddle Gear which arrived on the weekend we even have the non-windy days covered for activity.

Thanks to all for the positive feedback on our service, the area and of course the enjoyment of the sport and thank you all for the big grins and enthusiasm that certainly makes our job not seem like a job at all.

On another exciting note we have just received brand new kite gear from Naish and North with some great packages available and remember…discount for those who have lessons with us…….

First but not last … on the 11-12-13 of August 2009, we will have the visit of the sales rep of North and Naish coming in Agnes Water with the newbies of 2010 ! Aidan will be here to demonstrate the new gear revealed by Naish and North kite, plenty of demos … hopefully the weather will be with us … Keep in touch in the next few weeks as FONE will also come over here to demonstrate what the french brand has to offer too for the next year models ….

Well guys and gals, another great couple of weeks on the water with the wind in our kites, our usually windless winter has been giving us quite a few bonus days to get out and about.

The 28th July saw us out with Michael for his first time on the strings in light winds but enough for him to achieve level 1 Certification on the Main Beach.

Graeme Tee flew over from New Zealand to have a crack at kitesurfing in a warm environment so he still had tackle at the end of his session and had himself a blast on the 1770 Sandbar in 15-20 knots on a 12m North Rebel & Naish Haze board and the next day Johan Hoff came out for an intense 3hr session in consistent light winds on the main beach, reaching level 1 Certification, body dragging in the surf on a 10m Bandit.

Frederick and Dalila came out with us for a group lesson on the Main Beach on the 8th August, with a non-promising wind turning into a roaring 25knots sou’easter to test their newfound skills and create some excitement.

Kaisa is still with us, kiting at every opportunity, riding both sides and carving through the waves like a true champ…..you go girl……

We have a great event coming up in October as part of the Yeppoon “PINEFEST”. The organisers have put together a “DOWN-WINDER” from Great Keppel Island to Yeppoon, an amazing 23km stretch of water. This event will include ferry transport to the island, an overnight camping stay on great Keppel and of course, the kiteride of the year.

Stay tuned for more details in our fortnightly newsletter…..hope to see you there….

Well guys and gals …..the wind has been up and raging…..the kitesurfing addiction has been claiming new victims left, right and centre and the big news for us this week is that we are now an accredited IKO Centre. So people….now you can find us on the Official IKO Website and this now opens the door for us to train Assistant Instructors and students too.

The 18th July saw us out with Annina and Kaisa and the infamous Laville boys in slightly dodgy conditions, everyone so dedicated to the cause its amazing to see. Annina has been working hard to get certified before her return to Finland and acheived her goal and is riding like a champ. Annina has now left us and our crazy kiteworld house and is sorely missed….we wish you the best precious and look forward to seeing photos of you freezing your ass off with a big grin on your face…..

Kaisa, Pudge and Katherine all piled in the van for a Middle Creek Mission on the 19th….keen to work out the kinks of the day before and hone their skills. The wind once again is up and down so that provides another challenge to the learners but its all in a days flying.

We also had the opportunity to demo the new 12m Ozone Instinct with fantastic results…sweet hang time and awesome performance…

you are gonna want one…..

Well that about wraps it up for the moment and all being well in wind world we will be raging onward and upward…..

We are definitely feeling like Santa is taking care of us this year with a manageable water temp and crispy blue skies with a decent dose of wind on top…..

July has started off with a bang…..the 4th of July saw us out on the 1770 Sandbar with a new student Anina in a steady 15-20 knot Sou’wester having a blast and after a couple of windless days to recover was back out again for more with a huge crew on a Broadwater Haven mission.

Anina, Luke, Cedric, Alan, Scott, Adam, Spencer, Robert, Richie, Kaiser and Frank all piled into the fourbies on the 8th to cruise the Deepwater National Park track to Broadwater Haven for a magnificent day on the estuary.

With a great mix of seasoned riders and new students a tremendous time was had by all. This was the biggest crew we have had in the water out there at one time and amazingly there were no spills but just plenty of thrills. The 20knot wind challenged the newbies and put shit-eating grins on the regulars, and after the first session we hit the BBQ with Richie as sausage bitch, (damn he looks fine in that apron), and re-fueled for the afternoon bash. Adam and Spencer (troublesome Irish boys) were ripping it up on the bandit in style…nice one guys. When it started to get dark we had to forcibly extract the punters…only by promising to return the next day for more…..

Tyler (and his plus one kite widow) joined us on the next day mission at Broadwater with great success…..had a blast and did a great job getting up on the board in the first session….well done for a Canadian!

The 10th saw us out on the Sandbar with Daniella on her first lesson in what seemed to be a gale force wind with staying power but unfortunately dropped out early in the piece for a more subdued introduction …..

Today was a ripper on the sandbar in 20+ North Westerlies, the Finnish girls making a great showing, Anina getting up on the board and her face is still hurting from smiling….you go girl!!! Richie and Cedric turned up also (ditched the office again) and carved it up some to keep their hand in.

That about wraps it up for our week but keep ‘em coming people….get out and about and get some wind up ya!

Well punters….sorry the blog has been a long time coming with the boss away on a sailing trip from Tasmania back to Agnes Water and 1770 on a fancy yacht but Luke returned from a sojourn in Japan to be here handling the reins on his lonesome while Cedric got a taste for the ol’ briny but we will attempt to bring you up to date.

On the return trip the crew sailed via the Great Barrier Reef and managed to get some kitesurfing action in on the Fitzroy Lagoon…..a first for us and Cedric and we think the first ever appearance of a kite over the Lagoon….(not to mention our special girl Babara Privilege putting in a showing)…ground breaking stuff..

May was a cracker for continuing south easterly winds, enabling us to get out there at a time of year when it usually is calm and flat and more suitable conditions for the snorkellers.

The month saw us with a variety of beginners from all over the globe, the European travelers predominant at this time of year, and with the water temperature staying in the 20’s not too many complaints…with many achieving excellent results in a short amount of time. The water is still too cold for the locals though with our regular flyers staying on shore with their beanies and ugg boots.

Broadwater Haven continues to be the ideal spot for learning with the shallow water and sheltered estuary making it easy for the beginners to focus on their flying without having to deal with the extra challenge of surf and relaunching from deep water.

As an added bonus for the kiters there were plenty of 4wd day missions through the Deepwater National Park to get to Broadwater, with a few punters catching a sight of one of our native creatures….an Echidna (kinda like a giant hedgehog) with a couple of snake sightings to boot. One snake was even having a snooze on the beach…. long enough to get some good shots.

Luke, in the interests of entertaining the crowd, was again the only casualty…..at main beach in a 15knot Sou’easterlies managed to get his line caught in a tree and and losing all control with the kite doing a loop through the power zone managed to almost plaster himself into the tree as well….thankfully his catlike reflexes and the panic pulling on the safety release saved the day with only some minor sand rash as a result….he wont have to wax for a week or two.

June showed continued promise of kitable winds but the unpredictable conditions provided slightly more challenge….once again the europeans were out in force (escaping their summer…..madness) and polishing their skills for when they return home….with most of the lessons on the main beach just 2 mins from our door….

Most of the students came out with us for between 4-8 hours…..and with the majority of our flyers drawn from the backpacking crew it surely shows that the entertainment value of kitesurfing is great bang for your buck……

That pretty much wraps it up for the last few weeks and we are looking forward to the return of the consistent winds and the warmer days….just around the corner…..

As we are approaching the end of our windy season here in Agnes Water and 1770 (we have to throw the divers a bone occasionally), I have remarkably little to report…..

The “COCONET CLASSIC” Extreme sports and music festival was great fun with a lot of interest shown in the new range of hi-tech kite gear available on the market as well as the sport itself ….. and the entry fee for competitors was well worth it just for the incredible musical lineup that was included with the competition entry fee.

We had great wind for the duration of the competition and considering this was the first year of the competition …. a reasonable turnout.

If you are ready to upgrade to a new set of gear…now is the time to grab a bargain with some great 2008/2009 used-gear available - and you are welcome to try it first!!!

Check our second hand gear 2008-2009 for sale

Check our 2009 North full packages …. prices smashed … brand new !

Marco has left us to explore Australia but is planning to be back on board as soon as the new season is under way …… we miss you frenchy.

We will be closed the all month of May (… we deserve a bit of a holliday !!!), but back up and running again in June. We would like to thank you all for your support in our new venture and look forward to seeing more of you hit the skies with us soon.

Well punters, with another week of fantastic conditions under our belt (and thats not all)… we certainly have some action to report and as the end of the season still seems to be eluding us … we continue to recruit more people that are more than willing to embrace the world of kitesurfing …. if only everything was this easy!!!

Marco on a session … always up there !

Of course, as I believe I may have mentioned before, the immediate area and extended surrounding world of National Parks has provided us with such a varied choice of locations that our hardest task is deciding which beautiful spot to visit each day … oh the strain of it all …

Middle Creek … Kite Boarding Paradise … note the helicopter still looking for the lost fishermens !

Anyway … enough of our hardships and on to the rundown, Tuesday the 26th of March had John (UK) and Jason out with Marco at Wreck Rock in Deepwater National Park for a 3 hour group lesson in a smooth 15-20 sou’easterly (just for something completely different).

John and Jason for their first lesson @ Wreck Rock / DeepWater NP

John and Jason flying the trainer kite !

John and Jason learned how to fly the small kite, set up the big kite and do some body dragging in some challenging surf conditions … nice work for someone who probably doesn’t get to the beach much.

The next day we had a private lesson with John at Middle Creek in Eurimbula National Park in another smooth, you guessed it, 15-20 SE wind.

John on the body dragging with the 12 m. Rebel 2009.

With the estuary to ourselves yet again, taking a break from the waves to enjoy some flat water, you couldn’t really ask for more (not that we would knock back bikini-clad nymphs handing out shots of tequila) and at the end of 2.5 hours was riding the board both sides … woohoo!!!

John on the body dragging with the 12 m. Rebel 2009.

After a rest day we again returned to the scene of many of our most recent weekend escapades, Broadwater Haven with another big crew of beginners and veterans.

Broadwater Kitesurfari … the crew !

Greg from Cool Bananas Backpackers and Zoe (local girl) joined us for a group lesson with Cedric with both quickly picking up the skills. Zoe rapidly overcame her initial nervousness about whether she could manage the kites and excitement and enthusiasm soon took over as understanding that this sport really is for everyone set in. Zoe also gained some first hand knowledge of how the safety gear works after neatly landing her kite on one of the instructors! While this is a rare event it is a good opportunity to experience how the safeguards can protect you and others in a tricky situation. See you out there again soon gorgeous !!

Morten (from Denmark), hired gear and charged through a Level 3 certification with Marco before Craig jumped straight into board riding on both sides in a quick hour top-up lesson.

Morten flying around in the beautiful lagoon of shallow waters in Broadwater !

Alan had his first student on the 29th and in only a 3hour private lesson, Kenneth was up on the board and riding both sides…..a supreme effort on both counts (although I am sure that Alan will take full credit for this due to his exceptional teaching skills)…..nice team work guys!

Alan with his first Student, Kenneth … well done mates !

Alan watching his student from the shore.

Gordon ditched the crafty ladies picnic and came out as a independent to try out some different gear combinations and seemed the most impressed with the power that the 11 metres Bandit has to offer.

Look at him … Gordon our best realestate agent in town as well as stylish kiteboarder !

Cedric has now achieved his Level 2 Instructor certification as he has completed over 160 hours of instruction with over 55 students and is working on making Kitesurf1770 a registered IKO Centre.

Cedric is now L2 IKO instructor !

As you can see, Kitesurf 1770 can offer the ultimate in a Kitesurfing learning experience. Not only are our instructors accomplished, knowledgeable and dedicated to providing you with the tools to learn quickly and efficiently in a safe environment, (they are handsome and funny too), but you also get to experience some of the most incredible scenery and wildlife that Australia has to offer with every day bringing a new experience.

Well, back to the beach now to polish our skills for the “COCONET CLASSIC” extreme sports competition in Tannum Sands over the Easter Weekend and we hope to see you there!!!!

Well, as promised by the forecasters that be…..(I know! Can you believe it?) we had so much wind over the weekend that the boss actually stayed in the office today.

Perfect conditions … ready to go ! In broadwater haven !

Marco, Bradley and Giselle … Our incredible vehicle !

We headed out to Broadwater Haven for the weekend with a huge crew of independents and a couple of students to keep us grounded (pun intended). We had beautifully consistent south easterly winds from 15 to 25 knots for the three days away … drilling ourselves on new tricks and just plain showing off to the crew.

Giselle on her second lesson at Broadwater … easy ! On the board and riding !

Marco passing some new tricks during a session !

On the 18th March we had our fastest learning student so far. Marco was teaching Josh at Wreck Rock in the Deepwater National Park in the regular (for Agnes Water) 15-20 knot sou’easter, and Josh was waterstarting after only two hours on the lines…..way to go hot shot!!

Alan and Nita watching Marco playing hard !

Friday, Saturday and Sunday saw us going through varied combinations of students to instructors, Hedgar doing a certification that now makes him a level 3 independent kiteboarder , Giselle and Jonathan carving it up, both getting up on the board, and of course the regulars, Alan, Bradley, Kieran, Cedric and Marco zipping around the Estuary and river mouth until they dropped, then going back for more.

Kieran and Alan … and dogs … in for a session !

We tried a few new kites (GENETRIX)that tested our strength in new ways and definitely produced the extra height needed for the spectacular jumps so the muscle spasms were worth it.

Genetrix will be happy to see that we keep consistency between the colours of their kite and the bikinis of our students !!

We have these brand new in Australia GENETRIX kites available for sale at $1550 for the 9 metre and $1650 for the 12 metre with a two year guarantee!! Beat that!

A big thanks to the girls behind the scenes too … generally boosting our egos with their presence, cheering and little bikinis, not to mention the food production and entertainment in the post dusk shenanigans……we love having you there….

… here are the girls … responsible for the cheering and the cooking of our sausages !

I know I have mentioned this before but the Broadwater Haven experience is amazing for the whole family. Fishing, swimming, wildlife watching, boating, BBQ-ing, open fires with top notch accommodation (not sure if the T.V works, we never tried). Not everyone has to fly to be able to enjoy this place…..

A bit of a party on sunday night ended up in a fantastic hoola hoop session … directed by Tanya Gillies from Hoop Fusion !!

Tarnya on the LED hoop …

Don’t forget to check out the “COCONET CLASSIC” at www.coconetclassic.net.au.

We are preparing for some great wind conditions for the next 4 days … from Friday to Monday.

Wednesday until midnight: SE winds 20/25 knots. Seas to 2.2 metres in open waters. Isolated showers.
Thursday: SE winds 20/30 knots north of Gladstone, 20/25 knots south. Seas 2.3 to 3 metres. Showers, increasing to rain in the north.
Friday: SE winds 20/30 knots north of Gladstone, 20/25 knots south.
Saturday: SE winds 20/30 knots.
Sunday: SE winds 20/30 knots.

We are going to organize full day missions to Broadwater Haven everyday (check photos in attachment for a visual of the place!).
Broadwater Haven is only a 50min 4WD trip from Agnes Water, driving through Deep Water National Park … an experience in itself !

It is an amazing place with a variety of locations providing everything from super easy conditions in a shallow estuary to learn kiteboarding to some serious surf action on the beachfront for the more adventurous … and much much more.

We have exclusive access to kiteboard on this property for only $5 per person (does not include lesson !! ), … so please pass on the message to your friends and guests that we are heading to Broadwater everyday over the weekend, pick-up available from Agnes Water and Town of 1770 (only 8 places available each day!). This will be a full day mission, including 4WD tour through Deep Water National Park. Transport and entry to Broadwater for $25 ( we can organize lunch too !). We have a dedicated place there with BBQ area and shower and toilet to accommodate guests.

We are expecting great kiteboarding conditions … and the spot is just fantastic …Our Introduction to Kiteboarding Package starts at $95 per person for 2 hours (plus $25 for transport and entry). We also have other packages available - (check our new brochure attached !).

To download our new brochure including new tours and packages click here !

Departure every day: 9.30-10 am … 8 places available only ! … be quick !!!

Hope to see you soon !

HOT SALE !!! X-WY NEW STORM

Are you a Surfer, Skater, Kiteboarder, Jetskier, Wakeboarder or just tired of spending money on boardshorts that just don’t last?? Looking for the right gear ?? We have what you are looking for …

The new “STORM” Board short:

Because protection is not an option but a necessity, X-WY has provided the answer to comfort, protection and style with these boardshorts, which will help the passionate riders to explore the limits of their extreme sport without taking unnecessary risks!

There is not a board short on the market so far, that is really adapted to water based extreme sports like Kiteboarding, Wakeboarding, Motocross and much more!

Created for durability and performance, X-WY provide a one year guarantee of their fabrication techniques and the highest quality materials that will give riders total satisfaction for a long time!

With features like - removable hip and tailbone protection, internal padding in essential areas, slide resistant hip bands, U.V protective stain resistant fabric, and many more features, we challenge you to find a more stylish and efficient protective clothing product on the market.

Sebastian Catellan, World Champion in Speed Kiteboarding in 2008, confirms:

“At more than 45 knots I need serious protection … real protection! But I also want to keep my mobility while kiting waves or freestyling. Nothing will never replace my “STORM” boardies from X-WY, as these are THE only ones I will use!

The ‘STORM” will give you comfort, protection, durability.

The ‘STORM” will give you comfort, protection, durability.”

Sébastien CATTELAN
World Champion Speed Kiteboarding 2008

Marc Antoine Martin is also a proud representative of  “X-WY Storm” Boardies.
For over a year he has been kiteboarding with his “Storm” boardies, and with no sign of deterioration!!  It has been proven that with the many built-in and removable reinforcements this is probably the best protective gear available on the market in the case of a strong water crash.

Come and visit us at the “Coconet Classic” between the 8th -12th April 2009 and we will show you what we mean!!  We will be selling these shorts at our Kiosk ( available in three colours) but the first shipment will be limited … so be quick !

We are the only people in Australia to represent this brand and we are really proud to sell this amazingly good product!

More info … http://www.x-wy.com/

Contact us for prices and more information.

Well guys, the weather has certainly gone from one extreme to the other around here, keeping us on our toes, the couch and in the air from one day to the next.

As a stream of camper trailers, caravans and boats headed out of town in response to a possible “Hamish” hammering, vans and station wagons topped with surfboards poured in for the Agnes Water Longboard Classic Surf Competition over the weekend and of course the requisite extra cyclone thrill seekers.

The weekend certainly produced some fantastic waves for the surfers but the kite-raising gusts with their multitude of split second directional shifts were pretty impossible to harness and direct our kites into any semblance of order.

With a small respite on Saturday the 7th, Marco and Jerry (brand new L1 IKO instructor) headed out to Broadwater Haven in the Deepwater National Park with Florence and Bernadette in a smooth 10-15 knot wind. Flo was styling it up on both sides of the board and Bernadette was out for her second lesson with us and got up on the board! Great guns girl!

As the cyclone warnings started pouring in and the town went into lockdown mode on Sunday, our international visitors and instructor, blissfully unaware of the possibilities of destruction on our small beachside community, hit the beach with their gear to see if they could get any action. I think the photos will speak for themselves.

We are looking forward to this next week bringing some excellent winds for our students with a full schedule planned to instruct and hone skills for the “Coconet Classic” in Tannum Sands early next month.

Well, thank the powers that send us the wind as atrophy was setting in…..(not a good look for a kitesurfer).

It felt so good to be out and about again that even the less-than perfect conditions had us heading for the door with kites and boards in hand, jostling for position for the shotgun seat in the van.

On the 24th we took out a couple of local kids for a free fly - hooked up on a 6 metre kite - getting some hang time and testing their nerves on the beach.

Wednesday the 25th saw us with a new student, Florence, from Switzerland hitting the fantastic estuary at Broadwater Haven on the outskirts of Deepwater National Park with Marco in a 15-20knot South Easterly breeze. Flo took to the 6 metre Naish kite with flair, bodydragging and self rescuing with ease.

It was a serious mission to get there after record rainfall hit the area and a soggy engine stopped us for a while but the magic spray fixed ‘er right up.

Bradley got into some toe-side transitions riding with his just purchased gear, a North 10metre and new harness.

Monte cruised out with us and explored the whole area by kite - up and down the creek, out of the mouth into the surf and back again until he was making us dizzy just watching.

The end of the session saw us doing a photoshoot for Naish with Marco and he was pumping out some freestyle moves that will knock your jocks off ….. keep your eye out in the kiteboarding magazines for those….(sneak preview coming your way) …..

And daahlings … do check out our new promo video …
… click here.

Broadwater called us back on the 26th with Florence inspiring us to get back out there ….. and after a 2.5 hour private lesson was riding on the board … both sides!!!! You go girl!!!

Monte and Alan tagged along with the usual duo of Marco and Cedric and the boys were like kids in a gun store playing with … (I mean scientifically testing) … all the new gear that has landed on our doorstep.

Margaux had a 3hr private lesson on the 27th at the Agnes Water Main Beach Surf Club in a cruisy 10-15knots after which she promptly booked in for her next day experience at Broadwater Haven.

The 28th saw us on yet another Broadwater mission with 5 students (can you tell we like it there?) - 2 with us and three lost in space somewhere as they never made it (probably a bloke navigating).

Probably just as well as the wind dropped out and we had to just bum around swimming and shell collecting with Margaux and Florence (not such a hardship, check the photos).

We also had some more car trouble, called the local RACQ mechanic and despite some serious concerns on our part he performed his wizardry and fixed the car with just a screwdriver. The amazing part of all that is that the van - affectionately known as the fart car because of it’s unfortunate exhaust habits - is now running smoothly and quietly (a slight problem here at the office ‘cos now we can’t hear the boss coming).

We did manage to console ourselves by having an impromptu dabens party here at the shack - get a load of this lot!!

Thankfully it wasn’t windy Sunday so we had an excuse to avoid the bright lights and stay near the toilet…..

Also we would like to thank the beautiful folks - Frank and Nola - from Broadwater Haven for dedicating a nice shady space with picnic table, shower and barbie for us to unwind and re-fuel in.

We are planning to go into full throttle mode for the upcoming COCONET CLASSIC Extreme Sports and Music Festival, which is to be held in Tannum Sands over the Easter Weekend, with Marco entering the free-style and national competition. We will be there with our gear and information for Fri, Sat and Sun….but I would suggest Fri and Sat for those of you who actually want to get some sense out of us as Sunday is the Music part of the festival with a fantastic line-up guaranteed to be drowning us out….besides, it’s hard to watch the stall and mosh at the same time.

Hope to see some of you there studying the form - of the kiters not the bikini chicks - what the hell……BOTH!!!!

We are now also stocking Slingshot kites - that name makes me nervous - so our arsenal is becoming more impressive day by day.

Hello again flyers,

Unfortunately not too much action to report from Agnes Water and 1770 for the week, and with Jerry away in Melbourne doing his IKO instructor course we have had no one to pick on to ease the boredom.

Marco is settling in to the relaxed life of Agnes Water easily and has coped with the continued wet-and-not-windy weather admirably by heading out to the local headland to toss a line in (put the babies back next time mate) and explore the surrounding environment.

On the 21st of February, Marilu was able to use her considerable feminine wiles to talk us into a free introduction before heading out for a 2 hr lesson with Marco on Agnes Water Main Beach in a mild, 13 knot south easterly breeze but lost wind after 1.5 hrs.

On the 22nd, Johan from Brisbane was revisiting kiteland after living in the big city for a while and hadn’t touched a kite in 5 years! We took him to the surfclub in a 15 knot south easterly and after a couple of body drags up and down the beach in calm waters he managed to get up on the board and look like he never missed a day. He rented the gear for an extra hour to polish his chops and loved the location so we are looking forward to seeing him again in our neighbourhood. Hooked again…….

On the 23rd Chris and Naomi, a couple from England signed up for a three hour group lesson so we took them to Wreck Rock in the Deepwater National Park for the added fun of the trip as well as the dynamite conditions out there. In 15-25 knots sou’ east breezes they were body dragging in the surf and made great progress…..way to go guys.

Coming up on the horizon is the much anticipated “Coconet Classic”, Queenslands largest extreme sports and music festival. The festival will be held over the Easter Weekend in Boyne Island/Tannum Sands where we will be present and active and available for information on our school, lesson packages and the latest in kitesurfing equipment…..so come along and enjoy the incredible line-up of bands and extreme sporting events and the spectacle that is KITESURFING! For more info visit www.coconetclassic.net.au.

Well I have to say punters, if the rain keeps up we will all be floating away. The couch sores need lancing (I think we’ll leave that to the professionals), we have an enormous tab at the video store and we are starting to look like a bunch of pasty Englishmen.

Due to the extremely crap conditions i.e pouring rain and no wind we have been forced to cancel operations nearly every day but have been watching instructional kite videos to keep our heads in Kiteland while our bodies waste away.

Thanks to all those keen beginners who stuck around for a few extra days to give it a go, hoping in vain for a break in the weather and hope you all understand that we didn’t want to create frustration and waste your time and money by taking you out in less-than-the-perfect conditions we are used to and horribly spoiled by.

We do have one highlight though, the arrival of our new instructor Marco, from France.

1) Marco in action - 2) Marco & Robby Naish

Marco started kitesurfing back in 1999, has claimed the French Junior Champion in freestyle in 2002 and various other placings in comps around the world. He has worked in the kiteboarding industry in Egypt, Morocco, and Belgium and now has hit the shores of exotic Agnes Water….and he seems to like it!! The local girls aren’t depressed about it either…..(check him out on his website www.marcantoinemartin.fr) and lets hope we can get him to take a few lessons before they carry him off.

We braved the rain to go kiting in a 20knot Northerly on Friday the 13th (Marcos first day in the trenches) and we also managed to get in a short session on Agnes Water Main Beach on Sunday the 15th and Marco’s Kite-cam has produced some fun shots……thankfully no overhead views of the sharks that were circling as Marco doesn’t like them……maybe that explains his high level of competence in the realm of speed kiting……….good luck shark bait!

Jerry is about to take off to Melbourne to do his IKO Level One Instructor Course and then returning to Agnes for further involvement with our operation, which hopefully will mean less of the couch position and more dish-washing.

We have received all of our new kite gear which has been flying out of the showroom door……..more goodies on the way……

Hope to have better news (and dry towels) for you all next week…….

P.S We miss you Lukey…..

Well, well, finally a chance to bring you up the date with the reappearance of the logbook and the recovery of some minor memory lapses by the staff…..these things happen….

The last week of January bought some tremendous South Easterly winds our way with a major challenge for the new flyers. Johanna and Jacob stepped up to the challenge of the strong gusty winds (20-30knots) with the extra difficulty offset by the advantage of feeling what it is like to have some serious power in your kite.

On the 26th of January Dereck, Travis, Tom and Matt hit the shores of Deepwater National Park at Wreck Rock in sweet 15knot S’Easterlies all body dragging with style and most importantly, having a blast and expressing regret at having to leave us, the area and the kiterush behind them to carry on to not-so-exciting adventures but…they did leave with a bundle of posters to distribute on their journey….thanks guys….you rock!!!

On the 30th George, Craig and martin took a group lesson in 20-25 sou’easters on the 1770 sandbar. After a gusty 3hrs they left sporting tired muscles, big grins and level 1 IKO certification.

Amy came out on the 31st for a full-on experience in 30knot rip-snorting sou’east wind action at Middle Creek in Eurimbula National Park. Amy handled it marvellously , started on hook with the 3 metre trainer and never dropped the kite once!! The strong winds enabled her to accomplish body dragging with the 3 metre!! and Amy is…….coming back for more…see you soon.

Due to the gusty conditions on our doorstep and some extremely high tide action - we have been chasing the clean winds for the benefit of easy learning - so most of our lessons have been conducted in the surrounding areas of Eurimbula and Deepwater National Parks, providing students with an extra look at the beauty of the area and the wildlife at no extra cost - lucky buggers.

The first week in February saw Vanessa and Tarjen (vanpackers) up and running with Vanessa learning the ropes quickly and getting hooked much to her boyfriends delight - no kite widows this week!! Go-get-em Vanessa!! and we had Mylene and Andrew from Gladstone tripping down to Wreck Rock with the 15knot wind dropping out early in the session so they are coming back to finish up their lesson soon. Thankfully the incredible beauty of the drive through Deepwater National Park consoled them somewhat.

Today we also had our first injury on the job with our resident assistant, Jerry from Germany, improving his limited street cred by scoring an iconic bungy scar above his eye……from pretty boy to ruggedly handsome in an instant……look out girls!

From the 6th till the 9th we had the Broadwater Bonanza Weekend ….

On Friday, Richie, Luke, Jerry, Cedric and Judith and Rolph, independent riders from Switzerland, hit the Haven first, all riding and practising jumps in perfect 15-18 knot sou’easterlies on the Estuary, the only calm water for miles. Luke took a spectacular stack to become limp luke for a day or two but hell, those kiwis are tough…

On Saturday Patrick Ryan from Gladstone joined us for some private training with Luke and our newest kitesurf junkie Kieran hired the 10mtr and 14mtr Banditos to try out the variety of rides, he likes the big smooth one…. and special thanks to Richie for his fancy fingerwork on the Macbook Pro serving up a great kitesurf video with all our resident stars so we could watch it over and over and over and over and over again.

With all the girlfriends in attendance, fire twirling, hula hoops, guitars and stacked BBQ and open fire, Saturday night took it’s toll on a few of the crew but Patrick returned on Sunday with determination and a hangover to battle it out on the estuary again.

He also performed several vehicular rescue missions throughout the day - a true all rounder….thanks Patrick…..can I have my pillow back now? Jade sparked up the trainer kite as did 10 yr old Cody who was body dragging AND got up on a surfboard unstrapped ….

….. look out kitesurfing community, we have an early starter.

Quick note…..we can offer this to you too ….. this amazing place has it all ….. primo cabins, surf beach, estuary, deep and shallow water, stingrays, fishing, shellhunting and oh yeah, kitesurfing ……

Sunday saw most of us heading for home, happy and sunburnt but Judith and Rolph wouldn’t leave and stayed an extra night so they could have the place all to themselves …. I bet they missed us though ….

A sad note for us - Luke is now a Level 2 IKO Instructor after completing his 160 hours of student training. Good-on-yer mate!!! So he is ditching us for bigger and better things…..you’ll be back gimpy!!!

Well flyers, if you have been reading our blogs you will certainly have seen that we have been busy and loving it!

As we keep telling you, the incredible beauty of the various kiteboarding destinations that are encompassed within our area combined with an almost foolproof guarantee of Wind! Wind! Wind! at this time of year have kept the travelers in town for longer than they intended and as the word spreads out of the area, kitesurfers from around the globe and up and down the Australian coastline have been showing up to see if the rumours are true…..and they are!!!

We have also been busy exploring new sites and have found some primo lagoons that provide an excellent alternative to a choppy swell for learning the tricky bits of boardriding and the National Parks have been delivering the wildlife experiences that we all hope to have in the Australian Bush. With turtle laying season in top gear we have seen some magnificent sights, the giant green sea turtles love the area as much as we do.

We are now gearing up for some amazing KITESURFARI missions and are about to launch some packages that will blow some serious wind up your kites!

Imagine, the combination of a Great Barrier Reef kite-surfing experience, an overnight camping mission or just a day trip 4WD surfari into the surrounding Deepwater or Eurimbula National Parks with two full days flying and some serious “downwinders” or even a ride on an amphibious craft to otherwise inaccessible locations to play the day away with not another soul in sight. All these and more will be available soon. Check the website for more details.

Amazing results have been achieved with our new flyers due to the diversity of the locations we have at our fingertips with great successes had by all. Congratulations Guys and Gals!!! We have also had a lot of independent kitesurfers showing up with their own gear to tag along on our excursions to wherever the wind might be taking us which has been a great addition to our classes and has certainly made for some great days out.

We have had an amazing time creating a kitesurfing scene here in Agnes Water/Town of 1770 and can’t wait to share with the rest of you.

So…….put down the remote control and get here as fast as you can with your go-get-em attitudes for the ride-of-your-life in our little piece of paradise!!!

Well crew, unfortunately not too much to report this week due to some persistent rain in the wake of cyclone Charlotte which also sucked up all our wind. We should also note here that with us all being spoiled here in Agnes Water with consistent blue skies and clear waters as soon as the grey overcast weather sets in we get a bit lethargic and head for the video store.

The 14th, 15th, and 16th saw us on the couch with action flicks, reviewing our home brand kite movies to get tips from each others techniques, seeing where we can improve our moves and laughing at our wipeouts.

Holly came out for her last lesson on the 17th, getting up on the board a few times and gaining the confidence she needed before heading back to Western Australia where we sincerely hope she will continue to practice her moves and find some good kiteboarding crew to fly the Western Beaches with.

Sunday the 18th found us back in the Deepwater National Park with a huge crew, Richie, Jerry, Luke, Alan, Cedric all enjoying the 20-25 knot Sou’easterly getting in some good jumps, Bradley on rental gear continuing his training , Craig working on his form and getting some good rides and Kieran getting his final lesson, up on the board with ease, finding his groove, he’s off and flying.

We stayed local on the 19th at Agnes Water Main Beach in a cruisy 15-20 knot sou’easterly with Scott from Brisbane joining us to check out the scene.

Hoping for the Northerlies to return over the next few days and the skies to clear before the couch sores start festering.

BRING ON THE WIND!!!

We are happy to say that the dynamite wind conditions are continuing and with the cyclone activity in the North things look set to be lively around here for some time.

Commiseration’s to all those up North who are suffering from the flooding and torrential rains from Cyclone Charlotte but the silver lining is fantastic conditions for us further south.

A huge week was had by all who took to the skies in Agnes Water and surrounds, some excellent results from new students and great progress made by our regulars.

Bernadette accompanied us to Wreck Rock in Deepwater National Park with her Xmas present gift voucher from hubby Dean (he’s a keeper) and was our first student not to drop the kite once! ….AND was body dragging in a 2metre swell by the end of her two hour session. Nice work Bernadette!.

Wednesday bought some serious winds which forced us to cancel our lessons and provided some down time for the boys to check the gear and shipshape the boat (and drink beer).

On Thursday the 8th we headed to Middle Creek in Eurimbula National Park with Monte (a friend and experienced kite surfer from Noosa) and Luke, and discovered a new lagoon that is perfect for the newbies to try out their skills in a less challenging environment. The boys made the most of the smooth 15 knots Sou’Easterlies with some cruisy rides.

Friday saw us return to Middle Creek with Bradley on the 11metre bandit and Holly coming out for her second lesson in 15-20 knots in tough conditions and getting up on the board a few times - you’re almost there girl!

Entrance of Eurimbula NP.

Driving through the sandy-rocky dirt track of Eurimbula NP.

Holley and her instructor setting up in middle creek.

This is how you launch safely !!

Saturday we took 4 more people to experience the great location of Middle Creek and with the 15-20 sou’easterlies continuing Kieran was up on the board a few times - Laura and Martin came along for a 3hour group lesson, spotting kangaroos on the way home through the Eurimbula National Park - and Jimmy from Holland came out to try some new gear and was mightily impressed with the easy relaunching capability of the 10 metre Banditos.

Sunday saw us back at Wreck Rock with Daniel from Switzerland for 2.5 hours in perfect conditions who was successfully body dragging in a 2metre swell. He also came up with an important tip to pass onto your friends - best to keep your mouth shut while body dragging in a 2metre swell……duh…

With the perfect conditions of the day Cedric couldn’t resist a solo downwinder all the way to Agnes Water Main Beach which he pulled off in under an hour - stopping at Springs Beach on the way to enjoy some waves with the surfers who were out there. We also met Jerry from Germany out there who has decided to stay a few days to enjoy our range of dynamite locations while the wind is up.

Monday the 12th we surfaried back to Deepwater National Park and accessed the beach through private property which gave us the opportunity to cruise the beach in king tides (a bit exciting) and also try out the argo (amphibious vehicle) in varied conditions. With 2 students (Daniel and Craig) getting up on their boards in the perfect flat water and smooth winds - Jerry showing us some of his fancy back roll loops and some nice rileys and Bradley (who has progressed beautifully), riding upwind with nice transitions and starting to jump in just a few weeks of kiting a fantastic day on the water was had by all.

4WDing through the DeepWater NP.

Nice and smooth sandy dirt tracks !

An exceptional kite location !

Craig on his unreal Argo …

Student setting up their kite !

Waves on one side and flat water on the other side … just perfect !

The cherry on the cake coming back to town !!!

We also had the cherry on the cake on the return trip, finishing the day spotting a sea turtle returning to the water after laying her eggs and having a great BBQ beachside - go the Aussie traditional feast!!

We have been inundated with enquiries through the Marina offices of the Larc and 1770 Seaquest and would like to thank them for their continued help and support .

ATTENTION ALL FLYERS!!! Keep checking our website for further information on the development of some exciting new kitesurfari camping tours in the works.