First outing in the UK. Fk'ing freezing
Kiting #7 (25 Jan): First outing in the UK. Fk'ing freezing. Went to NEWBOROUGH WARREN (Llanddwyn Bay) on ANGLESEY, NORTH WALES. Cracking venue. Plenty of wind - cross to on-shore. Almost too much wind. In fact - too much wind. Took my bro to show off my new talents. Very foolish. All my strings were tangled so took a good half hour to sort that shambles out. Was a bit chilly - and he being a diver had all the equipment for that (a Welsh winter, murky quarries un'all diver). I came with my 2.5mm shortie. Well I managed to squeeze another wetsuit over. But no socks. And none of the sexy headgear (probably not necessary - we're not ice diving).
Tangled again
Sexy hat!
So, string untangled, we get the bugger set up. The tide's fked off out to sea about half a mile so we plod over there. Not too bad on the launch. Off we go...........Well not too bad in the start, plenty of swinging left and right and a bit of well controlled body dragging. The water temperature on my bod is not too bad. Just my feet really (totally numb a few minutes later). But then - we're off, There's a massive gust and my nicely controlled body dragging is taking me at 25 knots along the beach. SHIT. OK, got the thing under control. Sort of. But then off again. Struggling big time and having flashbacks from my day under the runway at Queenstown (kite over the hill). So a bit more dragging then big gust again and I'm off down the beach totally out of control. SHIT SHIT. I've gotta stop this. Cack my pants as try to get kite down and having much trouble. Get it down to the ground to find that the bloody thing is trying to relaunch. And is still dragging my along. So frantically wave to Richard to come and assist. But he's nowhere to be seen. Yes he is - about two miles back up the beach. Fortunately he's been studying his brother's methodology for own use later - so sees frantic waving a rushes over. All the while the kite is trying to get back up, and does, and I get it back down. God I need some serious practice at this!!!
So he arrives, seems like hours later, probably about 5 mins. Gets it down. I come in out the water. "Wow" blah blah blah. "So me next then?"......"Um, no, don't think so Richard. Could well be a bit of accident here." Which is all a bit of a shame as he's come all this way and is gagging to get wet, and to die perhaps. But fortunately we're saved by Will from Chester who ambles over for a chat after dropping his own kite.
To let Rich have a go with the kite - I go to launch her while Will (who actually knows what he's doing!) assists Richard with the bar, and holds on to him in case it gets a bit hairy. Well, fk me it does. Richard's straight up in the air, launching straight thru the powerzone. His ankles are at Will's face and Will is stretching to keep him in this galaxy. This is looking a tad scary, so I grab hold of Will and we get the thing down to ground (not a bad landing Rich!).
Will and his mate
Enough for one day. And thanks Will.
More on Newborough Warren (Llanddwyn Bay): You pay two squids to get into the privately owned Newborough Forest, which presumably pays for the spanking new toilets. You could avoid the toll but have to walk 2 kms through the forest or across the dunes. You're only a minute from the sand. The beach is enormous, with lovely shallow water, gentle waves. You can see the Welsh mainland from the beach, a mile or so away. There's not so many people around - just the odd dog walker and fellow kiters (6 when we were there). Bags of space. I was told there's a beach called Dilas just over the water which is almost as good but has no other kiters - so in the summer when this one fulls up, off yer go.
Newborough Warren - The water
Directions: A55 to Anglesey going over the Pont Britannia bridge. First left is the old A5, down that. Then first decent left down the A4080, sign posted from there.
Map
