Kite Zone Pranburi Blog - Kite surfing School in Hua Hin Thailand

Just goes to show that once again weather forecasts and the best-laid plans of mice and men are all not to be taken too seriously. The promised frontal wind of 14kts by early afternoon had clearly decided to take a wee Sunday morning lie-in followed by a long slow breakfast, which left the assembled riders at Kite Zone none too impressed.

Still at least the thermal wind tried to make up for it and as Mode headed off to the beach to take James through the second session of his IKO course a plan was hatched to head upwind to the ‘big rock’ for a mass down-winder.

So with Yo’s twin cab loaded to the brim with riders and kit all was set, the journey began and soon we were all at the ‘big rock’. Amusing scenes then followed of kit heavy riders dancing and bouncing across the way too hot sand in desperation to reach the cooler wet stuff. With that negotiated and everyone set to go the wind of course decided to drop back a notch or two. Never the less Lucie piled out there as it was her last day before heading back to the chilly waters of the UK, which prompted the rest of the crew to get on the case.

Okay I admit it Epic Downwind Dash might not ring completely true to most of the lads who left the ‘ big rock’ as they worked like mad things to make progress in the dropping wind. On the other hand the girls, Lucie and Leila completely blasted it and tore off towards Kite Zone, even adding some cheeky upwind runs to add salt to the boys wounds. Still they ploughed on with much male pride at stake, dropping, re-launching and cursing their way to the distant Kite Zone shore. Still on the bright side for me being a non-kiter for the day, not only did I get to score the shots of the ‘action’ but I now also hold the Thai record for the most kites launched out of the water in a 1km stretch. Fair play to the guys though for some it was still early days in terms of kiting and both John and Sven put in top efforts before even they had to admit defeat and head for shore at the half way mark to join the rest of the guys in the ‘walk of gloom’ back to the centre.

By this time of course the girls were hitting high fives and toasting themselves on a job well done – girl power hey, next it will be the vote.

John heading out for what he hopes will be better wind

no worries..Leila blasts past the boys

on the road to the "Big Rock"

Pae chooses kite repair over the downwinder, mmmm local knowledge pays off me thinks

part of the er.........downwind team?

storming Lucie makes the most of her last Pranburi session

the walk of gloom

even light wind trio member fred was working hard

It was a day that showed great promise for a cracking thermal, clear and hot from early in the morning, it just had to go, didn’t it??

Well yer sort of, it tickled in the early afternoon allowing the light wind trio to get out for an early blast while the rest of us ‘kite bitched’ for them and contemplated the fickleness of wind and weather.

Then just as a series of decisions were made to pump a full range of kites in anticipation of the thermal filling in to a healthy 18 plus knots at some point, the light wind crew headed back to the beach as it dropped too much even for them. Still the wind did not leave altogether and Dave, Mode and Pae went to action teaching the latest batch of beginner students to arrive at Kite Zone.

Then just as all hope was lost and beer O’ clock was being considered it all began again. Suddenly Fred and Lucie started screaming back upwind and popping a few jumps, so time to go and suddenly everyone was on the water. It was a small frontal passing through, but what the heck it provided a much-needed early evening blast for one and all, with beer O’ clock becoming a sunset toast in the end.

Waiting for the wind

Light wind trio - Mode

Light wind trio - Lucie

Light wind trio - Fred

Dave teaching the first part of IKO level 2

Newly qualified IKO instructor Mode teaching the first stages of kiting

Late afternoon session and Sven is up and running

Greig takes full advatage of the lagoon

After a quiet day on Monday when the NE wind refused to make the effort to blow above 10kts, Tuesday dawned bright and sunny with zero wind from either direction, which meant there was every chance there would be a good thermal wind as the day progressed and this is exactly what happened.

Around midday the thermal was starting and Dave and Mode decided a down winder from the top of the bay would be the way to kick things off. So with the car rammed with kit and Mode’s ‘rescue bike’ rammed with riders we headed off. After a quick set-up and launch everyone headed off cruising far out beyond the headland line and enjoying the flat conditions. Lighter riders like Lucie and Mode had just enough to get in some early jumps, while the rest of enjoyed the mellow calm of it all.

After an hour of cruising, styling and learning how to take pictures while you kiting yourself we arrived back at the Kite Zone beach and then the wind kindly kicked in properly. Soon all the other riders at the centre where out and everyone enjoyed a full afternoon session in around 18 – 20kts of steady, steady wind with a full range of moves and quality wipe outs from one and all.

Heading upwind for down winder

Dave sort of driving the kit mobile

The journey begins

Half way point

Downwind cruising

The afternoon session kicks in at Kite Zone

After a week of sweet thermal winds from the south everything was given a good shake up on Saturday with a proper blast from a northerly tropical storm, so a lot of rain, lightening and winds gusting 35kts plus – a day to kick back and wait it out for sure.

It was worth the wait though as everyone got up on Sunday to the trees already blowing and white caps bursting off the top of the water – so time to rig and go. The wind was pretty much side shore and still from the north, so a little gusty on the inside but once you were out it cleaned up perfectly and killer sessions were had by all throughout the whole day.

Some pics from today!

another perfect day

Lucie boosting on her epic Birthday session!

everyone cruising

Board recovery team member

john up and running

kite zone rescue bike ready for action

mode in rescue mode

over the head jump from Lucies birthday session

A new kite caddie starts his training

Lucie was on her birthday session so plenty of boosting close in for the camera, Mode and Pea spent the day doing shuttle runs on the schools ‘rescue bike and side car’ collecting beginners down the beach as they worked on their new found skills, Evason’s John was fully getting to grips with those board edging techniques and Fredrik was dialling his first jumps - all in all a cool day and the water was filled with riders from a full range of nationalities: Swedish, Belgium, English, French, Thai, Swiss, Chinese and German.

Blog post by Neil Godbold

wind not its usual today, was slightly cloudy in the morning so it prevented the early thermal, cleared up during the day and the wind started to rise, maxed out at 14 kts for an hour or more then we lost sunlight and it begun to die.  Rain forecasted for tomorrow so looks like another rest day.