Marcin, who’s a freelance web developer, recons that since he works from his office, home, coffee shop, car and even the beach, anyway, he might as well do it from incredible and unique kite spots… and the idea for a trip half way around the world in search of great kitesurfing spots was born.

The Trip

The plan is to start in Wrocław, Poland in May 2013 and visit over 50 kite spots in 31 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, ending in Hong Kong, China. They will travel in a Land Rover Defender, interview local kitesurfers, take photos and shoot videos along the way. There are two seats available for guests in their Defender, so if you’d like to join them on their adventure, follow their Facebook page for updates on how to get onboard.

Kitelancers Infographic

A few Words from Kitelancers

We probably don’t need to explain to anyone who’s tried kitesurfing, that it’s an addictive sport. The feeling of having control over the wind, tearing up the water and water drops smashing all over your body, is just amazing! Another great thing about kitesurfing is the people. No matter if you’re under 20 or over 50, if you’re an architect, lawyer, graphic designer or web developer like me, kitesurfing connects us. We are open, willing to help each other at any time, and we all crave wind.

We check the wind forecasts a few times a day, and if there’s even a slight chance, we have no problem driving over 500 kilometres just to have two good days of kiteboarding. And even if the water is close to freezing and the forecast doesn’t come through… wait, that’s not good, we like it windy and warm! Which is why we came up with the idea for a trip in search of great places to kitesurf, meet awesome people and work at the same time. We called it KiteLancer, short for kitesurfing freelancers.

We are looking for sponsors and great kite spots on our route, so check our website, and if your kite spot or school is on our route, let us know if you can help, or just say hello.

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Halfway Around the World with Kitelancers was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

I’m not sure if this category already exists, and I’m pretty sure it will never be in the Olympics, but it does seem to be the best way to describe the trip we just finished, kiting 420 km from Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique to Durban, South Africa.

The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition

When Zack and I began hatching the plan, we decided early on that the objective of the trip was primarily to have an adventure, and have fun. This pretty much became our guiding philosophy for the trip and allowed us to really enjoy the journey. Record breaking was never part of the plan, but taking in some of the most beautiful coastline on the African continent, and spending time doing something we love, always was.

We are incredibly lucky as kitesurfers to live where we do; warm water, great waves, and most importantly, very few restrictions. There is no way you could try something like this in Spain, where kiting is all but banned on most beaches. The fact that a trip like this had never been done before and most of the coastline had never been kited, did hold a lot of appeal for us, and luckily for our sponsors as well.

With relatively little organising, we got permission to cross the international border and kite through the spectacular Isimangaliso marine reserve, which is also a world heritage site. The reserve runs for about 200 km from the border with Mozambique to Cape St Lucia, and apart from the two stops at Sodwana and Cape Vidal, is pretty much uninhabited. This part of the coast is truly wild, with high dunes covered in beautiful lush bush. The coast is characterised by big sweeping bays with rocky points and sandy beaches. What’s more, the wind here is usually a consistent 18+ knots.

August is also a great time of year to be on the north coast, with the humpback whales moving north, breaching out of the water as they go. We got pretty close to a mother and calf who were just rolling about on the surface, but we didn’t want to get too close in case she decided to help us break the highest air record. This part of the ocean is full of life, and we saw lots of turtles, who don’t seem bothered by kitesurfers, and often had whole schools of flying fish soaring out of the water in front of and all around us.

In total we spent 6 days on the water, but due to wind issues, they were spread out over two weeks. It turns out August isn’t such a windy month after all. The first 2 days were awesome, wind wise. We took off in the beautiful bay of Ponta do Ouro, and rounded the point into the unknown with 18 knots, at our backs. And it just got better throughout the day. Five and a half hours later we were surfing the waves into Sodwana, 89 km down the coast. The next day was similar to start with and by the time we got into Cape Vidal, 70 km further south, it was gusting 38 knots. But no trip like this is as they say, “just plain sailing”, as that night a cold front came up from the South. So we got to put our feet up for a couple of days in the beautiful Cape Vidal nature reserve, and enjoy some of our sponsored Hansa beer. We also enjoyed fine food and wine prepared by our Dads who were our support crew, following us down the coast in a Land Rover. Cape Vidal is a very special place, with loads of game, including bush pig that were in our camp every night, and Zack even saw a leopard early one morning.

The cold front passed and we got back on the water aiming for Richards Bay. A real highlight of the day was stopping off for lunch at the Jolly Rabino, an old ship that ran aground on the beach just south of Cape St Lucia. The wreck is fairly inaccessible from the land and forms a nice point break. So we got to ride some nice waves on a very unique landmark. We were joined for lunch on the beach by Andrew G.I. and Clinton who pulled in on a jet ski to get some footage of our trip.

As we headed further South after lunch, the angle of the coastline started to change and the wind got very inconsistent, becoming a cross off shore, and very bumpy as it came off the dunes. In the space of under 2 hours it went from gusting 35 knots to nothing. We ended up coming in 20 km short of our goal, with my kite falling out the sky in some seriously pitchy and bitching surf. I took a few solid waves on the head and was getting seriously zapped by the Shark Shield on my board (more on that later), so I jettisoned my board and kite and started a heavy swim in. I got seriously worked again by the shore break and eventually got spat up on the beach, only to discover that my board had ended up going through my kite in the shore break…

From here on it became seriously challenging, with the wind just not coming to the party. We had to really start hunting for the wind, and often ended up going very far out to sea trying to stay in clean wind. We must have been well over 3 km offshore at times. I worked out that often the wind seemed to work in narrow bands, almost like an invisible street, with little or no wind on either side. Often I would get stuck in a lull and end up drifting downwind in the lull, struggling to stay on the plain. The trick seems to be to recognise when you are in a bit of lousy air and get out of it. When doing this kind of kiting in light winds, you have to use your imagination and try to visualise what the wind is doing. Luckily I have quite a bit of experience flying hang gliders, which helped with trying to understand what the wind was doing.

We had a few hard days of kiting without covering much distance and ended up getting stuck in Mtunzini for over a week. Highlights included seeing a massive shark fin while my ass was bobbing in the water about a km and a half out to sea. I was very grateful for my shark shield then, and the occasional electrical shocks became more of a reassuring comfort.

The week off in Mtunzini gave us a chance to rest up and explore the area, as well as Iain’s wine collection. We also got a chance to meet some of the locals, who kindly showed us what serious drinking is all about. Our bodies were taking a bit of a beating. Zack’s knee was poked, my ankle was creaking, and both our livers had shrivelled up in fear. After a week in Mtunzini, and a couple of botched attempts to get out of there, the wind finally gave us a bit of a break. So in the interests of avoiding alcohol poisoning, we snivelled out on marginal wind, and managed to get 20 km further down the coast. The wind completely died again and I ended up having another long swim in to Amatikulu. Once again the pulsing shock of my shark shield was a great comfort, despite the cursing and swearing every time I got zapped. After a good 15 min swim, I eventually managed to drag my sorry ass up the beach, where Zack gave me the news that our support vehicle had broken down. We managed to lump ourselves and our gear up the main road and were rewarded by an angel who took pity on us and bought us quarts of cold beer. So the afternoon was spent on the side of the road waiting for a recovery vehicle, getting hammered in the sun. So, as they say in classics, “‘all’s well that ends well.”

A couple of days later, we got another weather window, so with 110 km to go, we pumped up, swam our kites across the Amatikulu lagoon, and jumped in the sea with steady 17 kts at our backs. The ocean was beautiful, with smooth clean water, and we started making good progress, averaging about 27 km per hour. Crossing the Tugela River mouth was spectacular and the coastline started to change thereafter. The shore becomes quite rocky, with more towns and buildings as we headed south. We also had some nice little waves along the way, and were making good progress, so we stopped off for a break at Salt Rock where we were met by our parents and some family. The wind was still pumping and our spirits were high, so we popped a few pain killers and set our sights on home. We had awesome encounters with two big pods of dolphins, but they disappeared as we got really close, so it turns out they are not that keen on shark shields either.

As we passed Umhloti, with about 35 km to go, we were joined out on the water by a whole group of our kiting mates, which was really great. We were feeling super confident, and having a great time, really enjoying the last day of our epic adventure. Just as Durban came into to view, and we could almost taste the beer at the finish, the wind died again. Kites started falling out of the sky and Zack and most of our mates had a bit of a swim back to shore. Talk about frustration! We had less than 20 km to go and we were told that all our mates, family, and the press were waiting for us at the Dew Catcher where we had planned to finish. Luckily we managed to borrow a couple of 14 meter kites, and a late puff of wind came through, so we headed out again. The sun was going down as we crossed Durban Bay, and once again our spirits soared as it looked as if we might just make it. We rounded the piers without any problems, and saw a nice crowd on the beach in front of the Dew Catcher. I came in with Zack just behind me, to a great welcome from friends, family and dogs.

Needless to say, and in the true spirit of the trip we celebrated late into the night.

Our Gear & Equipment

Kites

We kited 90 % of the trip on the Ozone Reo 10 m kites, which were excellent.

Light bar pressure is a serious plus when doing long distances, and the turning speed and drift ability of the Reo is fantastic on the waves. The Reo also has a massive top end and our 10 handled + 30 knot winds with ease.

The only criticism is that there is not much bottom end for its size, but it more than makes it up in other areas.

Boards

We both had F-one, 6 ft boards, although mine is a few years old and quite heavy due to a previous repair. I think the extra weight actually helped in the choppy conditions, as the board tended to plough through the chop, whereas Zack felt the bumps a bit more, especially on his knees.

Shark Shields

Shark Shields were often, quite literally a pain in the ass. When sitting in the water, the tail can give you quite a shock if it touches you, but it’s well worth it for the peace of mind when in sharky waters, with no wind. The shock isn’t too bad, when the tail touches you, but it is fairly debilitating.

Clothing & Accessories

Gloves and booties are an absolute must. Short finger sailing gloves worked great, and thin booties are the way to go. We tried various types of booties but the thin diving types were by far the best.

20 litre karrimor back pack, with minimal padding, worked well. I had 2 camel packs, 2 litres for energy juice and 2-3 litres for water.

Tracking & Communication

We tried various tracking systems, so our support crew could keep track of us, but the best was the iPhone / iPad combo. I also recommend the life proof covers for the phones.

Our Uniden VHF radios were okay for coms between Zack and me, but were more or less useless for coms with our support crew. The cheap licence free radios would probably work just as well.

Emergency Repair Kit

We carried basic repair kits, including sail tape, duct tape, and spare fins. Luckily we didn’t need to repair any kites on the go, but we both lost fins. A small hand pump is also a good idea although we didn’t need it.

Watch the Video

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Support

A special thanks to The Unlimited, who were our headline sponsor, and helped a lot with the logistics, and getting permission for us to cross the border. Thank you also to Sin from Kitesports Africa for supplying us with great kites and support, to Hansa who gave us a lot of free beer, and to Dew Water who kept us hydrated.

The absolute must have on a trip like this, is a great support crew! Massive thanks to both of our Dads, Peter and Iain, my Uncle Ian, and Alec, who were always positive and supportive, and ready with cold beers at the end of every day, and great food and fine wine every night. They embraced the philosophy of the trip with great gusto, and had an adventure and a lot of fun. And that, at the end of the day, was what it was all about…

If you have any questions about the expedition, or you are planning an expedition of your own and would like our input, please feel free to post them in the comments below. If you would like to republish this story, please contact the editor.

Written by

Ross Walters

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An Epic African Kitesurfing Adventure was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

A multi-spot holiday offering pristine crystalline waters, lagoons and bays…

Kiteboarders can ride a different spot everyday!

Intermediate and advanced kitesurfers have the perfect playground to choose from in the Grenadines: flat protected waters, reef waves and downwinds that are etched into your memory forever. Gliding over turtles and manta rays in these waters is surely in the cards!

The Grenadines

The archipelago of the Grenadines is located in the south of the Caribbean, in the southern portion of the Windward Islands.

Within the 150 sq mile territory, the main island is St Vincent. In the lower 2/3 you’ll find the Grenadines, the smaller chain of islands stretching south from St Vincent to Grenada.

The Grenadines are comprised of over 32 islands and cays, 9 of which are inhabited. All are volcanic in origin, deeply embayed with inlets where clear aquamarine waters shallow up the finest sandy beaches.

Tobago Cays

Kitesurfing in the Grenadines

The trade winds blow from December/January to June, stronger winds generally between January and March. In the beginning of the season the wind direction is NE passing gradually to E as the season progresses.

Generally, the wind is stronger in the morning but it’s not unusual to have some weeks when it blows more then 25 knots, day and night.

The temperature is almost always about 30c, with a water temp that stays around 28c…making it a wetsuit free spot all year.

Kitesurfing Spots

We’ve included a summary of the best kitesurfing spots below. For more detailed information on the various Islands, please visit the Caribbean Kite Cruise’s excellent guide on Kiteboarding in the Grenadines.

Union Island

Union island´s mountainous outline greets visitors with a striking and picturesque array of green peaks and ridges. Clifton is a nice kite spot to stretch your legs on the day of arrival. It will delight you with turquoise shallow waters, protected by reef. Frigate Bay is just around the corner, an amazing flat water spot that works with easterly winds.

Happy Island – Union Island

The Tobago Cays

Known as the jewel of the Caribbean, this National park is a group of small, deserted islands surrounded by a lively horseshoe reef. This is the place to swim with the turtles and enjoy a great snorkeling session, checking out the magically diverse ecosystem under the water…all this after a good kite session of course!

I dare you to see the 225 different fish species in these waters!

The only island you are authorized to launch or land your kite is Jamesby. You need to go upwind of Baradel to find some fun waves to play with. You can also cruise to Petit Tabac to check out the reefs for a more serious surf session. If the wind is light, the dinghy will take you upwind with your launched kite from Baradel Beach…or you can always launch your kite from the boat that you came with!

Jamesby Island

Petit Tabac

Petit Tabac is a small deserted island where the Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. It´s a beautiful day-anchorage for an epic kiteboarding session. From here you can reach very good reefs, and if the conditions are right you will explore some fine waves.

Petit Tabac

Mayreau

The smooth Salt Whistle Bay is the place to anchor. Just a few meters away from the boat on the windward side is the best all-around kitesurf spot in the Grenadines.

It’s perfect for the intermediate kiter with side-on wind, reef and a sandy beach that allows kiters to play. If the anchorage is fairly empty, you can also go for an excellent flat water session in the bay.

If you still have some power in your legs, walk to the top of this one road island to see a stunning view (especially at sunset) of the neighboring islands. A jaunt over to Dennis´s Hideaway for a nice meal and a Pina Colada is always a good day’s end.

Salt Whistle Bay Anchorage

Mopion

This tiny, desolate white sandy-beached island is a great resting spot during a session. Drop your kite and just enjoy the view of all that surrounds you. Remember to bring your ice chest ashore with a few chilled beers!

From Mopion you can go up to discover waves on the north side of Petit St. Vincent. PSV is a private island, allowing you to come ashore for a nature walk and their jazzy beach bar.

Relaxing between sessions at Mopion

Accommodation

By Boat

Taking a kitesurfing trip in the Grenadines on a charter catamaran is the very best way to get around to all the kite spots. Fully enjoying all the different islands and making the most of your time is the ultimate…not to mention waking up in a new spot to launch your kite all through the week!

Captain Rik is the owner and captain of Caribbean Kite Cruise, the largest and most reputable kite cruise operator in the Caribbean. They have 3 sailing catamarans that take up to 8 kitesurfers on 7 – 10-day kitesurfing cruises. They are based in the Grenadines and will find the very best options for your riding style.

All Caribbean Kite Cruise itineraries are flexible and adapt to your kiting preferences, according to weather.

Caribbean kite cruise is a floating hotel on the water! With its green-eco approach, layered with solar panels and water maker, you can avoid civilization, making the most of your day and totally enhancing your kiteboarding experience.

The local boat boys will bring fresh fish, homemade banana bread, croissants and extra ice to the yacht on a regular basis. After your epic sunset kite session, pop down a killer homemade rum punch as you check out your kiting pics & videos from the day.

Caribbean Kite Cruise is also in partnership with one of the world’s leading kite brands, DUOTONE KITEBOARDING. There is a wide selection of the latest kite gear to try out. If you want to travel light, they also offer complete gear rental packages for the duration of your trip at affordable rates.

To enjoy a true kiteboarding expedition with Caribbean Kite Cruise, visit their website at: caribbeankitecruise.com

By Hotel

Union island is the place to stay if you want to be land based. You will find two main hotels, Bougainvilla and Anchorage. There are also a few small guesthouses in Clifton.

The JT Pro center owned by pro-rider Jeremie Tronet takes care of Anchorage reservations. He offers beach houses at the kite spot and can organize boat excursions as well.

His website has plenty of useful information about the Grenadines…offering package kite lessons for beginners, advanced training and kite clinics.

Jeremie Tronet´s Awesome Video

www.kitesurfgrenadines.com

Restaurants

In Union you can find international and local cuisine. For an amazing pizza, check out Marie at Ciao pizza. For a very well priced delicious lobster, sautéed conch, and local Caribbean dishes visit Big Citi just in front of the colourful fruit market. Captain Gourmet offers café style dining and great espresso for breakfast and lunch.

In the Tobago Cays, the local boat boys will arrange a beach bbq for you with the fresh catch and ice cold drinks.

More options are available… these are just the favorites!

Nightlife

Happy Island will serve you up a fresh made rum punch with reggae tunes flowing at sunset. This tiny island made from conch shells is a must see.

I.E.´s new bar, D´Spot is a fun hangout to watch all the small planes land just in front of your bottle of local beer.

Twilight, just down the street from Anchorage pumps the music at night giving you a chance to groove.

The JT Pro Center organizes a full moon kiting party every month that is a must if you plan your trip when the moon shines bright.

How to Get There

There are several low cost options flying into UNION. Fly in from the U.S., Canada or Europe with a stopover in Barbados, Grenada or St. Lucia. The best stopover option is Barbados.

Fly from the U.S. to BARBADOS via Jet Blue, American Airlines, Air Jamaica, Delta or US Airways. Fly EUROPE to BARBADOS via British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from the United Kingdom; Condor out of Germany.

Short Flights to Union Island

SVG Air: toll free (800) 624 1843, (315) 507 8258, (784) 457 5124 or info@svgair.com – svgair.com.

Barbados to Union daily flights departing at 12:30pm and 4:30pm; returning 11:00am and 1:55pm.

Check more connection flights at: mustique.com.

Travel Tips

• Bring your reef shoes and an extra set of your favorite board fins
• $1 U.S. = $2.67 E.C. (Eastern Caribbean dollar-fixed exchange rate)
• 1€ = $3.70 E.C.

Come enjoy the Caribbean Lifestyle !!!

If you’ve been fortunate enough to kitesurf in the Grenadines, we’d love to hear all about it, and if you have any questions, ask away in the comments below.

Written by

Yann Campinos

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The Grenadines Kite Spot Guide: An Untouched Bliss was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Zack Buchan and Ross Walters

Get the exclusive story and video of the expedition here.

Extreme Adventurers Embark on a Kitesurfing Odyssey

During this thrilling endurance test, Durbanites Zack Buchan (36) and Ross Walters (35) will set out from Ponto do Ouro in Southern Mozambique on Monday, 13 August – weather permitting – on an intense journey down to Durban. The expedition has been timed to coincide with the prevailing north-easterly winds along the Northern KwaZulu Natal coastline at this time of year. However, an unexpected cold front hitting the coast could pose serious challenges as driving south-westerly head winds would severely hamper their efforts.

The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition | Zack Buchan

Although the straight-line distance is 430 kilometres, the team will end up doing significantly more as kitesurfers will tend to zig-zag as they move down the coast.

The intrepid pair is planning to kite for up to eight hours each day, covering between 70 and 100 kilometres depending on weather conditions. If the conditions are favourable and their equipment holds up, they can potentially complete the journey in five days, but realistically it is expected to take between eight and ten days. “Your body really takes a beating in kitesurfing so this journey will be about endurance and pitting ourselves against the elements,” stated Buchan at a training session in Durban yesterday.

In addition to fitness training, rigorous preparation has been required to ensure that the team is primed for all eventualities as the route presents numerous trials for kitesurfers. As they plan to kite just behind the backline for the majority of the journey, the most imminent threat will be losing a board or crashing a kite in big surf whilst on a rocky stretch of coastline.

Added to this, there is the prevalence of marine life. Whilst the warmer waters off KwaZulu Natal are notorious for sharks, they will also have to contend with crocodiles while around the St Lucia estuary.

With so much riding on equipment, both Buchan and Walters have sourced the very latest in kitesurfing technology. To make the most of the expected wind conditions, they will have their pick of three kites ranging from eight to 12 metres. The optimal kite size is influenced by wind conditions with the larger kites suited for lighter conditions while the smaller kites are used in heavy winds.

The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition | Ross Walters

The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition will be using Ozone Reo kites and Xelerator waveboards supplied by Kitesports. According to Sinesa Misic of Kitesports, Ozone kites have only recently been introduced to the South African market, while the surf-type boards are perfectly suited to this challenge.

“The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition is an ideal opportunity to showcase the performance capability of the Ozone Reo kites. The kites have been constructed specifically for excellent wave riding, quick handling and ease of relaunch, which means that they can seamlessly adapt between rigorous trials such as this ultra-distance attempt and leisure kiting,” explains Misic.

Safety is also a priority and a support crew will be following the team from the land with GPS trackers and will be able to communicate with them via two-way marine radios. The kitesurfers will also be equipped with electrical shark repellent units and they will each have an emergency beacon which, once activated, transmits a mayday signal that will mobilise the nearest search and rescue operations. In addition, there will be an emergency evacuation helicopter on standby provided by Helivac.

“This journey has its dangers and if one of us is seriously injured, just knowing that we have a direct line to Helivac and its helicopter emergency evacuation will give us peace-of-mind,” Buchan adds.

The sport of kitesurfing can trace its roots back to the 1800’s, but it was only the experiments of German and French inventors in the 1970’s and 1980’s, with further developments in the nineties by the Roeselers in the USA and the Legaignoux in France, that resulted in the birth of modern kitesurfing. The sport has shown explosive growth since then with an estimated 210 000 participants in 2006 to the current status quo of kitesurfing edging out windsurfing as an Olympic discipline at the 2016 Rio Games.

The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition | Durban, South Africa

Steph Bester, CEO of expedition sponsor The Unlimited, says this extreme initiative dovetails with the company’s ethos. “This amazing attempt is extreme enough for us to put our name to – we believe in doing the extraordinary and these adventurers will achieve just that as The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition will push the limits of ordinary human endurance,” stated Bester.

Follow the amazing journey of The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition with daily updates on www.theunlimited.co.za.

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The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

The video gives us a unique perspective of the journey to the place Nelson Mandela once called home and which now stands as a testament to times gone by.

Here is a brief account of the action by Mieke and Bart Willems… To skip straight to the video, click here.

Tablecloth spread.  We approached the turquois expanse turned freezing by the daily South Easter.  Car shaking slightly, white caps visible – a welcoming site for 6 enthusiastic kiters.  At the beach, it was evident in the icy spray, sandblasting around the ankles and the tug on our hair – the Cape Doctor was spreading its summer afternoon kite surfer smiles.  The sky looked like an exploded rainbow of kites – like butterflies dancing in the wind.  Behind the temporary foreground bustle on the oceanic playground, understanding the moods of the Cape Doctor and withstanding the Cape of Storms weather, Robben Island was iconically waiting for us.  This was the day!

You can never set up quite quick enough…  Discuss the plan.  Partner up.  Clear up what would happen if the inevitable might happen.  All agreed.  Double-check the essentials.  Ready!?

View from Robben Island

Like a horse smelling water, the Jet ski and its amped crew encouraged us before we set off on the long awaited mission.

Trepidation in our take-off hoots. The usual playing through the waves had seriousness about it.  Quicker than you might think we were in unfamiliar territory halfway between Big Bay and Robben Island. The deep blue penetrated by bright sunbeams was magnificent.  Amazingly being pulled by a kite with the power of the wind, only skimming the surface – once again instilled childlike excitement.  Natural high in its purest distillate!

Penguins welcome us onto the white beach on Robben Island.  We share snacks, smiles, stories and a high 5 for our hero Nelson Mandela before the cold sets in and we head back to mainland Africa…

Successful mission all around.

If you are viewing this article in an email or RSS reader, click here to watch the video.

Kitesurfers: Hennie van Zyl, James Taylor, Bart Willems and Mieke Willems

Jet Ski support: Oliza Boshoff, Tinus le Roux

Distance:  Big Bay to Robben Island approx. 7.5km (4.7 miles)

Time:  30min there, 30 min on island, 20min back.

Kites: All of us used 9m²  kites

Wind departing: 15 – 18 knots

Wind on return:  22 – 27 knots

Cameras: 3 GoPro HD cameras were used to get shots from all angles.

Video Editing: Bart Willems

Written by

Mieke Willems and Bart Willems

For information on projects Bart Willems supports, visit: Getting Rural Right 

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Robben Island Freedom Kitesurfing Mission was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.