Ray holds a giant kite that floats in the sky. It measures about six metres wide and is adequately inflated. As he manipulates the kite harness with one hand, the other holds a "shoe" nearly the size of his body. He is walking backward, edging into the Indian Ocean and it is on that "shoe" or board that he will soon be surfing on the water at terrific speeds. Bu he is not alone. His wife Sophie is also going through the same process, rigging up her gear and soon she will be oblique as well, dashing on the water. The two have been married for 12 years and half the years they have been kite surfing. About a hundred metres up the beach is Nasoro Mwalimu Mwarandumi, also getting ready for the breathtaking kite surfing session.
Situated about 30 kilometers south of Mombasa and only thirty minutes drive from Likoni Ferry, Aqualand has specifically been chosen for its apt geographical location. It offers probably the finest beach in Kenya for kite surfing as well as being in very close proximity to the now world famous scuba diving area of Kinondo.
When 35-year old Ray Kasper first heard of Aqualand in Kenya, he did not take his old time friend very seriously. This was roundabout June last year. But Simon Engelfield, the man who runs the facility persisted in impressing on Ray that a great spot on the South Coast of Kenya awaited him and his wife. Sophie is 28 years old and has always shared a passion for exciting sports that have led them around the globe. They have spent most of their lives in the United Kingdom. They have lived in the Pacific Northwest USA since 1997 and run a snowboarding/kiteboard exclusive holiday business. This business venture stretches from Vashon Island WA to North West including Whistler, Columbia Gorge, Hood River and Hawaii.
The photographs of the Kenyan beach sent by Simon ignited Ray Kasper immediately he set his eyes on them. He began asking about the winds. He and his wife got hooked and were definitely heading to Africa. They arrived early last October together with a very talented kiteboarder, Steve Bartling of Hood River Oregon. Along with them was a whole load of kiteboarding kit.
But what exactly is it that has made Aqualand attract this new sport in Kenya? According to Ray Kasper, it is the winds and the great views of the pristine beaches. Based on research, the side shore has consistent North East "Kaskazi" winds with speeds of 15-25 knots from December till March. Then come June till September and the area experiences South East "Kusi" winds running at the speeds of 15-35 knots. Nine knots translate into a speed of about 15 kilometres per hour and what a kite surfer needs is anything from eight knots.
It is a completely new sight at Aqualand with the kite surfers swaying, spinning and making dramatic U-turns on the sea against the backdrop of an azure sky. Several times along each stretch they make, you'll see them make wonderful somersaults high up in the air and coming back to land with the agility of paratroopers. Only that as a soon as they hit the surface, the vertical movement immediately transforms into a horizontal one with amazing momentum. More often than not they speed alongside Sea-Doo Jet Skis that double up as security and rescue vessels. One of the greatest spectacles is to see a kite surfer leap into space and smoothly jump over the speeding Jet Ski!
The sport is in its infancy in Kenya and with notable success, the Kaspers are training local enthusiasts. Unlike wind surfing, kite surfing also known as kite boarding is not so difficult to learn.
"The local Kenyans are incredible athletes and super fast learners," says Ray. "Within no time they are proficient with the kite and keen to get up on the board and riding. Our star kiter, Nasoro Mwalimu has become so advanced so quickly we feel like showing him off to the world."
Nasoro, from Kinondo village, is enthusiastically training to become one of Kenya's first qualified Kite Sailing Instructors.
Ray has seen light at the end of the tunnel. He says Aqualand cannot compare with anywhere he and Sophie have been before. It is a dream location for the sport and Hawaii comes a distant second. The beach has the whitest of sand, unobstructed and wide. The sea is amazing, clear and green protected with an endless reef with perfect waves.
Recently, the Kaspers did one of their most exceptional surfing trips from Tiwi River, up north. This was the first time they did the Tiwi Beach all the way to Pinewood Village that is the larger entity of Aqualand. These were 12 kilometres of head high waves and flat crystal clear water. Riding over beautiful coral and fishes, the two-hour trip was unbelievably exhilarating. They have since done that run dozens of times and added it to their program for the advanced kiter.
Kite surfing is the "Windsport of the Moment," has no age limits and is great for family action and fun. The youngest kiteboarder known is four years and there are 77 year olds doing the sport in the United States of America. You do not have to be particularly fit and it does not matter whether you are fat or thin. A known heavyweight is 140 kilogrames and jumps incredibly high. On the average, a complete novice with no kite flying experience gets prepared to get onto the board for a ride within two afternoons. This is 6-8 hours in total. What counts is the ability to put the skill into practice and maintain great control on the water and tap the power of the sky that offers you the wonderful kinetic energy.
Although Aqualand is slightly off the beaten track, the facility sits on a superb inviting Pinewood Village, a small boutique beach resort offering a truly special experience. The hotel is set amidst heavy tropical flora and palms with an awesome ambience that is supremely tranquil.
Whenever you decide to break away from the kite surfing moments Pinewood Village has in-house facilities that include an attractive swimming pool, a snack bar, "Jahazi" bistro and beach bar, tennis and squash courts, beauty salon and conference facilities. A pizzeria is already a making a reputation for itself by serving consistently delicious pizzas from the unique "coral" pizza oven.
Kite surfing aside, scuba diving is fantastic in this area. It is therefore no news to repeat guests that they will experience sightings of large pelagic species such as the whale shark, dolphin and manta rays.
When you are home and dry, you can marvel at new interior décor at Pinewood Village, thanks to Nafisa Kanji the resort owner. Nanji traveled the Far East extensively and the result is the selection of exquisite, hand made furniture and fixtures that now adorn the resort. The patterns run right from the reception through to her air-conditioned boutique, "Zawadi" with unique items on sale.
For visitors who have a passion for eco-tourism, they may not have to travel very far. You can hire a bike if you wish and with tour guides riding along with you, the Mountain Bike Eco Tour brings you to Kinondo Monument, only fifteen minutes away to the south. On a short break here, you can listen to the enchanting tour guides with lectures on the cultures of the Miji Kenda in general and the Digo in particular. Further down, if you have the energy to ride on, you meander through the Digo homesteads in the plantations and if you are lucky the way we were, you may find a dance going on at a medicine woman's homestead. The dancing group is called "Tetemeko la Kijiji", meaning Village Tremor and it is not a bad idea to join in and shake a shoulder in their "kayamba" music and dance.
Aqualand is beckoning and kite surfing is a new sport that is likely to put Kenya on the map as a kiteboarding Mecca, attracting both domestic and foreign tourists to South Coast, at Galu Kinondo. The sport was commercialized in 1999 and getting popular with tens of thousands of kiteboarders and kite schools all over the world.
Simon Engelfied who runs Aqualand in partnership with Torben Rune of Southern Cross Safaris, is very optimistic. Says he: "We would like to develop the new sport in Kenya, which we believe should enhance Kenya's tourism alongside the other multi-faceted interests that are available to tourists in this country. With the specific coming of Ray Kasper and Sophie his wife, a new sport has been introduced and we hope to hone the skills of the locals right up to perfection."
And as the sport gets better by the day so has Simon's concept changed to Aqualand Kite Beach Kenya so far.
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