Time to go to South Padre Island Texas!!!

tekko · Since 20 Feb 2006 376 Posts White Salmon Liquid Force

ok.. lame I know.. no pics yet...

BUT.. SE flow has returned to South Padre Island for the fall season!! We had it sick the past few days on 7-10m kites and then had it side-off at the Jetty yesterday morning for the fading swell on 12's.

No picks because after a fairly week oct everyone here just wanted to get out and ride!

Comfortable temps too, not too hot like in the spring, but WARM water.. gulf was like 78 deg yesterday!!

The island got pretty nuked from Hurricane Dolly.. not so much physically but economically. Dolly hit mid july, which shut the island down during their busy season.. so all of the businesses lost their top earning months for the year.

The kiting is great, the water is warm, there is plenty of room, waves or flatwater and this community needs and appreciated kiteboarder business!!

Wed evening after the first full day of downwinders (3-4 for most ppl) we took the cab back just as the sun set. As the driver noted our destination on his clipboard, I noticed that they all said 'isla blanca' on the entire page... and asked him about it. He confirmed yes, that today %100 of his business and earnings were in $3 shuttles for kiteboarders riding downwind!

Just think, ride all day.. 20+ miles of warm surf and the $12 you pay in taxi fare will feed that guys family that night. Everything here is more affordable than a third world country.. and yet it doesn't cost an international flight to get here. Taxi- $3, Bfast taco- $1.25, Chicken fajita dinner- $5.99, gas $1.89/gal, Motel6 $29.99/night, etc, etc.

Small price to pay for a sick kiteboarding vacation.. and you get to feel good about helping stimulate a micro economy that was hit hard by a Hurricane and knocked down before the bottom dropped out for the country..

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

You closed the deal at "7-10m" Laughing

How long are you guys down there?

chanson · Since 31 Jan 2006 1874 Posts WISCONSIN Chimey

sweet...save some wind for us!

we'll be there on the 25th.

Razz

Campbell · Since 07 Sep 2008 409 Posts Camas, WA Obsessed

Awesome!!! I'm gonna be down there on the 18th on my 1st kiteboarding vaca. As a general rule, I would assume I'd pack all my kites, but do you think I'll need to bring my 15m?

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1736 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

Kiteboarders rule #2 --Always bring all your gear--

alien · Since 01 Aug 2006 114 Posts Portland Stoked

Bring your 15 if you can. It will allow you to ride more. I'm down here right now, and yesterday afternoon was light, 14m with lightwind board conditions.

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

How's that place work out for light wind days ... anything much to do?

It sounds like a killer place to spend 5-6 weeks if you can bring your laptop and feed your boss on the off days. Not sure if it's worth the gamble for a 1 week trip....

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

Unless something better crops up I'm driving down at the
end of next week.

Anyone seen my little kicker around? Maybe Dolly took it.

Can I bring some materials for a box slider? I've got
some UHMW for the top and a box of deck screws.
I'm hoping to raise my kite skating level.

Are you winching? Thought about bringing the ski but
if I can buy some gas and pull out a line then well....

railgrab · Since 29 Mar 2005 177 Posts Seattle, WA Stoked

Looks like the great NW will be taking over! Denise and I will be there on the 22nd. Last year, nwkite posted night riding lit by cars' headlights. Do we need to rent a 4WD to drive up that close?

carolb · Sun Nov 09, 08 7:42 am **6 for 6**

6 for 6 and today looks like the 7th day in a row kiting. I've kited both my 6 Very Happy

and my 14. (3 days on the flats on a 14 but small board and 1 day on the 6 in the waves plus some 10 wave days.) Things are really cheap down here like Tekko said since the hurricane and the town does need the business.

Jeff at Air Padre is renting all kinds of gear including kites, twin tips, big floaty boards, LF surf boards, etc. for about $35 per day so if it doesn't fit and its light wind, just go see him or one of the other shops. Cheaper than the airline fees for the big gear. Since they missed their main selling season, the shops also have a big inventory of new 08 gear that you can get a good deal on too.

tonyb · Sun Nov 09, 08 7:10 pm

No need for the 4WD unless you want to go out in the water and get stuck like Phil did! Smile

2wd will be fine and get you close enough.

Just got off the water at 7:30 p.m. and the wind is still blowing at 9:00 p.m. Did a down winder in the waves before noon, came back, had lunch and a nap then went out just before sunset for another down winder. Ended up riding till after dark and did the last three miles under the moon. Not too bad if you stay in the white water but get outside of that and it gets a little hard to see the waves coming at you! Shocked

We got Alien out for his first ever wave sesh down winder this morning as well. Started out a little rough but he was shootin' the shore break after the first ten minutes. Even got him up on a surf board for the last half mile.

Looks like the winter wind is back in town!

Tony

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

Looks windy again today. I'm hitting the road tomorrow or Wednesday.
My wife, Kim, is flying into San Antonio on Saturday. Hope there is wind
on Sunday and beyond.

If anyone is interested in one of my 5-9 strapless quads let me know.
I have a couple I'd be willing to sell to offset the cost of this trip and
can bring them down. Also still have a 9m Generator. PM or 541 490 5098

Just curious how the rest of the kite-surfari went for Tony and Carol.
I've driven past some windy lakes while high tailing it to SPI.

I'd like to find a small condo or apartment to rent so if you have a lead,
please let me know.

-Hein

tonyb · Mon Nov 10, 08 8:41 am

Hey Hein,

Another windy day in SPI this morning. Very hard to concentrate on work when you keep seeing kites go by the window!

The surfari was ok but not great as we hit a no wind patch from central to southern CA. We kited Floras, Whiskey Run, Pistol River, and Bodega Bay but didn't want to wait around for 4 or 5 days for Santa Cruz or Ventura to kick up. Northern CA from the border down to Bodega is pretty sketchy for kiting. A few bays here and there that would work but mostly rocky cliffs and shoreline with HUGE kelp beds to navigate around. Checked out Huntington Beach, San Clemente, and Carlsbad on our way through but not enough wind to get out so we turned left at San Diego and headed to Texas.

Had to make a couple of side trips out for work but we got to Corpus on Halloween, then SPI last Sunday. 7 out of 7 so far in SPI.

Carol may have a line on some of the owners in the Inverness who are anxious to get some rental income after waiting forever to get the repairs done after Dolly came through. Give us a day or so and we'll get you some info.

Off to the airport this afternoon for a week in PDX, Stevenson, and Seattle for work stuff but I'll back on Saturday for more kiting. Carol will be in the lovely town of Bakersfield, CA this week.

Tony

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

damn if it ain't windy again today.
Thanks for the help, Tony.

tonyb · Sat Nov 15, 08 9:54 am

Just got back in to SPI about an hour ago.

Glad I remembered to put some coin in the wind machine.

pacifichigh · Since 11 May 2005 1004 Posts ATX Texan

I'm in Corpus right now. Wound 9 m all day yesterday, but its COLD with wind out of the North.