Isla Blanca

Nak · Tue Mar 18, 08 9:53 am

We're back! Wow, that was fun. Very Happy

This is a really great spot, that's pretty cheap to boot. here's the 411...

Place to stay:
Stay in Punta Sam, which is basically the last condos on the way up. You're about 15 minutes from Isla Blanca here. We stayed at Hacienda Punta Sam. 50 bucks a night, complete with bar, restaurant, and oh yeah, a place to launch! Very Happy

Pretty sketchy launch, but very doable. Nice rooms. Stay in the 3 story building, you have more room to hang stuff up to dry on the deck outside your room.

I launched here with side-onshore winds. ESE I think... To launch you tie up to a umbrella set your kite on a wingtip, go hook in and go. I rode here at dawn each day, and up at Isla Blanca later. The bar is just behind my kite in the pic. Very Happy

The pilings shown are about 60 yards north of where I launched. The dock is another 50 yards or so. You could also walk south on the beach a couple of hundred yards to where the beach is wider with fewer obstacles. A new house is being built down there; I'm not sure what the rules are on beach usage?

More to come on Isla Blanca itself...

Nak · Tue Mar 18, 08 10:22 am

Kiting Isla Blanca:

There are two main spots, Ikarus, and up North past the Restaurant.

Ikarus:
I posted a pic of the beach earlier. Small beach, room for one rider launching or landing. 50 peso access fee. ($5) Knee to waist deep water. Best on Northerly winds. All winds tend to be off-shore, so use a good leash. If you stay within a couple of kilometers you can walk back in the shallow water.

North Launch:
Drive about 1K north of Ikarus. You'll pass a small Restaurant on the left en-route. Where the road ends will be Restaurant Acapulco. If you have 4WD, you can go to the right and drive around the restaurant on the beach. If not, pay a 50 peso crossing fee. The owner will be somewhere around, he'll open the gate and you can cross his land with a regular car. The area around the gate can be very congested with local traffic on weekends, so get there early on weekends. (10:00 AM...) The food and the view is outstanding at the restaurant! About two minutes further and you're there. Talk to the Ikarus guys before you kite here. There are some areas with a lot of rocks. Ankle to knee deep for quite a ways, waist deep further out.

11 meter wind for me mostly, which means 9 for most of you! Very Happy

You;ll see I'm riding a Glide in some of the shots, I was scraping the fins on my SX passing Joanne! (She didn't venture far out with the camera...) Also, the last shot of me I'm riding my 14 T2. Way more than I needed, but my 11 REV split a strut that morning. Sad

Joanne progressed a lot and loves her new 7.5 cult. She's out flying the kite and doing stand-ups solo now. She was ready to start trying the board, but we were both exhausted & needed a break first. Unfortunately, that was the end of the vacation. Sad

Mosquitoes can be bad at Sunset. Best to finish up & watch the Sunset from Restaurant Acapulco with a drink & good food! (The wind keeps away the mosquitoes there.)

Nak · Tue Mar 18, 08 10:27 am

See Barfly's post near the bottom for excellent directions.

http://www.nwkite.com/forums/t-7561.html

barfly · Since 31 Mar 2005 1214 Posts Portland BRACKISH

Nak! You scoped it completely, niiiice. Way to hang around there and get all the inside info.