Kite surfing makes a soaring debut on Aruba

It’s the coolest wave to splash the world of watersports since the advent of windsurfing. First taking flight in the mid 80’s, the two pioneers of the sport, Laird Hamilton and Manu Breton, originally attached two line kites to their surf boards to create kite surfing and a new entry to the extreme sports genre.

    Relegated to a sidebar in the world of mainstream watersports for nearly a decade, modern technology and lighter, more maneuverable equipment has made the sport easily accessible to virtually all skill levels, moving kite surfing to center stage.

    The sport is breezing across the world from its origins in Hawaii, and the newest hot spot is now Aruba. Kite surfing professionals discovered the venue and its perfect conditions of warm shallow waters and swift trade winds a few short years ago. What was once an odd spectacle along the coastline of the island is now an everyday sight. As vacationers gather along the shore to watch the setting sun, a regular crew of early evening kite surfers can be seen skimming by, stealing a few prime shots from the onlookers’ rolls of film.

    Brightly colored kites float overhead, gently swooping through the sky like graceful birds, while below the riders often perform mind-boggling jumps, seemingly suspended in midair.

    It is this defiance of gravity that has drawn many to the sport. Mike Tiedemann, head kite surfing instructor for Vela College of Windsurfing and Kite Surfing in Aruba, agrees that the possibility of this added dimension—attaining not just exhilarating speeds, but the capability to reach soaring heights—in watersports has a huge appeal.

    But you don’t have to be a daredevil to experience the grace and beauty of the sport. Armando Wester, owner and head instructor of Kite Surfing Aruba reports, “It’s not difficult—it just takes a little time.” Both Mike and Armando agree that with the proper instruction, time on the water to learn the ropes, and a common sense practice of caution (that any novice learning an extreme sport should take), anyone can progress at a rapid pace.

    In short, kite surfing has many of the same elements and thrills as snowboarding, wake boarding, and windsurfing, but with a relatively easier learning curve. Aruba’s calm, shallow waters—already at the top of the list for all skill levels of windsurfers—have now enabled the sport of kite surfing to reach new heights and attract a whole new generation to the sport.

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