Written By Alec Dektor
Kiteboarding at Waddell was a great experience. Last weekend was my first day out there and the conditions were definitely less than inviting. Brian Friedmann and I both pulled up and contemplated going out for a while. The wind looked like it was turning off shore and numerous dust devils raced through the parking lot. The mix of gusty off-shore wind and big waves made the water look treacherous. Upon seeing a few riders make it outside in straps I decided to pump up an 8 meter kite and give it a try. I was a little uncomfortable in the beginning but as the day progressed I felt more and more comfortable. My kite helped me escape big surf and potentially dangerous situations a few times and allowed me to have a very memorable session.
The next day I got to the beach early to wait for the wind. Watching the surf made me anxious; the swell had barely dropped off compared to the day prior. As soon as the wind was up, I was out there on an 11 meter kite. It was coming up pretty quick and I switched to an 8 soon after. The second day I was equipped with a much bigger board that allowed me to make smoother, more controlled turns on the big choppy waves. I felt more confident to try bigger airs and hit the lip harder in more critical sections. Shal Jacobovitz was also there on the second day shooting pictures. My second session at Waddell was just as fun if not better. All of the local guys I met were very inviting and gave me a great vibe. Waddell is a great spot to kite and I will definitely be returning soon to shred some more waves with the F-One team!
Alec was riding: F-One Bandit 5 11m and F-One Surf 6’2.
