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Note: While not kiteboarding, I plan to update my blog weekly (usually Wednesdays) - or when something special happens. Beginning this month I am trying to keep the everything in chronological order.
Mon 2/1 - I made my final visit to the LA Fitness gym and saw my cardiologist and pulmonary pulmonologist and everything is a GO for kiteboarding in St Lucia!
Tue 2/2 - Today I did the final packing of my big board bag at 49.5 lb, with a limit of 50 lb. Also got the rest of my things packed to leave for the airport tomorrow just before midnight. I'll be flying flights 1036 & 561 down on the 4th and flights 560 & 1037 back on the 18th, all on Delta .
Wed 2/3 I got everything packed, Thursday's breakfast and lunch fixed and bagged and got to bed about 7:30pm for a couple hours sleep before getting up and heading to Sky Harbor Airport at 10:45 pm courtesy of my neighbor, Mike.
Thu 2/4 I landed on Caribbean island of St Lucia about 10 minutes ahead of schedule this afternoon after a plane change in Atlanta, GA. There was little wind so I canceled my hoped-for late afternoon kiteboarding session and checked into room #1 at Hewanorra Gardens.
- Hosts Sammy and Esther are excellent people and their prices are reasonable, but it is a 1 mile bike ride to either kite beach from here, but there are kitchens. Esther loaned me a St Lucia SIM card for my HTC Touch Diamond cell phone (number is (758) 714-3122 - probably an international phone call for you) so I can make and receive local phone calls. Sammy drove me to town for some grocery shopping and to buy $10 worth of time on the SIM card. Lodging next to the kiteboarding beach was all filled up.
Fri 2/5 - I met my neighbors here: Eileen, from Grey Stones, Ireland in room #2, who knows the island pretty well but does not kiteboard and Rein, from London, Ontario, Canada in room #3, who kiteboards but does not know the island much better than me. Rein and I rode our high-tech rented bicycles about three miles for an ocean swim and, after dark, to the little Reef restaurant for our evening meal. While at the beach we met Pat, an older interesting gentleman from London. Things are really going well… except no kiteboarding due to little wind, which is the reason I'm down here in the first place. According to the WindFinder.com forecast, we may have some wind on Monday.
Sat 2/6 - (not enough wind for kiteboarding) About 7pm Eileen, Rein and I split the 24-hour cost (ec$229; us$85, including insurance) of a rental car from Nerv's. I was the designated driver. It was weird with a reversed car and driving on the left side of the street. Had to concentrate every minute while driving. About sunset we picked up Imelda (Eileen's friend who is a security officer at the airport) and drove to the weekly Dennery Fish Fry on the east side of the island of St Lucia where the whole town seemed to turn out for the festivities and LOUD music. Then we had the harebrained idea that we ought to drive the winding mountainous roads to the Sulphur Hot Springs way on the other side of the island. The turnoff to the springs was blocked due to parking around a bar of partying locals with more LOUD music so we never got to the springs, returning home well after midnight!
Sun 2/7 - (not enough wind for kiteboarding) we drove up the west coast to Buddy's Bar for some seaweed juice, then to see an old 35-foot steel water wheel that ran now-rusted sugar cane press and the ruins of the sugar factory at the Balembbouche Estate, an old sugar plantation, then the Dasheen Restaurant for the spectacular view of the famous Gros Piton and Petit Piton peaks (for which a local bear is named), then snorkeling on the Anse Chastanel reef south of Soufriere, and finally, again to the Sulphur Hot Springs where we followed concrete stairs and a path to sit in a pool of hot blackish water that is supposed to make you feel good. It was all interesting. We got back home just in time to return our rental car.
Mon 2/8 - (2 kite sessions) Rein and I bicycled out to the 2-Elements Kiteboarding Center. I had two good kiteboarding sessions. All kiting for this trip will be with my 130 cm Lite Wave Stealth twin tip board, because that was the only board I brought, due to lack of luggage space. The first session was with my 12m Cabrinha Switchblade-4 (max speed, 24.7mph; 10.3 miles traveled; out 1:15) and the second session with my 14 m Cabrinha Contra. With it and with encouragement from Rein, I successfully tried my first kite downloop with a slide switch. Rein worked mostly on relaunching his kite from down on the water.
Tue 2/9 - (kiteboarded 2 sessions) I spent both of my sessions on my 12m with pretty good winds (mostly 16-18mph). The first session started out with a photo shoot courtesy of Tony from England, a trip to shore for a visit about kiteboarding with some older folks on the beach. It was fun showing off my sport and having the kite up in the air to demonstrate its power. Top speed for the 1:27 session was 23.4mph with 8.46 miles covered. The second session The fun included four reverse kite loops, which I hope to eventually do with jumps.
- This evening Esther took us to see the world's highest light house. It is on the peninsula near her house. Also she showed us her house, which Sammy designed, on the side of the mountain with a fantastic aerial view of the airport, Vieux Fort and surrounding area and even the Gros and Petit Pitons twelve miles to the northwest.
Wed 2/10 - (One kiteboarding session). I was the only one out for a little over an hour around noon- rode w my 14 m Cabrinha Contra and 130 cm Lite Wave Stealth twin tip board. Spent most of the day out at 2-Elements socializing and waiting for the wind.
I asked Eileen to add to the blog here. She wanted you to know what St Lucia is like from a non-kiteboarder's viewpoint. Here is what she sent me Wednesday evening 2/10/10:
Thu 2/11 - (no kiteboarding): Esther took Remi and me to town for lunch at the Plantation, shopping for groceries, post card-making stuff and money from the bank,
Fri 2/12 - (No kiteboarding) Since no good wind was forecast, we, the same three, rented a car for 24 hours this the morning with me driving again. Total rent from Nerv's, including insturance was ec$204; us$76 Rein, Eileen, Emelda, Emelda's niece and I drove north near the eastern coast to a water fall tourist attraction. At a little shelter we were served fresh raw samples of bananas, ginger, star fruit, grapefruit, sugar cane and others. Then Dave, our guide, took us along a trail downstream to a water fall where we took turns swinging on a rope off a dam into the pool deep about 15 feet below. Then he took us to a second waterfall that was higher and included a hydraulic ram pump to pump water up to a lily pad pool near the little shelter, about 20 feet above the level of the pump. I was familiar with the hydraulic ram pump but never saw one in use. It requires no power, other than that of its water supply.
- We had a whole-fish lunch across an inlet overlooking Dennery, then drove to the edge of a rain forest and found that we were about an hour and a half late for to ride the 11 hanging zip lines from tree to tree, which looked like a lot of fun. It would have been expensive anyway, so we spent some time walking through the prepared trails.
- It was getting a little late when we drove back down to the south part of the island to drive across to the west shore (mountains prevent a direct drive), stopped by Buddy's Bar for some more sea-weed drink and then to the lovely Dasheen Restaurant to watch the sunset.
- To top off the evening we went to the Sulphur Hot springs again, only this time we paid to enter the public pool after walking up the hill and checking out the steam coming out from the rocks above. The water was HOT - about 110 degrees F. I also found out that my little floating water proof flashlight is not really water proof, no longer floats when it takes on water and the light is not visible beyond four inches depth in the water with all the black muddy silt in the pool which is supposed to be good for you. Miraculously I found the light floating about two feet under the surface, still flashing away.
- Supper at the guest house where met new neighbors from Vancouver, Canada in room 2: Virgil and his wife - both kiteboarders.
- For my postcard picture, I leveled the image, increased its dynamic range and cloned out obtrusive power lines.
Mon 2/15 - (3 kite sessions) Early this morning when I got up to pee I organized my postcards-making project, including selecting addresses and deciding what to say
- In all three kiteboarding sessions I used my nicely powered 14 & 130: Today was like what I flew down for. The first session was a jumping video shoot with my Sanyo camcorder courtesy of Doug from Boston. The second session I went upwind past the point and tried one or two spins and actually almost rotated while up in the air. The board didn't even come off my feet, but I did put the kite in the water. With the wind, relaunching was easy. The third session I again went upwind past the point. I did some speed runs in the relatively flat water and, at the last of one I did a little jump with a lot of speed. That was so much fun I tried initiating jumps with a lot of board speed (maybe 20 mph) and noticed my jumps improving. Also I tried a bunch of jump switches. Top speed 23.8 mph; about 17 miles for the day and about 2 ˝ hours total.
Tue 2/16 - A long, tiring day, considering there was not enough wind for kiteboarding. I spent today writing 28 post cards, riding the rental bicycle to 2 Elements Kiteboarding Center for my 12m kite & equipment, then to The Reef Kiteboarding Center to drop off my equipment in case of wind, then to town to get photos made for the post cards, glue the photos to index cards, then to the hidden post office, then to the bank and then back to the Reef where a jovial group of us had dinner, then back home.
Wed 2/17 - (Two kite sessions) I was first on the water this morning, about 9:30 am with my 12m & 130 for two hours. Tried about four spins (me spinning 360 degrees) and actually made one without twisting the kite lines. That means I did a kite loop at the same time, although I didn't look at the kite so didn't see it. My last spin was in shallower water than I realized with weeds at the bottom on which I got drug for a few feet - enough to skin my arm a little. Not much blood or pain, though. I went 27.0 mph max & traveled 9.58 miles before the GPS AAAs died. Lesson learned: check the battery condition BEFORE leaving the room so I don't have to ride the bicycle all the way back for a fresh pair of AAAs (about a mile each way).
- The second session I tried a waist harness for five minutes, out and back, in too-little wind. I liked the waist harness, so may slowly convert. Top speed was 9.7 mph and total distance was .14 miles - ugh! A couple days ago, after being bitten by one of the many loose dogs Rein spent a morning in the emergency room instead of kiteboarding. Sort of unnerving when we ride our bicycles "home" after kiteboarding. This evening I nearly strained my brain figuring how to get everything out to 2-Elements that needed to go into my to-be-checked bags there, everything from there to my room that needed to be in my carry-on luggage and how to get everything correctly shuffled for kiteboarding tomorrow morning, packed and then to the airport.
Thu 2/18 - (One kite session) Although the winds were disappointing (11-17 w average of 13) I was determined to have fun for my final St Lucia session. That called for my 14 m Cabrinha Contra and trusy ol' 130 cm Lite Wave Stealth twin tip board. I was able to pretty much stay upwind, did a bunch of carves to toe side, a few puny jumps and stopped to visit with people walking along on the beach about… kiteboarding. Enjoyable 1:25 session; 22.4mph max speed; 9.38 mi. Yes, I did have fun on my final St Lucia session!
Fri 2/19 - Back home now, catching up on the mail and other things from while I was gone. Also started putting things away from the St Lucia kiteboarding trip. This will take several days to accomplish.
- Researching wireless mice for my computer most of the afternoon. Found the Logitech V-220 on sale for $15 at Best Buy, bigger than I really wanted but, lots of features, including a tilting scroll wheel for side-to-side movements.
Sat 2/20 - Big 8-stop trip today, including stopping at a nursery for dwarf myoporum, two grocery stores (cuz I'm out), my Dahlia rental house, gym and ending up for dinner at the Saturday night Ham feast at Iron Works, a fancy golf course restaurant (the prices were not too bad).
Sun 2/21 - More grocery shopping, to gym & more unpacking; planted one myoporum with tender loving care (with big hole, root stimulator, gypsum and mulch).
Mon 2/22 - On way to LA Fitness gym stopped @ Good Goodwill and found some goodies: Fancy 8-compartment padded back pack to use on my next flight as my personal carry-on item, two Lycra squishy pillows, a Magnedoodle (that I dissembled to use for a pad for temporary notes at my computer).
- Planted two more myoporums with TLC.
Tue 2/23 Planted fourth and final myoporum with TLC and raked front yard granite so everything looks nice.
- Started trying to telephone the Clark Howard Show. This is not easy, considering that thousands and thousands of people are trying at the same time since it is a national talk show.
Wed 2/24 - First thing this morning I took my van in for its annual pre-trip checkup and had the windshield washer fixed - simply a loose connector.
- Finally got through to the Clark Howard Show. Clark agreed with my idea of how congress should be stimulating the economy.
- Preparing for my big spring kiteboarding started today with setting out my kites, doing some laundry and buying a 3/5mm smoothskin wet suit - triathlon style for quick donning and warmer riding in chilly conditions.
- It was good to see all my friends at Gang Plank this evening and to work on this blog and on my website.
Thu 2/25 - Today, a week after my St Lucia kiteboarding trip, I resumed my regular, heavy workouts after working back up to it with a week of full-body workouts. Today was Legs
Day at LA Fitness
Fri 2/26 - This morning I took my van to Sound Werks to install a new radio antenna. The old one broke off, probably due to vibrations from my little windsock. I had I twisted off the stud when I tried to replace it myself with an after-market version. Then to Bally's Fitness for an Arms
workout & to Discount Tire to figure out why there is a low-speed shimmy with the steering wheel.
Sat 2/27 - Put my van's rear up on a ramp today so I could seal a fuel vent connection that gave a slight fuel smell just after topping off the tank. Ralph, at the LA Fitness Power Station thought the back pack I gave him was really nice with its compartments and all, as he can use it when he rides his bicycle for groceries etc. Although it had been to Brazil, Kentucky, Kansas, Key West & St Lucia, I no longer needed it with my "new" one from Good Will.
Sun 2/28 - Got up early this morning and drove to Mesa for church with George & Cindy (bro & wife), then a triple birthday party at his house. Also I backed up my eeePc9 netbook computer to the 1tb USB external hard drive I keep at his house for off-site backup.