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Maui advice for a BVI kiter

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caribcat
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Maui advice for a BVI kiter

Postby caribcat » Tue Jan 13, 2004 3:18 am

I will be in Maui for the first week in August and would like to know where I can kite that isn't kite beach -nothing personal but it looks crowded and I don't want to piss off the locals. Any help?

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Dax
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Postby Dax » Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:26 am

Unless the wind is right for Kihei, you pretty much have no choice but to launch from Kite beach (Kanaha). From there if you can get upwind theres usually some pretty good open space to be found. It is crowded though, and don't think going on a weekday will save you, I went on a Monday and counted over 50 kites in the sky (I guess most Hawaiians don't have M-F jobs :wink:)

If the wind is the right kind of NE, Kihei can be good (though usually gusty.) A couple of the launches have either mucky water (sharks) or shallow reefs. But its probably worth it since you have a MUCH bigger choice of where to launch from (miles) so there is a lot less crowding (you can pretty much ride by yourself if you want to.)

If the SW (Kona) wind comes, then Kihei is SWEET! Had one of my best sessions ever with sweet wind and waves just north of Kihei on a SW day. When the wind is SW then it doesn't have to blow across the island which is what makes it gusty on a NE day. Though I think in August you're not likely to see a SW day.

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tweekster
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Postby tweekster » Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:08 am

don't count on those sw winds in august. we are in the midst of our sw wind patterns right now. south shore of oahu has been going off!

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Postby Eduardo » Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:51 pm

yes it's crowded but i don't think you'll piss off locals just by being there & kiting. it's a diverse crowd ranging from tourists to expert locals. haven't been in a couple years, but the attitude was great then...

Ed

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Postby Dax » Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:55 am

Eduardo wrote:yes it's crowded but i don't think you'll piss off locals just by being there & kiting. it's a diverse crowd ranging from tourists to expert locals. haven't been in a couple years, but the attitude was great then...

Ed
Maybe it was just my experience, but it seemed like I wasn't getting the friendly help I would have expected when it came to launching/landing my kite. In the Gorge getting someone to launch your kite is no big deal, and people usually do it with a smile (despite the fact that the sand bar some days is way more crowded than kite beach in Maui.) Every time I tried to get someone to launch my kite in Maui (even when I picked out the guy who was obviously not busy) I got a big sigh and a lot of feet dragging.

Much worse on landing.... I would be patting my head like a mad man trying to make eye contact with someone. People would stare right at me and it wasn't till I yelled out "HEY!" would someone finally walk (slowly) over to my kite and grab it. Seems like for safety reasons landing is the one time when ANYONE who can land a kite should jump into action.

Now on the Kihei side, strangely people were much more friendly... :-?

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Postby MadMick » Thu Jan 15, 2004 5:16 am

Don't worry about the "locals"

Most of them are not locals,but long term visitors or transplants,who may think that that entitles them to have attitude.

You can launch away from them anyway.

Most of the kiters there are visitors ,just like you.

The true locals are long suffering and have seen it all.
You will be OK.
Just don't turn up here ,strut around like you own the place,then rig up right in everyones way,lines over somebody elses. Then launch with crossed lines, straight into the trees !! It happens!

Just be thoughtfull,give everyone a little space,and things will be fine.

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Postby Eduardo » Thu Jan 15, 2004 11:11 am

mad mick is right on.

when i get to a place with attitude, i tell myself that i will not let a couple minutes of "i'm too cool to help you launch/land attitude" ruin my day!

you can always bring the kite down right next to them so they can't ignore you ;-)

Ed

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Postby maui » Fri Jan 16, 2004 6:16 pm

Dax is right --just kite in kihei where all the friendly guys like him ride. I love dax-he is so totally cool he even dreams of kona winds in august, and he is the man for maui info!

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Dax
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Postby Dax » Fri Jan 16, 2004 6:28 pm

maui wrote:I love dax-he is so totally cool he even dreams of kona winds in august, and he is the man for maui info!
Dax wrote:Though I think in August you're not likely to see a SW day.
Just trying to be helpful, I was surprised how hard it was to get info on Maui before I went there, maybe its because tourists aren't really welcome?... Apparently the locals don't realize how dependent their economy is on us "outsiders."

:bye:

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Postby Nalo » Sat Jan 17, 2004 3:51 am

Does anyone know if where to kite near the Kaanapali are during Kona winds (Sout to South-West)?


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