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where to go right after x-mas?

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rw30
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where to go right after x-mas?

Postby rw30 » Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:49 pm

hi guys,

for personal reasons my perfectly planned trip to Brasil (6 weeks, car + best spots) didn't eventually pan out . So, as an alternative, I'm thinking about going somewhere right after xmass , like Dec 27th / 28th, 4-6 weeks probably, first two of them being off, then working remotely (more-or-less London business hours).

So, here are the options I see (and some opinions I've read in internet - haven't been to any of these places) :

1.Kenia / Diani beach
pros:
* picturesque place
* good social & nightlife (not that I'm big on it but will travel solo, so wouldn't mind, especially during off period)
* fairly easy logistics (spot is close to the airport)
* fast internet, whether WiFi or 4G

cons:
* BIG ONE: I've read wind in winter is mostly between 13-18knts, usually close to 15 knts.... that's just not enough for me to have good fun (17-18knots is minimum, 14M kite is biggest I have, and I have 93kgs and no, I'm not much interested into unhooked freestyle nor buying 17M kites) .
* bit uncomfortable time difference (London +2hrs) + early sunset (6PM) , making it a bit difficult to ride on working days, but I'll hopefully fix this with my client

2.South Africa... but I was thinking Langebaan & going to Cape Town occasionally, rather than staying in Cape Town 100%.
pros:
* very good wind statistics (although I've heard it's actually way weaker in Langebaan than CapeTwon, so I shall mostly ride 14M then, 10M sometimes, that correct?)
* spots not busy, plenty space in the water + good for progress ( I want to go more advanced on old-school tricks + start looping )
* plenty to do on no wind days
* left foot kickers in CT

cons:
* Langebaan seems to be bit of shithole from what I've read, not much of social life
* safety (although rather in CT, shouldn't be that big issue in Langebaan)
* not so easy logistics, car necessary (that's not big issue, but still)

......or shall I stay in CT and go to Langebaan occasionally? : )

3. Tenerife / Medano
pros:
* super easy logistics (fairly short & direct flight from Poland + staying in Medano no need for the car, although it's better to have it since plenty to do & see in Tenerife)
* busy with digital nomads from what I've read recently
* left foot kickers

cons:
* wind is not guaranteed in that period
* even if blows, wind is gusty (and I find it very difficult to progress with gusty wind)

4. Egypt:
haven't read that much about it TBH, but, as with Tenerife, wind may be a lottery in that period, although logistics shall be easy like with Tenerife.

What do you guys think?
At the moment I'm thinking about South Africa as #1 choice.

Also, as far as I know, Vietnam is still closed for tourism, Sri Lanka is light-wind in that period (as I said before, 15-16 knots is not fun for me), and Cape Verde, which I liked - been there last February - is just beginning of the season and wind is not guaranteed, and I wouldn't like to be there not kiting since place is shithole in general.

riding style is freeride on twinTip, trying to jump as high as possible + learning old school tricks + planning to learn powered looping. Regular stance, as you may have figured out as I indicated 'left foot kickers' as some spots.
Last edited by rw30 on Fri Oct 22, 2021 4:57 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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robclaisse
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Re: where to go right after x-mass?

Postby robclaisse » Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:17 pm

I can't give you feedback on all of these locations but I do know Cape Town / Langebaan pretty well. I'm from the UK but this year will be my 17th trip to SA. I used to always live in Blouberg, with the odd trip to Langebaan but since I started kitefoiling (which I do 80% of the time) I've lived in Langebaan with this being my 3rd year being based up there.

For Langebaan, wind wise, I think it has more days of 12 knots+ than Blouberg / Cape Town. Through Dec/Jan/Feb there is rarely a day I don't get out on the water, but I do foil. For TT'ing you'll find there are more days that are windy than Cape Town but CT will get more of the really strong days. Also the wind in Langebaan can be very different at Main Beach or up at Sharks Bay - 10/15 knot difference is not unusual on the strong wind days. Also at Main beach you need to be aware of the tides, when the tide is going out on a spring tide, you'll have 4-5 knots of tide going away from the wind - but get that 4-5 knots when its coming in and the wind can feel way stronger.

Blouberg is generally way busier too if its 25+ knots right through to mid-Feb, there is more beach but it can be crazy these days. Langebaan will be busy on the weekends if the forecast is good and over the Christmas period.

Langebaan is not a shit hole, far from it but it is quiet after 9 maybe 10pm. Mainly restaurants but they all shut around 10. Stick to Blouberg and CT if you want to drink and party.
And on the whole it is probably safer than Blouberg. It's not often that cars get broken into but as long as you are sensible you're fine.

Honestly, when I rode surfboards and twintips I was not a big fan of Langebaan but for foiling it's one of the best places in the world. The twintip'ing it is good but I've always thought of it more as an intermediate level spot - Blouberg is better if you want to really jump as the wind is more lofty and the ramps help! In the end a bit of both works well, so where ever you stay you'll probably end up driving to the other place a couple of times a week.

It's also worth noting that every couple of weeks you might get a couple of days of NW-SW winds - these are good in Langebaan for foiling but typically 10-15 knots. Hermanus seems to be the go to place for SW twintip'ing but its a long trek from Langebaan (and Hermanus is very busy on those days now).
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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby Toby » Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:40 pm

one big CON you forgot about Kenia: WARM water !
Makes a big difference when trying new tricks...because you will crash more often.
Problem is, you need some power for Airstyle tricks...15 knots is not much...and specially for kiteloops you need some height.

What happened that you can't go to Brazil?

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Re: where to go right after x-mass?

Postby Havre » Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:42 pm

I haven't been to Diani, but I have friends who have. From what they tell me it is quite comparable in terms of wind to Zanzibar (I got one friend who went to Zanzibar the year I was there and Diani the year after - even if the wind isn't always the same from year to year of course). If so it is fairly light. Zanzibar was amazing when the wind was good, but most days it was somewhere around 15 knots.

As rob is saying Langebaan isn't a shithole. And unlike CT it feels very safe (might be an illusion). It is however small and sleepy. Might not be a bad thing if you are working though. As for things to do there isn't much in Langebaan except golf and maybe something like cycling. Some decent restaurants there. CT is very different - even if the Blouberg area is still some way off the city centre. Blouberg isn't exactly a place like Europe where you can walk to nice small cafes, restaurants and bars in the evening. Big Bay you got a small area, but that isn't all that different from Langebaan. Still, much easier to take an Über to the city centre from Blouberg than Langebaan of course.

Langebaan I always had plenty of space slightly upwind from the main launching spot. You also got very flat water that time of year behind a molo or something downwind. Unfortunately I never got to go to Shark Bay - which looks amazing. Most days I was in Langebaan the wind wasn't strong enough for going to Shark Bay.

Haven't been to the other two places.

CT or Langebaan mainly depends on your personality I would say - and partly if you enjoy golf or cycling. I never played golf there, but there is at least one course close to the main kiting area.

I would imagine most solo travellers would prefer staying in CT rather than Langebaan.
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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby 1234567Simon » Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:56 pm

For your riding Style: blouberg!
Ohhhh yes!!!! 4 weeks: wow 🤩.

I would not think for longer than 0,5 sec.

And take a third kite!
14/10/9

Work till 5pm, and then go kite -> till 09:30pm.


Teneriffa could be good, but might be 4 weeks no wind.


Just my oppinion, without knowing anything about Kenia for kiting .
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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby Pana » Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:11 pm

Perhaps you should consider Columbia
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rw30
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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby rw30 » Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:23 pm

Pana wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:11 pm
Perhaps you should consider Columbia
great spots, I've read a lot about it, + I speak Spanish fluently so I wouldn't mind, but moving more to the west than London time minus 3 hrs makes it very inconvenient for work.

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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby Toby » Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:26 pm

Pana wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:11 pm
Perhaps you should consider Columbia
Excellent period to go. And Cartagena is beautiful!
And should have best winds of the places mentioned.
You don’t steady wind, max up to 30 knots.

Plus, water is warm! And if you travel alone, and are up to meet someone, definitely Colombia is amazing.

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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby Toby » Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:27 pm

rw30 wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:23 pm
Pana wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:11 pm
Perhaps you should consider Columbia
great spots, I've read a lot about it, + I speak Spanish fluently so I wouldn't mind, but moving more to the west than London time minus 3 hrs makes it very inconvenient for work.
Wind always start mid day and lasts til sunset….

rw30
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Re: where to go right after x-mas?

Postby rw30 » Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:22 pm

@Toby , as I've said before, I'd really like to go there, but timezone there in (european) winter is London -6 hrs, which makes it almost impossible for me to work.... if there were no other places in the world to go, then maybe I'd make that sacrifice (starting at 4AM or 5AM and asking client if they allow me to start 10AM/11AM 'their' time). But there are, so I won't :)
Last edited by rw30 on Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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