I thought I was ready. I’d taken 12.5 hours of lessons and could do a waterstart. I wanted to get better. Ride longer. So I started renting gear and set out on my own to kite Phan Rang in the kitesurf paradise that is the My Hoa lagoon . That’s when I realized every wind is different. And every session teaches something new.
Day one, the wind started good, but dropped significantly when it started raining. And a wet kite moves slower. So Vietnam Surf Camp swapped me to big kite. But still I had to do fast, strong power dives to get & stay moving. I crashed more than I care to admit, but I learned a lot! Day two, the wind changed its mind. It came in soo strong, I struggled to control the power. They gave me a small kite and then it went much better. I came out of the water easily and with minimal kite movement I was riding downwind. They gave me a thinner board which allowed me to edge more and thus ride upwind easier. Still I was launched a few times because of a mis control. One crash sent my board flying. I tried to body drag upwind to find it, but with this new light color, I couldn’t see it. Luckily one of the camp’s experienced riders zipped out and brought it back. Because Vietnam Surf Camp’s kitemasters were watching me from the beach, I felt safe to go out and try again and again. By kiting a lot, I got achieved much better technique and I experienced firsthand the impact of choosing the right kite for the right conditions.
It’s crazy how two days can show you two completely different sides of kitesurfing. Light wind teaches patience and technique. Strong wind demands respect and precision. And somewhere in between, I learned to ride both. Dreamstarter Adventure Travels wouldn’t have made this progress without Vietnam Surf Camp. They chose the right gear for the changing wind conditions, gave me lots of tips, and were always ready to come to the rescue if needed. They had beach boys and riders ready to help me get the gear back upwind so I could ride it back downwind. Because although I could ride a bit upwind, it wasn’t enough to go back to my starting point completely. This care & guidance made all the difference. If you want to learn to kite Vietnam, learn from my mistakes: with weeks in between sessions you cannot learn this most insane of the watersports. A lot of practice day in day out is needed. Go on Vietnam Surf Camp!
