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Tarifa Kitesurf - Hit the beach and fly
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The popularity of kite-surfing has soared in the last five years in Tarifa, rapidly replacing windsurfing as the coolest sport in town. In the summer months, the beach outside Tarifa at Playa Los Lances almost disappears under a blanket of multi-coloured kites. When the kites hit the water, they light up the sky like a circus. It’s a spectacular sight.
If you feel the urge to surf and fly, Tarifa is definitely the place to come. Every year hundreds of extreme sports fans flock to Tarifa to sample the cool and wild experience that is kite-surfing.
Much of the appeal of kite-surfing is due to the ease and speed at which it can be learned. It’s a combination of power kite flying and surfing. Those who have prior knowledge of either will find it much easier to master this sport.
Even if you have never tried these sports, learning to kite-surf is relatively easy, assuming you are in full health (i.e. have no neck, shoulder or back injuries). Standard beginner courses last for 12 hours and are spread over a three-day period.
Originally kite-surfing was shunned by windsurfers as too easy. But finally they were unable to ignore the craze that was growing like wildfire. As a result most windsurf schools in Tarifa now organise and offer kite courses and also sell or hire kit. You’ll find international schools in Tarifa like Mistral and Fanatic but also local names like Spin Out, Tarifa Smile, Dragon Kite and Kite Obsession.
Kite-surfers come from all over Europe and Morocco to work and teach at these schools as it is regarded as the coolest job in town. So you are guaranteed to be taught by a pro with a real passion for the sport.
The standard kite size is 12 metres, but they also come in lengths of 6, 9, 18 and 20 metres. Which size you use will be determined by your body weight and the wind strength. The stronger the wind, the smaller the kite required.
As the wind is strongest between 2.00 pm and 6.00 pm, this is the time of day when the skies are busiest. Lessons usually take place in the morning to give beginners a chance to get use to handling the kite in lighter winds.
Wind is not the only important element when learning to kite-surf. Its direction is also relevant. Expert surfers will laud the benefits of side sure winds, which make it much easier to get out and come back in by pushing you back to the beach.
The type of beach also plays a role as sandy beaches, such as those in Tarifa, make the experience much more relaxing. Radical surfers tend to look for rock beds, which create bigger swells. Head past Punto Paloma to Canos de Meca if this is for you.
There are two main learning curves to mastering kite-surfing: power kite flying skills and board skills. The real mastery comes when you learn to co-ordinate the two. The rewards make the effort worthwhile. With a little dedication you too can expect to fly like a bird and feel your spirit soar in just under a week. Can you think of a better way to spend a holiday?