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CoffeeWaffle
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Sunday, 28 November 2004
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This shot was taken by Briggsy from the kite-buggy trailer yesterday as we travelled along Rabbit Island Beach. See Q4A for more.
1:25:03 PM 
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Saturday, 27 November 2004
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A perfect day here in Nelson. Too exhausted to write much so here the photos....
Briggsy and I checked out the Nelson Markets (which are only on Saturday mornings). Then dag-wood sandwiches from the bakery for lunch.
Briggsy practising with an Excalibur (large Delta-shaped stunt kite), while Kaycee supervises.
After a couple of laps of the park in the buggy trailer behind me, it was time for Briggsy to try out the wheels for herself. She did pretty well to...
...its happens to the best of them. This shot was just after a very well executed emergency buggy exit followed by and almost perfect chin slide. Note, she managed to keep the kites in the air like a true professional.
Later we drove out to Rabbit Island, and buggied the length of the beach with buggy and trailer. Tune in later for some pictures taken by Briggsy from the trailer... (just as soon as she has offloaded them).
9:56:07 PM
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The worry is over. Briggsy arrived safe and sound and we're getting on just fine. I did however come down with a strange virus (or something) last night. My ankles got really sore to the point where I could hardly walk, then I started breaking out in cold sweats. I hope its not an allergic reaction to Briggsy. She thinks I'm trying to get out of horse riding... not so. I fact I'm kind of looking forward to that now that the idea has sunk in. Its been years since I've been on a horse but I remember enjoying it then.
Yesterday we had SW winds which around here are not the best for kite bugging. I had spent the day at Rabbit Island with a big group of school students from work. They were having there end-of-year picnic and their teacher asked if I would go along and bring my kites and buggy. I arranged the loan of a buggy trailer too so I could take them for rides. Unfortunately because Rabbit Island is a North facing beach, and a southwest wind mean there is only an unpredictable, gusty wind there, at best. Normally I wouldn't have bothered trying to buggy in that wind, but they were all expecting a ride (or at least to see a kite buggy in action). So I had a go. It lasted all of about 15 seconds before a big gust grabbed hold of my 8.5m c-quad and literally launched me up out of the buggy seat (lucky I didn't have my seatbelt on at the time), carried me 15-20 meters through the air, and dumped me into the tide! Although it was a real 'crowd-pleaser' I wasn't to keen on repeating that performance. I stood up, took a bow for the applauding onlookers, and packed the kite up. I had to feel sorry for the lad who had been first in line for a ride on the trailer. Theres no steering, so when I was launched, he was left in a pilot-less buggy, that was rolling fast into the tide too, with no way to stop it short of bailing out, which he did... too late. He ended up as wet as I was. We were both still smiling though :)
By the time I rushed back to town to pick up Briggsy from the bus I was running late. Fortunately, so was her bus.
So today its either horse riding, kite buggying, or both. The forecast is predicting a fine clear day, with afternoon sea breezes... perrrfect.
Briggsy's travel companion, 'Humpy' relaxing in the morning sun, on my porch this morning.
8:22:11 AM
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Monday, 22 November 2004
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On my way home from work this afternoon I stopped at Neale Park (again) to take advantage of the beautiful, smooth, warm nor-wester that was flowing in off the sea. Out on The Haven it was tearing the tops of the ripples that were attempting to become waves.
During the hour and a half I spent ripping around the park, seat-belted into the buggy, while flinging my little kite all over the sky, I had a 'moment of clarity'. I had a sudden understanding of just what it is about kite bugging that has such a primitive appeal.
I've often thought it's the simplicity of the sport that attracted me to it. The fact that there is no engine, no fuel, no noise... and no brakes; but that's not exactly it. Then there's the speed. You hear race car drivers talk of it all the time; the addictive nature of speed makes the danger acceptable and keeps them coming back for more. But that's still not it.
It is something to do with teamwork. I know, there are no teams in kite bugging; so maybe partnership is a better word. A partnership with Mother Nature, God, a higher power, whatever you want to call it. It is not an attempt to conquer or tame nature; that would be fruitless, and just when you thought you were winning, you'd lose. Ask any surfer who's just been pounded by a big wave, or a kayaker who's just run a big rapid, and they'll tell you every time, mother nature makes the rules...
You've got to be on the same side. When I'm going as fast as I want to across a wide open field or beach, and with a flick of one wrist I throw the kite into a down-turn, back toward the center of the wind, just a split second before throwing my upper body weight to one side and turning the buggy full-lock the same way, throwing it into a power-slide that ends with me facing the kite, just in time for the kite to reach the center of the wind and grab full power again, snapping the lines taut and rocketing me away in the opposite direction.... there's a feeling. A feeling like I'm not the only one having fun. Like I've just reached out and high-fived something much bigger than me.
8:43:02 PM
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Sunday, 21 November 2004
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The Nelson Kite Club monthly kite day was on at Neale Park today. I didn't arrive until about 2.30pm (it starts at 1pm), so there was already some racing going on when I got there. Some close racing to with three phantoms in the air along with Bill's Quad-foil. I got the buggy out and unpacked my 3.0m Flexi-foil Blade II. Soon I had that little 3 meter blade looping and swooping under, over, and between 12-15m Phantoms (and holding my own... almost). I was sweating while I worked the little kite all over the sky, hunting for power, while the guys flying the Phantoms were just cruising. Great fun!
Two Phantoms flying very close, shows just how competitive the racing was getting :)
Bill (left), Paul (middle), and Sam (right on board) enjoying the breeze.
8:43:47 PM
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Sunday, 14 November 2004
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Actually its Ngarunui Beach according to my map (or the Ocean Beach near Raglan), but if your talking to a kite buggy pilot, you'd probably just call it Charlie's Beach. Charlie, a kite buggier, kite designer/builder, and veteran Muriwai Moose Meet attendee from Raglan invited me to come and have a buggy on his beach on my way back home from my adventure in the far north. An offer I couldn't refuse.
I spent an afternoon last Thursday cruising up an down this lovely beach. Charlie arrived later in the day (after he finished working) and we buggied till sunset. That was the last chance I got to fly a kite on my holiday and I could think of a better way to top it all off, than a quiet buggy in a light breeze along a beautiful beach, into a setting sun.
We weren't the only things flying above the beach that day. Here Butterfly Dave searches for lift along the hilltops above the beach.
Charlie and his magic 4 meter c-quad.
Charlie going backward. How fast was it Charlie? 60, 70 kph?
The early stages of the sunset...
...and the last light of the day, just after I finished packing the van for the night drive South, toward home.
10:25:39 PM
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Wednesday, 10 November 2004
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Sunday, 7 November 2004
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Heres some action from last Sunday after waking up to a still smoking bonfire and a clear day. Charlie and Kent constructed a ramp on the front beach.
I'm glad I got that seat belt installed a few weeks ago.
The campsite on Sunday morning as a few nursed hangovers. I should have been selling coffee from the back of the van. I could have made a quick buck.
Craig jumping his bigfoot buggy (even though he promised his wife he wouldn't do anything dangerous). Buggy jumping photos were taken by Ted.
On a different subject, I am 33 years young today. Happy birthday 2 me...
9:18:30 PM
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Saturday, 6 November 2004
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Camping in the dunes of Murwai has a way of making you feel small. We had a full moon and an almost uninterupted view of the hevans. I took these two shots as the moons rose over a nearby sand dune. Soon afterwards Craig and I had a go at night time kite buggying with torches strapped to the buggy frames.
More pictures from Muriwai tommorrow...
11:27:27 PM
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I'm back. I got home from my two week trip late last night after a lot of driving. Sorry for the state the site was left in last week. It turned out blogging from the road was not as simple as it should have been. Finding somewhere to upload was a problem, and then when I did get the use of a phone line (thanks kiteworks) many pictures just didn't want to upload in the time I had. I decided to have a holiday from blogging soon after that... there was just too much other fun to be had (and Muriwai sand dunes are not the most laptop friendly places so leaving it in its bag was a good idea). But the good news is I kept taking pictures, so you have a few days of catching up ahead.
This is the scene at the North end of Muriwai Beach last Saturday. We had just arrived after driving the 45km length of the beach.The wind was a solid 18-20 knots and everyone was rearing to go.
I must go and pick up Kaycee from my parents place now, but tune in later for more photos.
10:28:13 AM
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© Copyright
2006
Murray Neill
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Last update:
13/11/2006; 8:10:13 p.m.
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