They fly across the water, bodies leaning back and skimming the waves. The kites that pull them swoop and soar overhead. With a tug of the control cables, the kiteboarders leap and flip in mid air.
On summer afternoons, a small but fanatical troupe of kiteboarders perform a thrilling water ballet at Willow Grove Park.
The hybrid sport first appeared about seven years ago, simultaneously in the Columbia Gorge and in France.
It's a mixture of windsurfing, surfing and wakeboarding, with advantages over all three. But it was very dangerous in the beginning, said local enthusiast Leon Lowman.
"They didn't have controls like we have now," Lowman said. "Those guys that started it really paved the way, and they paid their dues. Now, the gear is so improved, it's much safer."
Lowman, 55, whose day job is at the Longview library, lived in Puerto Rico for 15 years, where he started surfing and kayaking. He pioneered kiteboarding locally.
"I hardly surf any more because kiting is so much fun," he said one recent evening at Willow Grove. For one thing, kiteboarders don't have to swim to catch a wave -- the kites do the work." And sharks can't catch ocean kiteboarders, Lowman added.
"A lot of windsurfers have switched to kites because you get such big air," Lowman said. "It's sort of like wakeboarding without the boat."
Though the kite used is similar to a paraglider, there's an obvious difference. If something goes wrong, you'll crash onto water, not the hard, hard ground.
Doug Jessen of Longview, who owns Porky's Cafe and Lounge, learned how to kiteboard four years ago in Maui. He had previously done "most of the board stuff" -- skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding. As for kiteboarding, Jessen said, "it's addictive."
The newbie in the group is Jake Harvill of Longview, who got started about two months ago. "I sold my dirt bike and bought this used gear," he said. On the July day his daughter, Aliyah, was born, Harvill stole away from the hospital for a few hours to unwind on the river.
Lowman is happy to share tips with novice kiteboarders but strongly recommends that they take professional lessons, which are offered through shops that sell the equipment.
It's not difficult to learn, according to Nick Ruemler of Kelso. "After six to 10 hours in the water, you're up and riding on a board," Ruemler said.
A decent starting set of gear costs about $1,500. "It's a spendy sport," Lowman said, "but there are worse ways to spend your money." Boarders own as many as five kites in different sizes. The higher the wind, the smaller the kite that's needed.
When they reach the beach, boarders lay their kites out on the sand and inflate bladders that hold each kite's shape. The bladders also keep the kites from sinking after spills.
Boarders don harnesses that fit around their midsections. "Most of the weight is on your butt," Lowman said. "You can ride with one hand" on the control bar.
The kite is attached to the bar with lines with a 300-pound breaking strength. Riders steer the kites by tugging on different lines. "You have incredible control," Lowman said.
Kites inflated, kiteboarders trot down to the water and slip their feet into loops on the boards, which are like small surfboards.
If all goes well, it's time for fun flying over the water.
However, with kites that can pull you up to 30 mph, there are hazards. Lowman recommends wearing a helmet in case the board flips up and clonks the rider on the head.
One of the more dangerous situations is on land. "A kite out of control on the beach can lift you 50 feet in the air and you end up breaking your neck," Lowman said.
Harvill had trouble controlling his kite after twisting his lines and ended up wrapping around his vehicle. "It's very dangerous," he said a few minutes later. "I'd rather put it into my Jeep than into someone else."
Another safety must is staying close to shore when a ship motors by on the river. "Once in a while one of us will have to go out and pull another guy in when the wind dies down and a ship's coming," Lowman said.
However, when sailboards glide past, Lowman may veer near and shout a hello.
Lowman likes Willow Grove Park because the beach and river are broad. "It's nice soft sand if you get in trouble," he said. "It's a soft landing."
Other local wind-spots are Jones Beach near Clatskanie, the Kalama waterfront and Prescott Beach near Rainier.
"It's big in the Gorge -- and it's very crowded," Lowman said.
Conditions are often windier at the ocean beach, however. Recently, Ruemler and Lowman drove two cars to the northern Oregon coast so they could kiteboard four miles along the coast one-way and not have to tack into the wind on the return journey. "We were going up 30 to 35 feet" above the surface, Lowman said.
Like a sailboat, a kiteboarder can tack into the wind, which usually comes from the west at Willow Grove.
"I've gone up to Stella many a time," Lowman said. "Sometimes we ride into the sunset, going downriver. It's such a vibe."