Trip Report Fuerteventura (long over due)

Want to plan a kiting trip? Just got back from one? Post you experiences, questions and information here.
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davewsail
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Trip Report Fuerteventura (long over due)

Post by davewsail » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:10 am

It all started on a rainy, windless day last winter... I was surfing youtube kite videos and found several I liked made by a guy in Spain. I was bored so I emailed him. Long story made short, he was a cool, friendly guy and invited me to visit his local kite spot-- Fuerteventura. I didn't know when I would get to go, but I kept it in the back of my mind. BTW, you can check out Carlos's videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/gusfilms


Back in June I had to travel to London for work and decided it would be a good time to visit Fuerte since I'd already be in Europe. I emailed Carlos, made my reservation and daydreamed about kiting in the warm water with Spanish babes on the beach. Carlos hooked me up with a guy named Fathi who runs a kitehouse in Corralejo. Fathi gave me a room in a fat house with a pool for the week for 200 euros. He also picked me up from the airport and drove me around in his Mercedes convertable all week. 8)

The best part was getting instantly plugged in to the local kite scene-- the Spanish were so friendly and instantly accepted me as part of the tribe. There were about a dozen locals at Flag beach (the local spot) and they are all really good kiters and really nice people. The people made my whole trip.

The beach is huge (both wide and long). The wind blows from the north, side on and there is a small island 3 miles cross wind. Reminded me of La Ventana though the island is closer. The water is so warm and clear (like Maui) and there are areas of both flat water and waves. You can kite to the island and get pure butter. On the beach, there were only 10-15 kiters at any given time. I was there seven days and it blew 20-25 every freaking day! Also, it's Europe so there were lots of topless and nude babes on the beach. Not bad scenery! For the ladies, occasionally there would be the random naked guy with his slong flapping in the wind but mostly speedos.

The island is a big party spot for people form the UK, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy. They had a big, happening downtown with clubbing until dawn. Fathi's routine was to wake up around 10AM, go kiting for a few hours, take a couple hour siesta, go back kiting until sunset, eat dinner and then club until 4AM. Got to love the euros and how friendly they are.

In all, it was a fantastic time. Luckily Fathi was my translater all week and a great host. If anyone is interested in staying at the kitehouse, PM me and I'll hook you up with Fathi.

The locals said it blows every day in the summer (20-25) which it did while I was there. The island is 95km off the coast of Morocco and the Sahara creates a huge thermal low that sucks the cooler ocean wind through the channel there. In the winter I was told that it blows less frequently but the waves are bigger from the storms up north. The climate is awesome-- 75-80 everyday in every season and dry. I'd definitely go back!
Team rider for Sheldon Kiteboarding and North

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