Kiteboarding – It’s not sea kayaking

While I was visiting friends and family in Panama City, FL recently, I was invited to try my hand at kiteboarding. I had taken Radek Varcop, sailing on the Hobie 16’ and he wanted to give me a taste of his sport. Winds where strong that day, around BFT 6 and out of the NE so we headed to the back bays and Shell Island, part of the St. Andrew’s State Park, to have a lee shore to sail on. We were taking a partner of Radek’s, Beau Smith, whom we met at the Treasure Island Marina where we also collected our powerboat for getting us and gear out to the island.

Radek and his friend, Beau, made it look simple, but there are a multitude of items to be managed, and after some practice I realized that I’m better off l sticking to sea-kayaking.



Still, it was a great trying my hand at something new, and the worse day on the water is far better then the best day on land!