About 2 years ago Briggsy came to visit from the UK and learnt to kite buggy while she was here. She's in NZ again and her and Milky are staying for a few days. Today we went to Rabbit Island to to introduce Milky a powerkite. While we were setting up Briggsy (now being the 'experienced' kite buggy pilot of them) informed me that Milky wanted to "go really fast with a really big kite". Milky wasn't saying much.... just pacing. We put up the stack of excaliburs to start with and they turned out to be the perfect choice for the conditions.
 There were a few crashes and relaunches as to be expected. After a while I left them to practice. I made one run in the kite buggy to the west end of the beach and back with my 5.5m Pepper. The wind was perfect. Straight onshore, steady, and strong (20-25 knots I'd guess). By the time I got back from the 8km round trip Milky was flying the excaliburs like an expert, holding straight right across the power window. There were even a few skud marks in the sand to prove he was gaining confidence fast.
Time for the wheels. I find when someone new is about to try kite buggying, the less you say to them the better. I seem to end up scaring them out of it as I think of, and tell them, all the things they shouldn't do. I should just tell them the few things they need to do (sit in buggy, dive kite into power, steer buggy and try to keep wheels-side down) and let them go. There really is only one way to learn. Instead I try to describe why you shouldn't steer to far upwind, and what to do if you find yourself going backwards at 40kph, with 6 loops in the kite lines and sand in your eyes. 
Within minutes of getting in the buggy, Milky was making textbook turns. 
Then Briggsy had a go to. Here Milky has just assisted in the launch of the excalibur stack.
Its just like riding a bike.
As the tide came in the beach got steadily narrower, until there was barely enough room to make a wide turn without the kites going near the row of large pine trees along the dunes. Briggsy proceded to demonstrate her kite parking technique. She missed the first two trees in the row with some very slick stunt kite work and 'parked' the stack very gently in the third. After taking a couple of pictures (below) I was able to relaunch from the tree with just a few quick steps backwards. Slick parking indeed.
We're hoping for the same conditions tomorrow. The forecast is looking promising and the team sounds keen.
11:44:33 PM 
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