Kite surfing in the Cut

Here’s another post in the series ‘ views from our front door’.  I’ve been watching the national championships for the Laser class. The other day all yacht racing was cancelled due to high winds. The wind speed in the Bay hovered around 30 knots all day, with gusts up to 40 kn. But one brave kite surfer was out there.

He appeared first behind Haulashore Island:

before emerging at high speed.

The western end of Haulashore Island, as well as part of the breakwater, is usually submerged at high tide. Much to my surprise, the kite surfer cut through the gap:

 

Here’s a shot on a very different day showing you just when he went (yes, the rainbow was real).

The surfer then proceeded to do a series of jumps, making the most of the flat water in the lee of the breakwater.

I was told later that it was probably the owner of the kite surfing school, who has a reputation for big jumps in heavy weather. Here’s a close-up showing just how high he jumped.

BTW – a friend introduced me to the page on the Port Nelson website showing almost real-time weather information for the harbour and Tasman Bay, here.  They show wind speed, direction, tidal height at various spots.