thekitehouse.com

Nothing like when one of your best friends has a house on the water in Hawaii Kai in Oahu. Easy flight to Hawaii, even though i left florida with no huricanes in sight to find out one is coming here, havent had one here since 1992 and its a cat 4!

Well, we are going to sore some big swell, so beter get warmed up. We took the “getto fabulous Boat”

Bills wife Anna gift on his birthday. At about 14 feet, we put 5 boards and 5 people on it and headed out to turtles for a session.

It was cool and i am ready for what the week brings. I will head to Maui also to do some testing with Cabrinha on the new kiteboarding gear, will have a write up latter this week.

One of the nice things about Hawaii is when you want to just go have some fun there is a ton to do. We went off the beaten path to a cool spot, sorry i cant tell ya where it is, but its fun.

the water comes in and then when it goes out you go to the bottom, then it sends you back up top.

it kinda acts like a

so i tried, hey ya know i needed to see what it did

so anyway, there is also a metor shower tonight, so should be real cool on the North shore.

Well we will see whats next, the waves are building

I will get some more Aloha tommrow!

Spots up North are everywhere, and if there is any swell, the breaks are all going off, this is not a normal flat water place, you go to ride waves, big and small. I Rode a surf board or directional 90% of the time. There are alot of known spots, then there are the others you need a guide to take you. It is well worth it to take guide, as you need 4 wheel drive and you can get so lots in the desert like dunes or worse yet stuck!

Some local spots like out front of WAWA and Las Olas hotels you can kite the waves in front in the afternoon, normally a 12 meter. As you head south you will be mainly on a 9 meter or sometimes a 7 meter. The waves down south will be bigger and the wind is always there.

You can take a cab and have them wait for 4 hours while you kite Cabo Blanco for around 35$…you get a few people and its cheap, someone always looking to go.

Now when you want the off the map spots and Lobitos, you will need one of these guys and trust me its so worth it.

http://perusurfrides.com/ Ursula is the owner, she can get you to the places to surf or kiteboard in the waves. check out the video on the site. She took care of my flights in Peru, helped with the changes, got me taxis in Lima and Tumbes,

all preset before i got there. Ursula is like the travel agent you need to help you with everything. Everyone knows her and she is even building her own 10 room hotel. Ursula also can get your non kiting surfing people stuff to do, like the mub baths, horseback riding, dry forest and more.

http://www.perukitecamp.com/ Skip is the owner is a hell bent surfer and kiteboarder. You can tell he loves it, and he gets up and is gone, if the swell is there, you will find him at Lobitos or El gulf, he will get you wind or waves. Check out his videos as well, he has a big 4wd truck, but you should book in advance with him.

http://www.vivamancora.com/english/surf.htm this site you show you around and all the spots, temps, wind ect..

Private trips can be done with Gary at Samana Charkara and Gustavo at Las olas

micheleexp@hotmail.com Michel expedtions Peru is the person you want when you want a whole peru experence and not be in one spot. I will have his new web site soon, but he takes you to private musems, and surfing in the same day. Ruins, great food, nature, mub baths,you name it. You could start in Lima and work your way up the coast and hit idfferent spots everyday.

READ THE POST FROM WHAT I LEARNED TO TRAVEL THERE AS WELL

Ok, my take on the town of Mancora. Yes is is a town, but it feels more like an island.Lots of fisherman suround the town, as do most towns up and down the coast.It is more the tourist location…why? The point where the wave breaks is very popular, you can learn on it, and when the swell picks up you can rip on it. You can walk most of the town or the beach to get around, or the 3 wheel moto taxi will get you there. So where you postion yourself is what you get from the town. lets look at some places to stay.

http://www.samanachakra.com/ This is the true place to chill out. It is probley the nicest looking place in the town. Gary and his wife have gone above and beyound to build this resort with beautifull suroundings and a peacefull atmosphere. If you are a couple and want to enjoy town, but then have the nights quite bye the ocean and the hot tub, this is forsure the place, it is just up the beach out of the way of the noise of downton.

There web site does more justice to it than i can, the resturant is great and the menu changes every night, remember Gary is American, so he understands you want a good , safe and clean meal. I would eat there every night, as the changes and they shop the market for whatever is the freah pick of the day . They cook fish, but are mostly vegetarian.

Gary is a good surfer and kiteboarder

, he took me to some spots off the map and we kited waves and had a good time, he is a good tour guide, knows a lot about the area.

Las Olas http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/hotels/mancora/las_olas_mancora_peru.html

view from room

This hotel in on the beach in mancora right in front of the break, the view from the front rooms is sick, you can lay at the edge of your bed and watch the break. Gustavo and his family are just real nice people. I wasnt staying there, i will in the future…they acted like you did, very open, enjoy the wireless!!! The place is laid back, clean, and they have a great price range, even some rooms for the back packer who needs cheap. they have there kite school on site. They take trips to kite the waves, they all kite the waves there and know the spots very very well.The food they make is great, i had breakfast and a few dinners there, so good, and cost so little.You need info, you talk to Gustavo and tell him Paul sent you…..no wonder people from Peru rent his places for weeks at a time!

oh yeah ask to see his turtles!!!

http://www.delwawa.com/hotel.html on the beach in Mancora [next to las olas]

I stayed here in the back on the second floor, tucked away nice and had a nice view. the rooms are big and had a loft as well. The staff goes way out of there way to do anything for you, from watching your gear, getting you odds and ends you need, to cooking for you even if the kitchen should be closed. the owner WAWA is a legend there, sick surfer and kiter everyone knows him and the place, probley why they dont have a sign! You can get surf lessons from there from Pilar, they teach adults kids, i saw people who would not look like the most agile perosn to surf, learn and have a great time.

As with any of these places holidays and weekends are party time and can be a little noisey[except Garys place] so keep that in mind if you travel alone or as a couple. Almost verywhere is safe, and if you walk to a desrted part of a beach, guards will tell you if its a good idea to go further or not. I was there for part of a holiday, no crime, so they police themselves very well.

Prices from places range from 15$-90$ a night, and there is hostels which are even cheaper. BOOK AHEAD, things fill up fast that are good.

So if you planning to go to Peru, and heading north to Mancora, let me give you the details of some places to stay and things to do. I will keep adding to this in the next days, always feel free to contact us at the kite house , as we can set you up with our friends there.

BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER, TRAVEL INSURANCE….AGAIN TRAVEL INSURANCE….SAVED ME BIG TIME BECAUSE OF FLIGHT DELAYS, PLUS YOU GET MEDICAL…OK Have fun…….

FLIGHTS

All international flights go into Lima [LIM] all major airlines goe there from the USA and other places through out the world. Lima has redone there airport since i have last been there, it is very clean and like a shopping mall with food courts ect, so if you have a layover its nice.

Flying in Peru is manily done on Aero Condor http://aerocondor.com.pe . They are nice planes, and pretty cheap flights, very similar to how Europe does its flights, no first class, plenty of seats , clean, and stop overs in different airports on the way.

The best place to fly into Mancora is Talara [TYL] it is a 1/2 hour ride to mancora they fly from lima MON-WED-FRI-SUN

Next is Tumbes [TBP] it is 1.5 hours from Mancora and flys TUE-THU-SAT

BIG TIP: If you ever have to change a flight , make sure when you call aero condor that you pay the change fee charge on the phone, or the local airport will have no record of your change and you might be out of a seat and out of luck. Not much around the airports.

The local airports all have a departure take usally 2 or 3 dollars US but make sure you have change and small bills cause you hand them a 20$ bill and they look at you like your crazy, small change in Peru is a must.

If your spanish is bad , bring your phrase book with you, but you can normally find someone from the airline that will speak english.

In tumbes, we came in on the flight, they unloaded the bags very quick, the plane took back off, we were getting in the taxi and they shut the lights off in the airport …..closed, they waste no time to leave so have your stuff.

The temp is about 78 in the day, strong UV from the sun, becarefull your near the equator. Nights can be around 68, depends if the wind comes from the mountian, then it get chilly, but i am a bad person to ask as it is 93 at night in key west, so i get cold. i brought a 3/2 full for lobitos, and a shorty , with npx heat seaker rash guards….i wore the shorty most and in mancora, need only the rash.

If the wind blows off shore at night, that is the sign for the windy day, the more south the more wind.

so wet suits, shorty or full, rash guards, 9 meter or 12 meter kites, surfboards, extra stuff…..like harness strap…the webbing, kite repair stuff, board repair stuff, any spare lines, bladders…..not much is sold there, you can probley sell your gear before you leave. Look at our tips for traveling for lots of extras.

Summer season is in full swing at the Kitehouse in Hatteras. It is true, there is not to much to do in Hatteras…except kite in one of the best kiting playgrounds that I have been too. It is the best of both worlds, miles of flat water riding in the sound, or epic waveriding in the ocean.
There is so much room that crowds are non existent, usually people try and find other kiters just so they can kite with somebody else. My favorite is the ocean downwinder, basically start where ever you want to, finish where ever you want, then just hitchhike back to the start. At most I wait 5 minutes before I am going back upwind in somebody’s truck…just like a chair lift on the mountain. In a couple downwinders I hit more waves than I hit in 2 years of surfing.

Ok, the waves arte coming, so i need to spear again, so we leave in a locals bus…you are packed in like sardines.Remember i have my gun fins, ect…we are going to Punta Sal, water should be clear there and they have some fish i have never seen or eaten.

Alli can say is look at the pictures, i have video as well. We caught octopus, oysters, Robolo, Pluma….we scored. Bu to wrap it up, we made cevieche on the rock on the beach, you want fresh you got it, man hooking up with the locals is where its at, you really need to be adventureous on trips, this was so cool, people where freaking out when we came in, then when we started cooking, well…this is how i want to live my life, go out and get what God has put out for you and use the resourses of the area to complete the meal….man what will they show me next…also learned a cool way to put you wet suit on with out a battle, this is like school. Oh yeah, once the photo guy is here you can see me paddle, i usally go so far no one photos me…i will get some…tommorow i paddle there type of paddle board….hmmm

Ok, so i am out for the 6 am paddle, see some of the boys coming in on the big fishing boat…..check there catch, good haul….shooting some pictures and i see that there is tons of bait around. They whistle….hey paddle out a ways to the bait line…cool photos…ok

I get there, what the hell is that coming at me , they said no sharks here…..nope, but about 20′30 small dolphin chasing the bait and charging fast….ok, cool….set up for photos….i am on my board remember standing up….here they come….wow out of focus…no they are under me…oh sit i am going to fall, i am now laying on the board as they go nutz. next the seals come, what the hell am i a mooring ball. I get a few far away pictures….paddle back in, they fisherman are all laughing, we knew that would happen, we all have a laugh, they tell me i have good balance

oh yeah to the left is a blue footed boobie…i guess i will be the white footed boob, look at the pelicans and you can see the dolphin, they are fast and i was falling off

….they send me down the coast to see how they stand up paddle…..huh, say they been doing for over 80 years….what gotta see this…more to come, and i still have to go spearfishing……good to be in the locals club…

aloha Paul

Ok, so it 6 am i get up , small waves, i take my stand up board and go see the coast. I see all the fisherman up the coast so i go paddle to them. Its a unwriten rule when you ask what kind of fish are around after you paddle up 1-4 in your own-board, that you get some instant credit. We all have a good laugh about me being off shore and they tell me some spots togo spearing for fish, toss me one they have.

As i went looking, i saw and innertube floating, then 2 fins, a freediver, getting oysters and more. I paddle up, hey whats up, can i watch……he was more than happy, once we chated for a bit i found out he does this for a living, no fish or oysters, or octopus, his family doesnt eat. I ask if i can join, he says sure, ok i will be right back. I come back paddling with my spear gun, fins, mask , belt suit the whole kit, he is impressed as he doesnt have a gun. I told him, let me help him, he keeps everything and sell. We rocked it, he showed me so many cool tricks that i never knew. Man we were out there for almost 3 hours until i got cold. I am going to help him and another guy this week, plus another guy in town is going to show me spots on the coast…..thank god i have my stand up surf board, nowaves or wind till weds, and i am spearing am and pm

aloha Paul

I willput alot of photos in mid week…..So its really cold as anything in Lima…….had to spend the night and day, so damp….ahhhhhhhh

Get to airport to leave for tumbes, as i missed my flight to talara the other day…..check in…no confirmation on the ticket change…here we go again. After they told me the flight was full, and i would have to wait another day, iasked them in spanish please help me, i am so cold and been traveling for 4 days….then i shut up and waited. Its really works when you are nice , plead a bit, and walk to the side, they got me on….even after seeing my 11 foot stand up paddle board! Got to tumbes……a sign…. Paul menta….taxi is here, i am off to Mancora and there in 1.5 hours. Warmer, cool people and a beer a wait, finally after 4 days i am here. Lots of lessons learned!

Well, i am off to Peru to go to Lima and then up North…..or am i?

Wednesday leave to head up to miami because i have surf board and kite gear cant fly out of key west. The signs:

1] Pedro, surfing bro says” i heard it snowed in PERU, 1ST time in 86 years”… what!! I am in flip flops and have only shorts…

2] With the airport in sight, I can see smoke… oh great the tower is on fire! Plans are still going this is going to be great.

3] Check in all bags are sent through [they were all the correct weight, i will do another travel post on how to pack kiteboarding gear and weights]… head to the Admirals Club to chill before flight, it is now 3:00…

head down to flight at 4:45… no plane… hmmm… 5:15 plane pulls up… sorry delay, we will leave at 6:40… ok.

Plane boards, get settled, very full flight on a 767…. taxi taxi… take off… here we go finally!

Shit, what was that noise? I heard a pop… and I have to keep clearing my ears. What’s the whistleing noise… Capt. says can’t pressurize the cabin… trying to fix… ok, we need to go back now but were to heavy, lets burn some fuel… oh , p.s dont mind the fire engines when we land we are a bit heavy… land… brakes are smoking, fire guys sort it out… 8pm… got from gate e30… wait move to d10…..9pm….d40……wait sorry, e23…….10pm……hmmm maybe no flight……people are really getting out of control and pissed………i bought travel insurance 75.00…for 2 weeks….covers medical and interuptions ect.

11pm, ok folks the 11:30 time for the fight is not going to happen flight is canceled…..we have a plane no crew….people go off the hook, so bad that i wont even go near the front desk….call my travel insurance people, they say that no flights until friday at 5:30pm……its weds night 11pm……the insurance people kick as…they rebook the flight for friday, no worries, we conference call with american…not to many seats…up greaded to 1st class….ok, now everyone else has heard no flights till friday…..gets bad, the police have to come to terminal….mean while, now i get a hotel from the insurance……no crap place, hampton inn…..unreal room……covered for the 2 days…..service is so good, they even figure a way to get my stand up paddle board over there….oh yeah but back to the story……..leave the terminal, as i need no coupon for a hotel room…..people are freaking , go down for bags…….12am-1am-1:30…sure they are coming just wait….see a guy walking buy not in a suit…forsure he wont lie…yeah man i just got off work….bags…there are so many out there they are never coming tonight1:45 checking in at room…good night……8:30 am insurance calls…everything cool…yeah no bags, get baggage people on the phone, they say bagage in Miami wont even answer them…..but wait, they are no putting bags out to tag and send to lima? shuttle takes me to the airport, they are dumping bags out……holy shit , there is my surf board…kitebag and other getting ready to get shipped to peru wioth outme……snaged it………yeah…….shuttle driver cant get board in side door van…tkaes off belt…..ties to bag, slips in rear door handel, slams door, i go in passanger side front…hold the other strap, were out of here…he rules!

so what i learned:

going out of the country…..get travel insurance AiG…they have the best service, they go out of there way

your gut telss you the flight is screwed…dont go to the countor and freak out on the poor people, call reservations or the insurance you will get hooked up fast.

know the airport, as normally past 9pm all the food places close….i found a pizza place with beers, brought it back i was a hero

when dealing with the reservations people and insurance , be calm, make a joke, relax….got me great rooms, upgraded, and didnt wait all night or loose my bags, like 70% of the people did!

well thats day on…lets see what happens when i leave on FRIDAY THE 13TH…..ha…

aloha Paul