From face-plants to flying throughout the lagoon: how I realized to kitesurf in Sicily

Tright here’s no escaping it: kitesurfing is a frightening sport for newbies. Don’t be fooled by the title – it’s nothing like flying a kite in a park. On the primary day of a week-long kitesurfing course in Sicily, I discovered myself within the sea connected to an infinite polyester wing that was highly effective sufficient to carry me away from the water and ship me hurtling via the air.

Regardless of my nerves, I might see that the Stagnone Lagoon close to Marsala, western Sicily, is a superb place to be taught. The lagoon is shallow sufficient to face up in, has no waves and is protected by 4 islands – Isola Grande, San Pantaleo, Santa Maria and La Schola – that create a pure wind tunnel; there’s a constant breeze from spring to the tip of October. The realm is well-liked with kitesurf colleges, together with mine, UCPA Planète, however doesn’t really feel overcrowded.

There have been 12 of us on the journey in September: six males and 6 ladies starting from mid-20s to mid-50s, of whom 5 have been newbies. On that first morning, we newbies realized the fundamentals on land: the best way to inform the path of the wind; the best way to determine hazards; the best way to inflate the kite, connect the strains, cease it blowing away and carry it safely into the water.

Then we plunged straight into the ocean to take turns attempting to launch our 8 sq metre kite and management it with each palms gripping the bar. Our teacher, JB, stored a agency grasp on our harnesses: till you be taught to maintain the kite instantly overhead, it will probably pull you into an unwilling, ungainly lurch via the water.

As soon as we’d bought to grips with the kite, it was time to decrease ourselves into the water and try “physique dragging” – intentionally letting the kite energy us forwards. This was an prompt adrenaline rush, regardless of the face stuffed with seawater. I partnered with Johanna, a Swedish physician, to practise. Our progress was quick, so we thought we’d be kitesurfing very quickly.

Day two introduced us all crashing right down to earth. The wind was a lot lighter and we realised how a lot heavy lifting it had been doing the day before today. In mild wind, that you must be rather more skilful – most of us might barely launch the kite into the air, regardless of transferring as much as a much bigger, extra highly effective mannequin. Fortunately, the breeze picked up within the afternoon and we practised controlling the kite with one hand. That left the opposite free to good the “Superman” place: body-dragging via the water with one arm outstretched.

On the third day, we continued our superhero impressions whereas clutching our kitesurfing boards. These will not be like massive windsurfing boards – extra like wakeboards or snowboards. Every time I crashed the kite, I’d inadvertently let go of the board, then must relaunch and body-drag again to it. It was exhausting.

The penultimate day’s problem was getting my toes into the board’s foot straps – a difficult juggling act that concerned retaining the kite at 12 o’clock (instantly overhead) with one hand, whereas floating on my again like a beetle, legs bent, groping with my toes. As soon as my toes have been in however my physique was nonetheless low within the water, I practised steering left and proper, then producing a bit energy to really feel what it could be like to return as much as standing.

It had all been gearing as much as the top for the novice kitesurfer: the water begin. And there was solely at some point left to realize it. There are a few important strategies, however mainly you progress the kite slowly a method, then rapidly the opposite, with a bit pull on the bar to energy you up. If this sounds easy – it isn’t. I had many, many false begins. Ultimately I used to be in a position to rise up, solely to right away fall again down or get yanked via the air and painfully bellyflop.

The afternoon wore on and the lagoon began emptying. I had managed a number of very temporary runs, however they didn’t actually quantity to browsing. Lastly, on one (fluky?) try, I did it: I used to be on my toes, in charge of the kite, flying throughout the lagoon. It will need to have lasted a matter of seconds but it surely appeared like an eternity. The unimaginable sense of freedom made all of the face-plants, bruises, aching muscle mass and stiff neck from staring up at that bloody kite worthwhile. Then, clearly, I worn out.

UCPA Planète runs programs for all ranges, from newbies like me (full disclaimer: technically I’ve tried it before, a decade in the past) to superior kitesurfers who need to good their jumps and methods. Planète is the worldwide arm of UCPA, a non-profit organisation based by the French authorities 60 years in the past to supply low-cost sporting alternatives. Different locations embrace Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Portugal, Greece, Morocco and Egypt, with UCPA partnering with sports activities colleges and accommodations regionally.

We stayed in Torre Lupa, an house complicated with a pool in San Leonardo, six miles (10km) north of Marsala. I had my very own room however shared an house with two others. We had a breakfast buffet by the pool each morning and ate picnic lunches on the lagoon. I used to be anticipating panini, however this was spectacular fare cooked by a neighborhood cafe: arancini, pasta with pesto alla Trapanesi, potato salad with Pantelleria capers. Within the evenings, we ate at totally different trattorias, sampling extra Sicilian specialities similar to panelle (chickpea fritters), caponata, pasta alla norma and cassatelle (candy ricotta-filled pastries). We had a Saturday-night pizza social gathering across the pool and a couple of night ended at Peola, a wine bar in a fascinating winery setting, overlooking the lagoon.

There was additionally time for a bit exploring. I arrived early on the primary day and walked alongside the salt flats to catch a ship to Mozia. This historical island-city on tiny San Pantaleo was established within the eighth century BC and is the world’s best-preserved Phoenician website. I strolled round the entire island, viewing the ruins, then went to the museum to gawp on the muscular Younger Man of Mozia, a fifth-century BC marble statue.

We had one full free day. The French contingent went mountaineering in Zingaro nature reserve and to Erice, a hilltop city. Johanna, her boyfriend Nils and I caught a ferry from Marsala to Favignana, one of many Egadi islands. We employed bikes and beach-hopped, a blissfully enjoyable day marred solely by a jellyfish sting (fortunately Dr Johanna knew what to do: take away the spines with the sting of a financial institution card and rinse my arm with seawater).

By the tip of the week, kitesurfing now not felt fairly so daunting, but it surely hadn’t precisely come simply and I had the bruises to show it. Wingfoiling, against this, is seemingly “a lot simpler to be taught and fewer bodily demanding”, in accordance with UCPA. I do know what I’m doing this summer time …

The journey was offered by Action Outdoors, the UK accomplice of UCPA, which has seven nights’ kitesurfing from £750, together with full-board lodging and gear, or £959 together with instruction, till 23 October