Author: Marica Moda
Have you ever thought about kitesurfing at night?
Have you ever met someone who has had this experience and been thrilled by the sensations they felt, and wondered what it's like to kitesurf at night too?
Kitesurfing at night can be an experience full of adrenaline, sailing surrounded by the darkest darkness, only the black around, and with only our feelings and emotions to guide us.
In the dark your senses are amplified, the feeling with your kite and board is enhanced making this a memorable experience, but in order to make it truly unforgettable and hassle-free you need to organize it very well, leaving nothing to chance!
Taking your equipment and thinking you can kitesurf at night as you normally do during the day would be really irresponsible and dangerous, so let's analyze how to be best prepared to have a great time!
Since your first kitesurfing lesson you have been taught and advised that it's always better to kitesurf with someone, it's more fun and safer… especially during a kitesurfing experience at night! Also remember that in the dark you can easily lose your reference points. Have you ever driven at night on a road that you don’t recognize even though you’ve already been on that road during the day? Well, the same thing can happen while kitesurfing at night, so make sure you’re prepared.
Tips for Kitesurfing at Night
The group should always stay fairly close together in and out of the water. This will allow everyone to monitor each other and help if needed.
Don't go too far from shore. The maximum sailing distance should be the distance that the kiter is able to swim!
Wear a water-resistant light. I recommend that you place the light on your back so you can be visible to others without the light bothering your eyes, which need to get used to the dark. Your location will be visible to everyone in the water and those on the beach.
The choice of spot is essential. It’s best to try this wonderful night experience at a spot that you know very well. A spot where you know every bend, every shoal, every rock, every detail in and out of the water. A spot where you could really walk and sail with your eyes closed!
Remember to check the tide table, and be sure to assess the currents and obstacles that you "can't see" during the day.
The spot must be safe and it’s better if it has side-on shore wind. The most suitable is certainly a lagoon because its natural characteristics involve fewer risks, but if you have only the open sea it is preferable that the spot is sandy, so that you can enter and exit the water easily, without having to see exactly where you put your feet.
The point of entry and/or exit from the water should be well lit and easily visible from the water. You can keep the lights on from a car parked near the beach, or for the more romantic, you can light up some camping flashlights.
Best to choose a night with a full moon and no clouds. With these conditions, your eyes will quickly get used to this light intensity and will allow you to see clearly everything around you without too much effort, showing your spot with unique shades that you’ve never seen before. It’s beautiful! If the spot is also free of light pollution, even better! Remember that the moon reflects the light of the sun...it will seem like it’s almost day!
It's recommended that someone stays at the beach and is ready to intervene if needed. Those who stay on shore will be responsible for making a sound and/or a light signal to indicate the end of the session. That way all kiters return to the beach together and no one is left alone in the water.
Light up your gear. It’s a good idea to attach a small light to the board so that you can more easily recover it in case you fall. Also put a light on each tip of the kite so you know where it is and how it's moving, this can be very helpful for relaunching.
Stay in touch. Make your session even more fun and safe by bringing a waterproof radio, and if it's not waterproof, put it inside a waterproof case. This allows you to talk with the other riders in your group and call for help in case of emergency.
Wind. Given that it is always very difficult to find a spot that has stable wind conditions overnight, the weather forecast must be checked very well. Consider that during the night the wind may change direction due to night breezes, which usually change direction from on-shore to off-shore. Other changes in wind direction may also be lurking. Remember that our alarm bells, the clouds, are not easily visible at night. Don't expect a very long session, but even though it will be short it will definitely be one to remember!
Also take into account any nocturnal predators such as bats, owls, snakes, foxes, felines and sharks which are active at night to go hunting. Never forget that the spot you know in the daytime is not the same during the night.
For social media lovers it won't be easy to get great photos or videos to post, unless you have a friend who dabbles in night photography with tripods and long exposures…but even with the right equipment it can be difficult to get good shots. Enjoy your session 100%, thinking only about having fun and keep for yourself the beautiful memories it will have given you!
To conclude, this experience is recommended for all kiters, always keeping in mind your level and your limitations. My first kitesurfing session at night was only two tacks but I still remember it with emotion! If you don't feel ready to enter the water you can always participate in the activities on land, with the very important task of continuously checking and counting the bright dots that move in the water...no one excluded, all useful to the success of this unforgettable night adventure!
