Kitesurf

Kitesurfing is basically exactly what it sounds like. Harnessing the wind’s power with a specialized kite – not a normal Mary Poppins-style one -- so you can zip along the water with tremendous speed (the world record is over 50 knots per hour) and propel yourself through some fantastic aerial maneuvers. You can watch this entertaining video for a full history, though if you’re watching from your landlocked office, be prepared for a rush of beach envy.

Making it happen

Before you head out to the beach for lessons, it’ll probably help to see some beginner stuff in action. It’s important to be able to control the kite from land before you venture out into the water. Start with this video which covers setup, safety checks, the wind window, and launch. Once you’ve mastered land-kiting (that is not an official term), you can watch this video which will help you with the actual business of surfing by kite.

Unlike, say, accounting or taxidermy, you can’t learn all you need to know about kitesurfing from YouTube. You have to take some real lessons. There are two kitesurfing governing bodies that professionally certify instructors and you can find their lists here at the Professional Air Sports Association site or the International Kiteboarding Association.

Kitesurfing, like all other extreme sports, has its own specialized gear and lingo. There are different kinds of kites, which you can learn about from inMotion or KiteboardingEvolution. Once you understand the kites, get to know some of the terms like chicken loop or de-powering or schlogging (a term that does not refer to a blog about scheduling, as it turns out).

It’s safe to say that kitesurfing is the most fun you can have with your bathing suit on.. riding a board.. while attached to a kite. And if the kitesurfing videos are any indication, something about the sport removes all body fat and gives you a full, thick head of hair, unless you're too cool for hair. Whatever your reasons, get out to the beach and give kitesurfing a go. As kitesurfers (likely don’t) say: Send it to the Power Zone!!!