San Carlos kite boarding: Fun to watch, but ...

The gut-wrenching news footage this week of a kite boarder being yanked helplessly across the sands by ferocious winds in Florida, reaffirmed a decision I made before New Years about trying the sport:
Hell no.

If you go up along Los Algodones (Catch 22) Beach in San Carlos, you'll see a sign pointing to the Hangout beach bar, just before Paradiso. Follow a little dirt track and there is The Soggy Peso bar, a perfect little beach bar with outstanding ceviche. Grab a beverage and plop down on a beachside table facing a pretty bay.

Julie and I did just that, after stumbling across The Soggy Peso last December.

"Gee, it sure is windy," I said.

"Sure is," she replied. (Sitting on a Mexican beach tends to stunt intellectual conversation.)

We watched as a few men and women started laying out some sort of fabric on the sand.

"Wonder what they're doing?"

"Dunno."

"Windsurfing?"

"Dunno. Maybe."

"Another beer?"

"Well, yeah."

Another beer later and a light bulb flickered:

"I bet they're kite surfing," I said proudly.

Julie looked at me and I could see the admiration and respect in her eyes when she realized I had figured it out.

"Maybe," she said.

Anyway, things got pretty exciting after that as these "kiters" entered the bay and shot across the water. With their kite pulling them like an untrained Great Dane out on a walk, they cruised away from shore then turned and started heading straight for the beach.

Kiting in San Carlos. Photo: Julie Lunt

"This is going to be interesting," I thought. And it was, because just as one guy was about to eat sand he turned parallel to the beach and then did something completely unexpected. He flew up about 15 feet above the water.

Up, up and away!

Julie and I looked at each other. "Whoa!"

Now here's an activity I had never really paid attention to, but this was cool! The speed and power and grace were amazing.

"I've found my new sport!" I proclaimed to Julie as I tipped another Dos Equis. I turned to our waiter. "I want to learn to do that. Do you do this?"

"I tried it once," he said. "I won't do it again."

"Why not?"

"I was dragged along the beach," he said.

"Dragged?"

"Along the beach. It hurt."

Our waiter was a good twenty years younger than me, and even through my alcohol-exaggerated bravado, I started to question the sport. By the next morning, I had decided that the kite boarding world didn't need me.

But you may want to try it. From what I understand, there are people giving lessons in San Carlos. Just inquire at The Soggy Peso. Or simply order a margarita, grab a table and watch the show.