In the early days from 2001 – 2005 there was “KitePix”, which was just a subdomain of one of my other pages where I’d toss up the odd photo gallery. Believe it or not, it’s still online: http://www.smallwood.com.au/index2.htm

(With a few exceptions) almost every one of those photos on every one of those pages was taken with FILM or transparencies, then printed and scanned and uploaded via an internet connection that was probably running at about 128kb/s, at best. The water shots were all done with a Nikonos 3 water camera, vintage 1975 that contained no light meter, no through the lens focussing (you had to pick your distance, set it and then wait until your subject arrived at that distance, then push the shutter). The light was set by knowing what film you had, what time it was, which way you were facing and what month of the year it was and how much cloud there was. You had a leeway of about 1.5 f/stops to get it right. Still, the hit rate was pretty good!               http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/htmls/nikonos13.htm

I originally registered kitesurfing.com.au on 19 May2001, then just let it sit around for a few years without knowing what I’d do with it. Finally, digital cameras came on the scene in a big way in 2004. I got a Nikon D100 and in July 2005 started posting photos on the kitesurfing.com.au  site. Ironically — not having any idea that I’d one day be living here, the first post on the site was a photo gallery of the 2005 AKSA Nationals which took place here in Geraldton WA.

You can view the first kitesurfing.com.au post on the WayBackMachine archives here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20050712020534/http://www.kitesurfing.com.au/

The first proper page with links and background images and all that went up sometime later that year.

Then, there’s a big gap when there are no archives and the next archive appears in August 2006:

https://web.archive.org/web/20060820190254/http://kitesurfing.com.au/

A very young-looking Coert throwing some spray at Wanda in 2006

This post contains some of the very first photos of StandUp Paddleboarding, at the 2006 Mambo. Amazing how big it’s become in such a short time. If you feel like sampling more of the historical posts, you can find them at: ttps://web.archive.org/web/*/kitesurfing.com.au

Well, a lot of years passed and we packed up and moved west. At about that time some religious zealot hacked the page and deleted all the content and nothing much happened for a few months.

Then Mr. Pete took over things and gave the site a bit of class and brought things into the 21 century, which is what you see today. So, now that things have settled in a bit perhaps now it’s time to find out more about what you’d like to be seeing on the page going foward. I haven’t looked at the page stats in quite some time. At one stage we were getting upwards of 1,000 unique visitors a week and average visits of around 8 minutes. Those number aren’t huge, but those visit times are good, suggesting that what was there was valuable enough for people to stick around.

SO, here we are in almost July 2014 and it’s time to take a pulse of the community again and find out just what you’d like to see on the site.

Pete and I would love to hear from you.

To give you some ideas, here are some possible suggestions:

• More photos?
• More videos?
• More “How-To” articles
• More Weather Reports
• Wind Alerts
• Stuff to buy?
• Product Reviews?
• Visitor stories?
• Travel stories?
• Location  reports/analysis of specific Kite Spots?
• More photos of Pete having a pee?

TALK TO US! SEND US YOUR IDEAS. 

Email us by clicking this LINK .

THANKS, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Rob and Pete

The post A short walk through the past. PLUS: Tell us what you’d like to see on the Kitesurfing.com.au site appeared first on kitesurfing.

It’s been a big year for kitesurfing.com.au. New website, new following, Rob moving to WA. Finally the Northern Beaches is getting wind.

On behalf of myself and Robbo we’d like to thank you for your support over the last year, things are still improving here and we’ve got some exciting stuff lined up for the beginning of next year.

I’ll be taking a trip down south to Kurnell on New Years day for a session with some south side mates so if you are about come and say hi!

For 2014 we are hoping for less of this :
and more of this

At least the weather forecast for Sydney is better than it was on Xmas day! Here is a few of us after a cold and wet ‘just for the hell of it’ kite at Dee Why on Xmas day!!

Thanks again and Happy New Year to you all.

Pete & Rob

The post Happy New Year!! appeared first on kitesurfing.

A roundup of the year in the IKA kite racing series. A good little watch if you are into that kind of thing. Enjoy..

The post VIDEO : IKA Kite racing Movie 2013 appeared first on kitesurfing.

Gav found this offending item on the storm drain at the end of Ocean Grove. If it’s yours then I feel for you and can only advise a 6 pack of beers whilst sorting this out. I’m guessing you found the seaweed too!

If you’d like to claim it or know who’s it might be please contact us at pete@kitesufing.com.au

Cheers

Pete

The post FOUND : Bar and Lines @ Fishermans 29 Dec 2013 appeared first on kitesurfing.

Hobbsy found a griffin Bar and Lines on the beach at Long Reef on Sunday arvo. Here is the offending Bar.

If you wish to claim it or think you know the owner please email us pete@kitesurfing.com.au

The post FOUND : Bar and Lines @ Long Reef 29 Dec 2013 appeared first on kitesurfing.

Just before Xmas we had a really nice southerly come into Long Reef, it was sunny and warm and a good 25 knots. I hit it up on my new 2014 7m Cabrinha Drifter. Long Reef was PACKED and I’m glad I held off until after lunch when the numbers dropped. It was good to see lots of windsurfers out on the water and people getting along well.

Just to prove a point my friend Norway (Janice) and I went and had a good little muck about with the go-pro. See, windsurfers and kiters CAN live harmoniously.. just keep your eyes open and look before you turn.

Enjoy!

The post VIDEO : Playing with windsurfers.. appeared first on kitesurfing.

The post We’re back!! appeared first on kitesurfing.

The last few weeks have given us some fantastic conditions for kiting all over Sydney. I for one have lost track now of the back to back days of kiting. I’m totally spent and sore. Botany took a good beating yesterday with 30knots of wind and the Beaches were very kitable too with some perfect surf.

Looking forward at the week to come, I see a lot of beers being consumed.. – oops, wrong forecast..

The forecast at the BOM isn’t too flash, we’ve got possible showers and high 20’s. This to me says sticky sticky sticky. Seabreeze doesn’t forecast much wind but keep an eye it changing. I’d think we’d get something light and kitable about Sydney over the Xmas break so keep the big kites handy. It’s looking bleak until next weekend but stay positive and ready to pounce.

Remember the fuzz are out and it’s double demerits so no speeding to the beach!

Stay safe and fingers crossed..

Pete & Robbo

The post Xmas week forecast appeared first on kitesurfing.

If you like the vid, leave Jezza a nice comment in the comments at the bottom. If you hate it feel free to rant away at him

The post VIDEO : Old Bar quadcopter footage appeared first on kitesurfing.

It’s still windy and there are a few guys still out. It looks like it’s gone a little onshore. If you want to see who’s still there have a look at the DY -> Longy CAM in the WIND, SEA & FORECASTS menu at the top. I see Benny out.. he’s obviously feeling better

*** END UPDATE ***

Hi crew.

After a disappointing no show with the wind last night mother nature has come back with a half-decent southerly breeze for Saturday morning. I got here just before 8am and was surprised to see 2 keen chaps just heading out. Wind is a little patchy and gusty and there doesn’t seem to be much south of the pole at longy. The beach today at longy is packed with events on at Dee Why and long reef so take care if it swings more on shore and don’t take any risks close to shore.

Unsure how long the wind will stick about so get in early. I’m just leaving the beach and there is 3 guys out having fun on 10’s and 12’s. The water is super warm too.

Laters.

The post Breeze on! Sat 14th [UPDATED @ 1.45pm] appeared first on kitesurfing.