Reminiscing of better winds and how we all met

[PrayFaWind27]

My memory is crap so actual days,months and even year may be off ,correct me if you remember. 2004 summer was working at Radisson(water sports) I looked over to the East to Goodmans bay it was a SE or S wind and there was this kite in the air . I got off from work and just had to see who was trying to ride in off shore wind and there was Metteo, Roger, Ali and Tracy . They gave me there numbers and I was happy to finally have company on the water. Months after that
Going home one day heading towards Go slow saw this kite and rider , we spoke for a couple of minutes before he went into the water and come to find out his name was Mark, aka Moyle Muncha, shortly after that I met AJ , AJ came from far, watching him ride down wind time
After time for months it was nice to finally see him not do the walk of shame. Dave aka Balloon Boy I saw around way before the whole kite boarding thing came about he use to work out in Radissons gym and saw him, Jason, Peter and Alex on Go slow bend wind surfing. Watching them blast from Go slow to the reef in minutes on there wind surf I thought, DANG! I should of stick with wind surfing. Got up to intermediate level in 2000 and just gave up cause the sport sucked at least at that time. Can anybody remember the first time the original crew went out for the first time ? when I say original I mean Metteo, Roger, Mark, AJ and myself . We was riding for a while before Balloon B started coming to church.

[Matteo]

I remember going to Cabarete by myself in February 2003, that was my first time I touched a kite...., in June 2003 I bought my first kite, a North Toro '02 14m. it must have been October 2003 when I met Mark and his friends taking lesson from a french instructor at Go-slow. Roger and I were already going to Club Med as soon as the wind was up, he would leave work early and I would try to beat the traffic and get there early enough to enjoy at that time still "downwind" and "walkofshame". I remember meeting Shuman on Cable Beach, Roger and I were messing on the beach where one day I actually put my Toro on a big tree, my Dad was here too and he helped me fixing it. At that time Mark must have bought a whole pile of kites and was still trying to stay upwind at Go-slow. Dave joined later on, I knew he was involved with surfing because he always had some big flags outside his home. I remember him coming down to Club Med with us and Coral Harbour where I think I gave all my best to make him stay upwind !!! The first time we all kited together must have been at Coral Harbour, maybe Spring 2004 ?? What do you guys remember ??

[PrayFaWind27]

Metteo! Are you sure it was 03 I thought It was 04,now I’m completely confused. I have to check my passport to see the days I traveled to Puerto Plata . I went back to Puerto Plata for the 2nd time in early Feb 03 . I was barely riding at that time I use to get up and just fly down wind with a ball of speed out of control and wipe out and didn’t know why in Puerto P I leant the cause of the problemI I was using the wrong loop I was using the harness loop instead of the chicken loop that’s why I was always flying down wind in a ball of speed and wipe out. when I came back from PP I was riding perfectly which is Feb03 ,yeah so you are right it was In Oct 03 we meet cause by that time I was riding like crazy and was doing little jumps and it was less than a year of me riding when I met you and Roger and shortly after that
Mark, I have to edit my first post now, I was waaaay off with the time frames
:D

[mocean]

I all ways new mark, I herd he was taking lessons with some french dude.
my mate gave me a Naish 11.5 and a hammer directional board I gave mark a hail and he said I'll show you what I learnt.( and he did)2003
I first met roger and mateo and was amazed at how friendly they where.
then I met dave (tryed to pimp me on airush)and he was wind surfing.
soon to give that up .
over that summer I herd and watched dave learning, wasn't long before he got it.
I met shuman in amongst meeting mateo and roger.
and met Jason through dave.
I met rick Iossi over the phone once I hurt my self and over a year or so we talked and emaild and finaly met face to face at surf expo.
and rick set this forum up for us (3 cheers for rick)
it was mark that pushed us to get a school going and to get dealer ships on gear and so on.
then a lot of expat kites came and went.
there are a few locals we need to push.
toby Lunn and shelly, hammad, and crazy perdo (if he would ever listen)
anyways I just want to say I'm stoked to know all of you.

aj