Mail me for the itinerary.

Thanks, Jo

(Meet the 2012 South African Adventure Crew)

We spent one week in langebaan and one week in Blouberg just outside of Capetown.  South Africa has so much to offer with kitesurfing even if the forecast is good – you just have to know where to go.  One thing is for sure is that Langebaan provides some incredibly reliable kitesurfing conditions.  The wind blows approximately 5 – 6 days per week during Nov – March. It is a lagoon so provides sheltered flat water from the big atlantic swells.  Its basically a no brainer when it comes to kitesurfing holidays through the UK winter.  You just have to go.

(Aidy questing out for a coaching session on front rolls to toeside and toeside front roll transitions)

During the trip we spent the first week in Langebaan.  Its a coaching intense week so that you can gain the most out of your kitesurfing during this time.  The town itself is very peaceful and relaxing with a small selection of resturants and shops and not much else.  It means there is no distraction so provides a great opportunity to improve your level.  There are a maximum of 6 places on the trip and during this week I will coach each person each day to help them accomplish new tricks, improve confidence and learn about self launching and self landing and other topics that are handy to know about.   With like minded people on the trip and instant friendships form right away.  This year was no exception.

There were 5 people who came this year.  Birgit came from Mallorca, Mike and Adrian from Bournmouth, Nick from Southampton and Keith from London.  Plus myself and Chris to help with the day to day runnings.

(spot the ostrich behind Nick)

On the first night we had a great big bbq, known as a braai once you step foot in to South Africa and a few beers and a chance to get to know each other.  It all kicked off from there really.  The group were of a good level working on jumping all the way through to unhooked tricks.  Keith was mastering controlled jumps and back loops, while Mike and Adrian were learning moves from toeside, double rotations and different types of transitions.  Birgit was working on her rotations and unhooked raileys and Nick was working on surface handle passes, darkslides and raileys.  There was a good mixture of level and we spent the whole day on the beach with a quick lunch stop.

After one week and a lot of hours on the water everyone was pretty exhausted and ready for a change of scene so we packed up the hire cars and went to stay in a huge holiday house with 5 bedrooms down in Blouberg.  The house was phenomenal and right on the sea.

(View from the bbq area at sunset)

Blouberg is just a few miles from Capetown so the vibe is an instant change to that of Langebaan.  The peace and tranquility changed to an upbeat and lively atmosphere.  It was a perfect mix.  We celebrated an amazing first week with drinks and seafood while people watching in Camps Bay followed by some dancing in a club because Nick was more then ready to throw some shapes on the dance floor.  With a cocktail or two to enjoy we had a great time until 1am before taking the taxi home.

(The last of the semi civilized photos of the evening)

Capetown is not normally as reliable for wind as Langebaan which is actually a good thing.  Everyone’s bodies still tired and weary we had a couple of days of no wind to recover and instead spent the time checking out some must see South African attractions.  We never had time to check out the big 5, but we found our own ’5′ when checking out the peninsula down the cape point.  On our list we had ostriches, albetros, penguins, tortoises, lizards, baboons, rock dassies and spingbok.  In fact that makes 7!

(King Baboon)

By the 3rd day in Capetown everyone had made a recovery from all the kiting and we were pleased to wake up to a windy day once again.

(Morning view of the table cloth over table mountain signifying a great day to come)

We rode during the day on 7m/9m’s and then for those who dared there was a evening session on the 6/7m’s too.  When Capetown wants it really knows how to blow.  So a 30 knot session at sunset was had by some while others watched on happy from there session earlier in the day.

From then on we had more days for the 7m, but not too over powered.  We rode at Milnerton rivermouth, dolphin beach and Big bay.  Everyone found themselves amongst challenging waves at some point, but with the endless miles of sandy beach its easier to feel safe amongst it.  The waves roll in with a decent wave period and the wind blows directly across the shore making it very easy to time as either  a wave rider or a newbie to the waves.

(Keith cruising in Shark Bay – there are not really sharks, its the nickname name given to ray’s that you will see here)

Birgit found herself between two waves over her head height, but remained between them until they broke and rolled in to something much smaller and managable.  Keith and Nick were out riding behind the sets and venturing in when they felt ready while Mike and Aidy were out charging the waves at Calmers.  Capetown definately has a few more challenges to offer after a week at Langebaan and the whole group agreed it was an epic second week to top the first.  We finished the trip how we started with a few cool beers, a mountain of meat on the braai and lots of stories of the trip to regale.

(Some of the food we cooked up – ostrich kebabs, ostrich steak, whole chicken, chicken drumsticks and of course good old faithful sausages – yummy!)

The South Africa Adventure is always a trip where people have the reservations about crime, sharks and wetsuits, but dont believe the hype.  Its a refreshing, exciting and incredible trip where I hope to provide you with the best holiday in years – may be in ever!

Thanks to Nick, Aidy, Mike, B, Keith and Chris for making the South Africa Adventure as exciting, fun and adventurous as it was!  You rock!

For those of you who can’t make any of the dates I will also be offering 1:1 sessions on additional weekends.  Please contact me for further information.  Mostly these sessions will take place in Barrow-ib-Furness where the wind seems to continually blow, but occasionally I wil also be able to offer them in other places around the country too.

Also now on the website check out all my latest holidays!

The trips are aimed at pushing you hard, but at a rate that you can handle.  This rate will vary from person to person, but your level of fitness before you come away will have an effect on how much your body can handle the kiting during the trip.

For 2012 I have worked with a qualified personal trainer and medically retired Army officer from Optime to create 4 and 6 week training programs to target your general fitness and also at improving the strength of the core kitesurfing muscles.  The aim is to make you feel stronger and fitter and therefore capable to maximise your time on the water while on your trip.

(Lisa Melvin following a training plan)

I also have training plans for those of you who think you are close to the level needed to come on the trips, but could do with a some extra time on the water before heading off to ensure that you are ready.

Prices start from £25 up to £300 and bare in mind people who lead a busy working schedule.  To find out more call or email me on jo@jowilson.com

On these trips we started in Uruau further south then most people visit.  It provides a variety of stunning playgrounds with miles of space plus a small training lagoon right on your doorstep where you can focus your skills in a small area.  This spot was the lightest wind of all providing enough power for 12m kites and helping to increase your confidence in mellow winds and build up new moves.  4 days is just enough and from here we hit cumbuco.  Here there is the choice of lagoons, open ocean or both – a 7km downwinder to Cauipe lagoon.  Spending 6 days here is perfect before heading to taiba – in my mind the best of the wave spots in the state of Ceara.  The waves are well spaced and easy to predict.  You can get a few turns on one wave before heading back upwind to do it all over again.

Last but not least we ended up In Paracuru.  It is a tranquil town retaining much of its Brazilian features and keeping the feel that it is the place of the locals and not somewhere over run with tourism.  Its natural charm and pousadas a step back from the beach make a relaxing stay, however it is the windiest spot of them all and provides flat water on the inside of the bay or waves on the out.  Its phenomenal kitesurfing from morning until night, so the relaxing town was the perfect compliment to the action packed days.

The trips were split in to 2 groups.  The first group were 2 couples and Miranda who was deserved of a holiday but forced to leave her husband working hard in his new job.  They were all of a similar age group, but at two different kitesurfing levels.  Coaching was no problem as I put the three who were more advanced together ato help them with tricks and the two with less experience together in order to build up their independance.  For the other group it was made up of a crew full of energy to kite and still some energy for some big nights out too.  On both trips the evenings were spent drinking caiprinhas the local drink of choice and the occasional mojhitos too.  We always found incedible places to refuel our bodies.  Delicious meat/fish is the speciality!  On the second trip we ventured into the big city of Fortaleza to celebrate a couple of birthdays too!

The trip was a surfari as well as coaching so a lot of time was spent building up skills in various water conditions – flat water, chop, small waves and big.  We covered miles of downwinders with guided buggy’s whizzing along the shore keeping one eye on us in case of any tired bods or need of a supplies.

In other places we had perfect flat water and this was where we could work on the freestyle tricks and there were a mix of people improving their stance, popping, jumping, back loops, front loops, unhooked raileys and unhooked rotations.  The most fun of all the moves was indeed the darkslide!  Too good!!

The trip was indeed a biggy and ‘providing a years worth of kiting in just 2 weeks’ as said by Chris who has been on several of my trips before too!  What an epic.  Brazil baby Surfari and Coaching will be run again next year, so please get in touch if you’d like a brochure.  Next up on the agenda however is South Africa Adenture 2012 taking place from 29th January – 13th February.  Give me a shout if you’d like to see the action plan line up!!