Does the wind blow the same when you're upside down?
photos courtesy of Jason Pini SAPNG, Australian Kite Surfari, Luke Willmotts
by Konrad Borowiecki
posted 2009-05-21

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Kite surfing. The popularity of this sport is growing at the speed of light across all continents of the world. Most people, who get a glimpse of someone skimming across the surface or flying over the water at that moment dream of doing it too. Whether they actually make it happen is a different story, but... So the question is why? Simplicity!

Yes, you do need equipment and, unless you are a complete natural, some lessons, but fact is after that you are on your own. All you need is water and decent wind. No team meetings, tactics or game plans. Unlike surfing it is easier to get a grip of it and unlike wake boarding you don't have to ask who's going to drive the boat.

Where?
So popular is the sport becoming that more and more new spots appear each season all over the globe. Local spots and ever increasing availability of kite schools further simplify practicing this discipline and thanks to this kite surfers are not forced to travel to distant exotic destinations in order to satisfy their desire for riding. Although this is the case kite tourism is an ever expanding trade, as is the kite surf enthusiasts' will to seek and experience new locations. One of these areas with unlimited kite boarding potential is Far North Queensland in Australia and a few hundred kilometers further north - Papua New Guinea, the Land of the Unexpected.

Almost any surfer or kite surfer will associate Australia with great waves, endless coastline, perfect weather and great all-round conditions for surfing and kiting. However for many this continent as a destination is just a dream purely because of the distance. Moreover Far North Queensland or FNQ as it is referred to by locals will be overlooked for the likes of Sydney, Melbourne and amongst others Perth. Papua New Guinea is even further and in many cases will be associated with cannibalism rather than as a kite destination, which in both cases works in favor of the spots in question.

Time for a surfari...
Imagine miles of coastline, uninhabited, empty and there for you to get set and hit the water. The area in mind is in FNQ with our base in the tropical and popular tourist destination of Cairns. Mainly known for being the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef Cairns has in recent years become one of the most popular and most frequently visited winter kite destinations for Australians from the big cities in the south. The reason for this is that the FNQ winter - April to November has consistent conditions perfect for kiting - averaging 18 - 25 knot winds, warm air temperatures and water that will not make you shiver when you get in, as well as a 1 - 5% statistical probability of calm. Being in Cairns the options for kiting lie either north or south of the city, however locals tend to concentrate on a few spots such as Yorkeys Knob, Port Douglas, outer reef and a location 300km's north, past the historic town of Cooktown - Cape Flattery. This very location, up until a few years ago was inaccessible to the public as it is traditional Aboriginal land, but with perseverance and dedication 2 local guys managed to convince the Hope Vale community to give them the necessary permits for them to start organizing kite surfaris to this secluded and isolated spot.

As your journey to Cape Flattery begins with the owners from Australian Kite Surfari you need to be aware that getting there is half the fun. The 300km trip takes you along the coast of North Queensland, over magnificent ranges, past picturesque beaches through dense rainforest and finally, after a 5 hour trip into an area where you are surrounded by sand dunes, mangroves, long and empty beaches and bays with turquoise flat water. Welcome to base camp, where over the next 4 days you have at your disposal perfect kiting conditions. Between kiting enjoy alternate activities such as fishing, relaxing, crabbing, swimming and sand surfing. In the evenings enjoy freshly cooked meals, hot showers in the middle of nowhere and discussions by the camp fire. After a few days of endless adventure, fun and great wind conditions it's time to head back to Cairns, where the following kite trip is already in the works.

No Limit Adventures is a small international company made up of people with passion for travel, sports and adventure. Being long time residents of Australia, over the last 10 years we have been discovering the charms of PNG. Having made good friends, acquaintances and partners amongst locals, business operators and governing bodies over the years allows us to show Far North Queensland and PNG from a different perspective and thus helps us invite travelers seeking journeys a little out of the ordinary.

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