Offers of Kitesurfing Kent

The wind powers a kite, and the waves power surf boards. Why not put these two forces of nature together? That’s exactly what kitesurfing is, the activity of riding across the surface of the water on a board with the help of a large kite, known as a power kite, held in your hands. Professional kitesurfers can pull off some of the coolest stunts that you'll see on the ocean, carving the waves with ease and even using them to launch into the air, but if you’re new to this sport, you actually want to avoid the waves. Flat, shallow water and predictable winds are the best conditions for learning, and you can find these in the county of Kent.

Making up the southeast corner of England, offers the unique opportunity for this activity on both the English Channel coast and the North Sea coast. There are locations on both where large stretches of water at waist or chest height enjoy good winds, without being whipped up into waves. Kitesurfing schools organise classes for beginners, improvers and advanced level kitesurfers at these places, and there are enough around the county to make it possible whichever way the wind’s coming from. On top of that, is so close and well connected to London that the price of learning here is much lower than in other destinations in the UK and around the world.

Where are the best kitesurfing beaches in Kent?

• Greatstone Beach: On the English Channel coast, Greatstone beach is part of a wide bay which has a huge, 10 mile stretch of water that’s suitable for kitesurfing. Its size, and its position on a part of the coast that protrudes into the sea, mean that the sport is possible in almost all wind directions. In addition, there are water conditions to suit all abilities, from flat water, to choppy sections, to waves that come in at high tide. It’s a popular place to learn and practise, but you don’t have to worry about other people’s kites with all that space. This is the best location in the south.

• Pegwell Bay: The other learning beaches are found around the Isle of Thanet, a peninsula on the North Sea coast of the county. When the wind blows from the south, Pegwell Bay is the best place to be. The water covers an area of half a kilometre and it generally comes up to between your knee and your waist, meaning that you don’t get tired from moving around between runs. The area is also a natural nature reserve, so despite being right next to the town of Ramsgate, you feel as though you’re in a true paradise here.

• Minnis Bay: On the other side of the peninsula, between Herne Bay and the fashionable seaside resort of Margate, is Minnis Bay. It’s a popular spot for sailing and windsurfing, but kite surfing is becoming more popular here, and not just as an alternative to Pegwell Bay when the winds blow from the north. There’s a beach of golden sands, and water that remains shallow enough for learners to get kitesurfing. One disadvantage is the tidal range, which makes it impossible to kitesurf here for a period of 4 hours around high tide.

What are the options for organising a session?

- LIke surfing, is a sport that takes some getting used to, and the first time you try it can feel a bit overwhelming. However, with great tuition, good conditions and time to practise - all of which can be found here -you’ll be riding across the water before you know it. A good way to get into the world of kitesurfing is by focusing first on the kite. You can take a two hour session on the beach, where you’ll learn how to fly a power kite, with tips and tricks about how to use it once you’re in the water.

- When you’re ready to get your feet wet, you can sign up for a full day of baptism into kitesurfing with one of the schools in. On your first day, you’ll learn about body dragging - letting the kite pull you through the water without a board - and later get your hands, or feet, on a board. That should be enough to convince you that this sport is for you, and you can continue developing with more full day courses, or by organising one to one tuition.

- The more you learn about it, the more the sport opens up in front of you. There are so many different techniques involved in riding the wind and the water, like jumping, kitelooping, front and back rolling, hydrofoiling and even going strapless, and you can take specialist training sessions to get your head around each of them here.

- Finally, it’s not just surfing that can be powered by a kite. Off-road buggies and skateboards can also be modified to use kites, and you can reach pretty impressive speeds with both. There are also sessions for each of them in the county.

Who can enjoy this experience?

One of the misconceptions about this sport is that it’s a closed community of skilled pros, who want to keep the activity to themselves. This couldn’t be more wrong! The kitesurfing schools in Kent are run by people whose passion for the sport means that they want to share it with as many people as possible. People often worry that they’re too unfit, too old or too inexperienced to enjoy it. The instructors here don’t share your concerns, they’re only worried about making sure that you have a great time and come back for more!

Even children can take their first steps to becoming kite pros, by joining a power kiting session, being the minimum age from 12 years old, on one of these beaches. Getting out onto the water is better started when the little ones reach their teens.

If you want to share the journey with a friend, or friends, this place is a great spot to take lessons as a pair or a small group. You won’t be put into a big group, so you’ll have the complete attention of your instructor throughout, and you can encourage each other to bring out your best.

Once you try it, you’re hooked for life. Don’t believe us? Come and find out for yourself.