L的一个同事玩 Kitesurfing(介绍见后面)，天气好的时候几乎每个周末都去这片海里玩。西雅图的海域很多，但是适合kitesurfing的海域并不多，可数的几个，因为这种运动要求的水面有风，浪小，水浅的区域。这片海就在L的船所在的码头对面，不过中间隔一个小岛，我们在船上就可以看到对面天空中飞翔的“风筝”。最初我以为是玩高空滑翔伞的，但发现根本没有悬崖供他们跳下来，L解释后才知道，这种巨大的风筝就是他们的动力，玩的人在风筝的下端玩水上冲浪运动。这种运动叫Kitesurfing，玩这种游戏的人就叫“kiter”了（其实按照构词法，应该叫 kitesurfer更合逻辑，呵呵。现在各种各样的运动不断被创造，所以名词也越来越多啊）。

天气实在太好了，不出海对不起这样的天气。于是午饭后我们临时决定去对面的岛上转一圈，顺便看看他的同事是不是也在。因为距离很近，所以没有用大船，用了一艘小船和一个充气橡皮艇，L划船，把我的橡皮艇系在了小船上，我基本不用动手，只管拍照了。小岛上基本都是来玩kitesurfing的人，有一些人也带了家人来助威加野餐。巧得很，到了岛上顺着小路到对面的海边，在第一批人中就发现的他的同事T。T看到L很兴奋，大声的介绍他的“玩具”。他有两个大小两个不同的型号，根据风力的大小选择不同的尺寸。看来那个行当都有自己的技术和术语，所以我也不好奇这大小和风力有什么区别了。欣赏阳光下健儿们的英姿和缤纷绚丽的风筝吧：

手机拍摄。

起飞的时候需要两个人配合，和放风筝差不多，一个在线的这端，一个在风筝那端。借助风力，风筝开始飘起来之后，滑行着步行到水里，把滑板放在水中，把脚放入踏板，然后全身后仰于水面平行，找到一个合适的角度后就可以随着风筝在水面上“飞”了。

滑行者的腰间可以调整线的长短，用手控制。技术好的人可以做很多高难动作，全身腾空而起，空中翻几个跟斗，然后再平行的落入水面。当然，初练的人会经常掉到水里。据说，跳起来停留在空中的最长时间是22秒：






 
每一种运动都有危险性，这一项当然也不例外。在密密麻麻的kiter中怎样避免风筝纠缠在一起，怎样在风筝失去控制的时候逃生，等等等等，感兴趣的人去研究吧：

以下图片选自google：

http://www.tropical-paradise.net/image-files/anguilla-kite-surfing-pictures01.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

http://www.lat34.org/quick_hits/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/kfs_bd_010808.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/photofiles/list/2577/3433kite_surfing.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/1a/40/2d/kite-surfing.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

http://www.biocrawler.com/w/images/4/4a/Kite_surfing_Oahu.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

http://www.picture-newsletter.com/kitesurfing/kite-surfing-k8.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

http://www.extremesportstrader.co.uk/shots/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/kite-surfing-beach1.jpg26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" TITLE="海港漫步 26---Kitesurfing——勇敢者的运动" />

PS：Kitesurfing
From Wikipedia

Kitesurfing or kiteboarding is a surface water sport that uses the wind to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard (similar to a wakeboard). Generally kiteboarding refers to a style of riding known as freestyle or wake-style, whereas kitesurfing is more "wave-riding" oriented. These two styles usually require different boards and specific performance kites.

A kitesurfer or kiteboarder uses a board with or without foot-straps or bindings, combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel the rider and the board across the water. In 2006, the number of kitesurfers has been estimated at around 150,000 to 210,000, with 114,465 inflatable kites sold that same year.[1]

The sport is becoming safer due to innovations in kite design, safety release systems, and instructions. Riding styles have evolved to suit riders and conditions, such as wakestyle, waveriding, freestyle, freeride, jumping, and cruising.


Dangers and safety

Power kites can be dangerous. Because of strong forces that can be generated by sudden wind gusts, people can be lofted, carried off, dashed against water, buildings, terrain or power lines, resulting in what's termed a "kitemare" (a portmanteau of kite and nightmare).

Most kiteboarding fatalities are the result of being lofted or dragged out of control, resulting in a collision with hard objects including sand. It is possible to be seriously injured simply by hitting the water surface at speed or from a height.

Jumping and being airborne at inappropriate places (such as shallow water or near fixed or floating objects) can be hazardous.

A surfer can get farther from shore than an easy swim, which is the primary reason kite surfing in directly offshore winds is discouraged. Marine hazards include sharks, jellyfish, sea otters, dolphins, and even crocodiles, depending on the location.

Collisions with wind surfers, other kite boarders or water craft are hazards, particularly at busy locations.

A safety knife is useful if lines become tangled and dangerous.

Some kite designs from late 2005 and onwards have included immediate and almost full depower integrated with the control bar and improved quick release mechanisms, both of which are making the sport much safer.

Weather planning and awareness are key to safe kiteboarding. A number of riders have been killed in kiteboarding-related accidents since 2000 (Kitesurfing injury statistics 2000- 2003), according to a safety adviser for one of the sport's governing bodies[citation needed].

Paying attention to the weather and staying within the limits of the riders ability will provide the safest experience[22].

Some countries have laws[23] about flying kites and being safe while flying, this also applies to kitesurfing.
[edit] Kitesurfing safety rules

Kite High Rule - A kiter who is upwind (closest to the wind) must keep their kite high to avoid their lines crossing those of downwind kiters. Similarly, the downwind kiter must keep their kite low to avoid their lines crossing upwind kites. This applies regardless of whether kiters are on the same, or opposing courses.

Clearance Rule - A kiter must have a clear safety zone of at least 50m downwind because they move downwind during a jump. A rider must also have a clear safety zone of 30m upwind to jump as his lines could touch the kite or the lines of another rider kiteboarding close by (see Kite High rule).

Kiters are also considered as sailing vessels – so some standard sailing rules apply such as:

Starboard Rule (Sailing Rule 12) - When vessels (e.g. kiters) approach from opposite directions the kiter who has the wind on the starboard (right side, right leg/arm leads in direction of travel) has right of way. The kiter who has the wind on the port side (left side, left leg/arm are leads in direction of travel) shall keep out of the way of the other.

In sailing terms, a sailor or kiter with right of way is entitled to "insist" on exercising that right (warning opposing kiters) by shouting "starboard" very clearly and in good time.

Other boating rules such as no-go zones, distance from shore and swimmers also apply.[24]
[edit] Terminology and jargon

    * Air time: the amount of time spent in the air while jumping. This can be remarkably long; the record is Jessie Richman's 22 second long jump. Five to ten seconds is not unusual.
    * Apparent wind: the kite's speed relative to the surrounding air. When kitesurfing in a straight line, the kite's apparent wind is a combination of the wind speed and the speed of the kite and rider over the surface, but since the kite is highly steerable apparent wind can vary widely depending on how the kite is being flown. Most ways of increasing power from the kite involve giving it a higher apparent wind somehow, i.e. diving the kite, riding faster, or riding at a greater angle into the wind. Any of these raises the kite's apparent wind speed.
    * Big Air: doing a very high jump utilizing the lift of the kite. The jump is often assisted in its initial stage by the rider being catapulted off the lip of a wave.
    * Body dragging: being pulled through the water without standing on a board. This is an early step in the learning process, and is recommended before trying the board after flying a trainer kite.
    * Boost: to suddenly become airborne
    * Charlie browner: same as kiteboarder or kitesurfer.
    * Chicken loop: a hard rubber loop attached to the middle line which has been fed through the control bar. It is used to attach the control bar to the harness so the kitesurfer can produce tension in the lines using their entire bodyweight instead of using purely arm strength.
    * Chicken bone/chicken finger/donkey dick: a hard rubber "tongue" attached to the chicken loop which the rider feeds through the spreader bar hook to prevent the rider from becoming "unhooked".
    * De-power: to reduce the kite's power (pull), generally by adjusting the angle of attack of the kite. Most kites and control bars now allow a rider to rig a kite for a number of different power levels before launching, in addition to powering the kite up and down "on the fly" by moving the bar up and down. Depowerability makes a kite safer and easier to handle. Some new kite models, especially "bow" kites, can be de-powered to practically zero power, giving them an enormous wind range.
    * DP: dawn patrol; a very early morning session.
    * downwind: the direction the wind is blowing towards; to leeward. When a rider is facing downwind the wind is at their back.
    * Downwinder: a kitesurfing "trip" (could actually be as short as a few minutes) where the rider starts at one point and ends up at another point downwind of their original position.

Kiteboarder edging his board -Praia da Varzinha Brazil

    * Edge: tilting the board with its edge into the water. Used to control the direction of travel. Learning to edge properly is critical for learning to tack upwind. Edging is one of the fundamental skills of kitesurfing and is one of the ways kitesurfing is different from windsurfing or wakeboarding. While windsurf boards have daggerboards and/or skegs to steer the board upwind while lift and planing is provided by the board itself, generally kiteboards actually combine both functions and the bottom of the board lifts the rider and steers simultaneously. Kiteboard fins are generally much smaller and are for keeping the board in the water (see "tea-bagging"), but are not essential. Because kite boards have a small rocker, a deep edge can allow the board to act as a large low drag fin. Edging in wakeboarding is used for steering the board; whereas in kite boarding not only does edging steer the kite board, it is essential for kite control and controlling board speed. Riding downwind towards the kite subtracts massively from the kite's power and helps control board speed as well.
    * Freeride: kiteboarding style. Plain kiteboarding that does not involve tricks or jumping. The main goal is keeping a good edge and ability to traverse upwind. This would normally require a board with little rocker.
    * Freestyle: kiteboarding style. Freestyle involves tricks (or combinations of tricks) where the rider is jumping off the water and experiencing enhanced elevation using lift generated from the kite. Freestyle is weather vise a multi-condition concept and is to some degree equipment specific. "Big Air" is commonly associated with Freestyle.
    * Guinea pig refers to a person who goes out to test if the wind is rideable or not. If it is, others start riding too.
    * Heel side: the side of a board on the edge where a riders heels are (opposite of toe side). "Riding heel side" is riding with heels down.
    * Hindenburg: a reference to the Hindenburg Airship disaster of 1937, which in kitesurfing terminology refers to the kite stalling and then crashing. Hindenburging can be caused either by lack of wind or by the kite advancing to a position upwind of the kitesurfer in the wind window, also called "overflying the kite".
    * Handlepass: while unhooked, passing the control bar behind a riders back while in the air
    * Kiteloop: is a powered group of tricks where a rider loops the kite through the power zone while spinning through the air
    * Kitemare: a kiteboardsurfing accident or dangerous mishap. Kitemares can be deadly.
    * Launch: getting the kite in the air. The kite may be launched assisted or un-assisted. An assisted launch is generally more safe that an un-assisted launch.
    * Lofted: to get lifted vertically into the air by the kite by a strong gust of wind. A very dangerous occurrence that has resulted in several fatalities when kiters on or near land have been dragged into obstacles. Can be avoided by minimizing time on land with the kite flying directly overhead, and by not kiting in overpowered situations.
    * Luff : when the air flow stalls around the kite. It may then stall and fall out of the sky. Like sails, a luffing kite has rippling and flapping panels. When launching the kite, if the kite is luffing, the rider should move farther upwind, or the person holding the kite should move downwind.
    * Mobe: this term has two meanings. It can either be used to describe a class of wakestyle tricks: any invert with a 360 degree spin is considered a "mobe." Also, this term can denote a specific trick: a back roll with a frontside 360 handlepass (while keeping the kite below 45 degrees); this specific trick is also known as "the mobe." The term "mobe" (as a class of tricks) is historically rooted in the fact that the mobe (the specific trick) was the first type of mobe to ever be landed. Other types of mobes include: mobe 540, mobe 720, slim chance, KGB, crow mobe, moby dick, Pete Rose, blind pete, crow mobe 540, etc.
    * Nuking: wind blowing at great speeds (30-40 knots). These conditions are very extreme and dangerous for most riders.
    * Offshore: wind blowing at the water from the shore. Never ride in offshore winds without some means of recovery, i.e. a chase boat. This is somewhat less important in smaller bodies of water, of course.
    * Onshore: wind blowing perpendicular to and directly at the shore from the water. A challenging condition for beginners, especially if waves are present.
    * Dookie Dive: loss of power during air time resulting in a crash into the water.
    * O-Shit Loop: two loops on either ends of the bar that are attached to the kite lines and run through rings attached to the bar. A standard leash attachment point.
    * Overhead waves: waves two or more meters (6 ft) from trough to crest;
    * Overpowered: the condition of having too much power from the kite. Can be a result of an increase in wind, incorrect kite choice (too large for the conditions), incorrect adjustment, simply going too fast, etc. Interestingly, experienced riders who are overpowered can switch to a smaller board to compensate, to a degree, although it's common to have just one board.
    * pop: height gained above the water using only the board and tension in the lines to get lift, with the kite usually positioned at 45 degrees. Lower kite angles are possible for more experienced riders. Used as a basis for many tricks and regarded as an essential skill for progressing.
    * Port is the nautical term that refers to the left side of a ship, as perceived by a person on board facing the bow (front).
    * Power up: when the kite's power increases (suddenly), because of wind gusts or the kite's movement.
    * Power zone: is the area in the sky where the kite generates the most lift (pull), this is generally between 0 to 60 degrees arc from the center of the downwind direction.
    * Re-Launch: a general term for getting the kite back up in the air after crashing it (on land or water). A relaunch is unassisted and requires the rider to follow a kite-specific procedure (check the manual). As years of development have gone by, the more recent kites are easier to relaunch.
    * Send it: to move the kite aggressively up through the power zone.
    * Schlogging: this is riding extremely underpowered. A rider has no power to plane and definitely not enough to jump. A rider and their board bounce from planing on the surface to being dragged in the water.
    * Shit hot: the art of stylish smooth moves.
    * SLE: Supported Leading Edge. A C shaped kite with an inflatable leading edge, currently the most advanced kite design available allowing massive de-power.
    * Side offshore: wind blowing between sideshore and at a 45 degree angle away from the shore.
    * Side onshore: wind blowing between sideshore and at a 45 degree angle towards the shore.
    * side shore: winds blowing parallel to the shore. Usually the most desirable direction for kitesurfing.
    * Spreader bar: a stainless steel bar that attaches to the rider's harness. It has a hook that holds the "chicken loop" when riding hooked in.
    * Starboard is the nautical term that refers to the right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board facing the bow (front).
    * Stomp: to successfully perform a trick.
    * Tack: the direction which is being sailed, normally either starboard tack or port tack. In a starboard tack the wind is coming in from the rider's starboard (right-hand) side, similar to sailing a boat. In normal riding, the kitesurfer takes a heading which is as close to into the wind as possible, and in any event leads at some angle slightly upwind, sometimes as much as 45 degrees; jumping or wave riding usually results in traveling downwind, so the net result is to maintain relative position. Alternately, see "downwinder".
    * Tea-bagging: popping out of and falling back into the water intermittently due to light or gusty wind, poor flying skills, twisted lines etc.
    * Toe side: the side of a board on the edge where a riders toes are (opposite of heel side). "Riding toe side" is riding with toes down.
    * Underpowered: the condition of having insufficient power from the kite. Can be a result of insufficient wind, choosing a kite that is too small for the wind, rigging incorrectly, board too small, water current in the same direction as the wind, not riding fast enough, etc. A rider who is continuously diving the kite and sending it back up in a sine-wave pattern is usually underpowered.
    * Unhooked is a term used to describe when a kitesurfer is riding while the chicken loop is not attached to the rider's harness.
    * Upwind: the direction from which the wind is blowing; windward; into the wind.
    * VaS conditions: Victory at Sea; very rough sea conditions, generally with overhead wind waves causing severe shore break.
    * Walk of Shame is the act of walking back upwind to the location where the kite was originally launched.
    * Wind window is the 120-180 degree arc of the sky downwind of the rider in which the kite can be flown. Roughly one fourth of a sphere's surface. If the rider is facing downwind on a flat surface, like the ocean, the wind window consists of roughly all the area the rider can see, from the rider's peripheral vision on one side, along the horizon to the other side, and then directly overhead back to the first side. If the rider somehow puts the kite out of the window -- for example, by riding downwind very quickly and sending the kite directly overhead and behind -- the kite will stall and frequently fall out of the sky.
    * Zenith the location in the wind window directly over the kiter's head. This is the neutral position where kitesurfers can place the kite to stop moving or prior to movement. This places the kite in a more vulnerable to "Hindenburgs" position than any other.