TRAVEL Issue 073 - June 2012
TRAVEL Lewis hoping that a megaloop will settle things down...
Back to Greece & Egypt Although the recent ‘kitesurfing in the Olympics’ news may be what’s been lighting up chatrooms and post-session tea-in-the-van discussions of late, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you can’t have failed to notice that the rest of the world has had some pretty crazy stuff going on too. Revolutions, riots and the collapse of Western civilisation as we know it to name but three pretty notable recent happenings. It’s fair to say that no country has been immune to the collective madness but, us being kitesurfers, when some countries hit the headlines they’re more likely to have us reaching for the remote to find out exactly what’s been going on... Greece and Egypt – both undisputed kitesurfing nirvanas – are two prime examples.
Egypt
Greece
It may be the case that with the insane pace at which the world and the news media seem to move at the moment the Arab Spring feels very much like yesterday’s news, but cast your mind back and you’ll recall that Egypt was right at the forefront of the movement – with Mubarak’s dictatorship eventually ended following a bloody revolution (although considerably less bloody than many of its neighbours). The hubs of the revolution were a long way from the popular areas for kiting, but tourism to the area obviously took a massive dive as a consequence of the situation. Egypt veteran Mark Kasprowicz took a trip over to see how ‘back to normal’ things are...
Greece has suffered a much more 21st Century fate, with its economy essentially collapsing on the back of the financial crisis and the demands of the rest of the Eurozone. The population, however, seem to have had enough of the EU imposed austerity and a break from the single currency seems pretty inevitable. On the plus side, tourism is one of Greece’s biggest ‘exports’, and a return to the Drachma would see the cost of travelling there come down – which, selfishly, can only be a good thing! For now though, things are still very much as they were – especially as you’re wrapping up your lines and watching the sun set on one of the plethora of perfect kiting beaches...
82 JUNE 2012
Walk like an Egyptian “Sure, I know which way the beach is!”
Jon Bleiker enjoying the afternoon sun
Egy p t For years Egypt enjoyed the sort of tourism growth that other countries could only dream of. When we first flew into Hurgadha airport the runway was lit with cans of burning oil. Twenty years on and Sharm el Shiekh airport has been extended three times from what was a small shack to something quite massive. Anyone who has experienced the arrivals hall at Sharm will know of the queues and baggage chaos that erupt when a dozen planes from all over Europe and beyond all land within minutes of each other. The place was heaving pretty much all the time. Cut to the present day, and that’s all changed with the airport, hotels and beaches spookily quiet. The specific advice in the area is to avoid the area north of the Suez to Taba road, including the road itself. This leaves all of the kiting destinations very much in the ‘safe’ zone. That said security is tight. Buses wishing to travel from Luxor to the coast have, for some years now, had to travel in convoy with an armed escort. That has now been extended to the trip between Sharm el Sheikh and Dahab for the first time. The one thing that is certain, however, is that everyone associated with the tourist business wants to get back to normal. I have travelled to the country for 20 years and on my last visit in November it felt totally secure and I would not hesitate recommending anyone to go there as long as they stay outside of the troubled areas, take advice from their tour operator and pay heed to local advice as well.
So, whether you are planning a first trip, or a return to one the most consistent and respected kitesurfing arenas, here’s the lowdown on some of the hottest spots...
SAFAGA
Safaga lies about 30 miles south of Hurghada airport. It remains an important port in this part of Egypt and from here ply various ferries to Saudi Arabia. The wind here starts as a north westerly in the morning and then, around 11am, it swings to the north where it stays for the rest of the day. Usually it peaks at around midday and then dies off as the afternoon progresses, but it can continue at full strength until sunset. Tobia Island, just over 2 miles upwind, is a small bay that constantly changes shape. It sits on a shallow pure white reef around six feet deep and as you kite up to it, the water changes in colour from deep blue to turquoise. With the sunlight reflected from the bottom, it’s a like a thousand spotlights switching on at the same time. From Safaga it’s also only a short run up to Soma Bay, which offers some of the best flat water conditions in Egypt...
DAHAB
It’s still the favourite and plenty has been written about Dahab as the consistency of the wind makes it hard to beat and impossible to omit. One hour’s travel from Sharm el Sheikh airport brings you to the bay. Once there your options are slightly curtailed by the kitesurfing ban
“ ...it felt totally secure and I would not hesitate recommending anyone to go there“
in the main bay, but there is a lagoon area for kiters which is great for learning, or for honing tricks in the consistently flat water. Cross the reef and it’s a different story with solid waves and consistent kickers. Dahab has more nightlife than other resorts, and a trip into Masbat will reward you with a damn good curry house, a Thai restaurant and there are some good bars here as well, so a night in town can be as lively as you want it to be...
HURGHADA
Hurghada is the original Red Sea resort and is characterised by year round wind and sun. Originally a simple fishing village, it has developed into a full on holiday resort with many hotels, bars, restaurants and nightclubs with plenty for all tastes and budgets. You can be as busy off the water as on! Hurghada is spread over 30 kilometres, and the variety of launch spots makes it an excellent location for all levels of kiters. The wide sandy kitesurfing beach extends over a kilometre, and a shallow, waist deep lagoon offers a safe area for those starting out, with no drifting as there’s a sand bar located 300 metres off shore. Head out a bit and you’ll find some decent windswell too... Breeze wise, and Hurghada stats are impressive: 15-30 knots 75% of the year. Stronger high pressure systems in the summer increase the wind from May to September and air temps average 25°C in the winter (Nov-Mar) with water temps 20-24C, and get up to 35°C in the height of the summer with the water around 28°C. k i t e s ur f - m a g a z ine . c o. u k
83
TRAVEL Greece You didn’t have to listen too hard in History at school to realise that Greece has it all going on in terms on a historical and cultural front. Having pretty much invented democracy, modern civilisation, and had a pretty significant input on the linguistic side of things too, there’s no denying that Greece boxed well above its geographical weight in terms of contributing to the world as we know it. Unfortunately things have become a little unstuck in recent times, and the financial crash of 2008 saw Greece caught out in pretty significant fashion. Its economy has shrunk by a fifth since then, and politically the masses are rebelling against the austerity of the last few years. An exit from the Euro and return to the Drachma seems pretty likely, and this would mark the beginning of a long journey back to being an independent player on the European scene. The other thing that Greece brings to the party, though, something that won’t be affected by the nuances of economics and will far outlast our time spent on this planet, is beaches and wind. And plenty of them. Greece and the Greek Islands have literally every direction, strength and thermal option covered. Head to Greece and you will get wet every day and come back with at least another five tricks in your armoury, a tan, and probably a scale model of the Acropolis. Happy holidays
There are thousands of options, but only a few that really do count as ‘world class’ spots, here are three prime examples:
KOS
Kos is renowned for l known for its super reliable wind conditions throughout the summer months (thanks to the trusty Meltemi). The island itself offers a range of kitesurfing conditions with everything from large, shallow areas which are perfect for learning, through to some great kickers as you head offshore. There’s a great range of accommodation options – with several 4 and 5 star hotels close to the kitesurfing spots – and Kos is also a charming island in its own right, with a lot of typical Grecian villages, plenty of cultural things to check out (Hippocrates, the guy who basically invented science, was from here, and the first ever hospital was built here too), and there’s plenty going on after hours.....
“ You’ll come back with another five tricks in your armoury, a tan, and probably a scale model of the Acropolis“
PAROS
Paros can be found sat smugly at the heart of the Med. It’s blessed with a summer trade wind, the Meltemi, which blows from the N-NE. Particularly good flatwater conditions can be found at Pounda, on the western side of the island. The wind here crosses between the two islands of Paros and Antiparos, producing an incredible steady side shore wind.
The water is flat most of the time, and the prime season is from April/May through until September. June, July and August are usually the windiest months, with average wind speeds of around 25 knots 5-7 days a week. Not bad going. In terms of what to bring kite wise: a 7, 9 and 11 will cover everything and the water temperature is between 20-22°C, so worth packing a shorty or 1mm top. Shouldn’t grumble though!
LEMNOS
The island of Lemnos has been left relatively untouched by tourism. Characterised by its traditional villages and natural beaches, the main activity is farming and, now, kitesurfing. This is the ideal destination for kiters who are looking for a combination of conditions on natural, undeveloped Greek island. A natural three kilometre long bay with a vast expanse of turquoise water (and no hotels) gives uncrowded conditions, perfect flat water, and clean wind. The beach launches are sandy with the occasional rocky shoreline but with no hazards in the water. The north of the bay offers shallow, waist deep water for approximately 250-300 metres. Moving south into the direct path of the Meltemi (the summer trade wind) and the wind chop conditions provide some decent kickers, and in the very south of the bay you can find even some decent waves. ks
Holly Kennedy rotating...
Wash the salt off? Go on then...
84 JUNE 2012