Kitesurfers have discovered the perfect sideshore winds and waves of Pilon, in the Bay of Pavones, Costa Rica.
Unlike conventional sailing or boardsailing, which uses a fixed rig -- sail and mast and st
eering with a tiller -- kitesurfers fly a kite 80 feet up and away. Challenging and thrilling.
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The sheer power a kite can generate is dramatic. The key is learning how to control the kite.
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Get Started with Lessons
"To learn to surf, one can grab a board and paddle out, watch people and ask for tips, and learn by spending time in the water. Kitesurfing is different, and it's best to learn with structured lessons." This is the advice of Alex Outerbridges, of Sea Kings surf shop. He should know, he's been sailing since the early 1950's and surfing since the early 1960's, and is an accomplished windsurfer.
"Things one needs to learn are rigging, identifying a good location, making a safe launch, starting your kite in the water, body-dragging without the board, and making a safe landing for you and your kite. And then, ultimately, you learn to sail your kite with a board under your feet.
"Shawn Donoghue is giving kitesurfing lessons in Pilon. He is skilled, qualified, experienced, a good teacher, and patient. Shawn helps people develop confidence and ability."
Kitesurfing Conditions in Pilon, at Pavones, Costa Rica:
Cape Hatteras is acknowledged as the best kitesurfing spot in the world. In 2005, Cape resident Ron Pettit visited Pavones with his family for vacation and realized there was potential for kitesurfing. He returned in 2007 with his kite gear.
"At the time I didn't now much about Pilon and how much windier it was there than Pavones. There was one exceptionally windy day and I kitesurfed while Alex windsurfed. It was a really fun session. The wind was blowing 20 to 25 mph. I heard there was a guy that had been kiting in Pilon (Shawn) and met him and his family.
Shawn Donoghue says "Pilon is a unique set up because of the 90 degree angle of the coast, which creates a captive beach, there is no getting lost at sea, we are inside the Gulf."
"With winds from 12 to 25 miles an hour, the spot is very safe to learn versus the north part of Costa Rica, which is more for advanced kiters. The thermal wind starts to blow around 11am, quits around 4pm."
Pilon has side shore wind, which is best from December to August, though Shawn reports he has kited up to 10 days a month in the off season.
Ron added, "Pilon has the sideshore or side-on wind you need" for good kitesurfing. If the wind was on-shore, the kite would get caught in the giant palm trees that line the beach.
Lake Arenal, known for its windsurfing competitions, seems to be very windy and makes launching a kite challenging. Pilon is also a challenging place to launch as the sea bottom is rocky, and kitesurfers here wear booties. The water isn't shallow either. But as Ron says, "at least here I don't have to worry about power lines and getting dragged across the highway."
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"Kitesurfing a wave, that's the ultimate thing for me,
and I can do that here in Pilon." 
Surf in the morning,
kitesurf in the afternoon?
"Oh yeah, plenty of times."
- Ron Pettit
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Alex added,"Watching Shawn and Ron effortlessly sail their kites, boost big airs, pull of 360's while simultaneously looping their kite...it's beautiful and thrilling. Esteban Mora, in a mere year of kite surfing, shows great talent and promise, already pulling off accomplished maneuvers."
Kitesurfing Gear
Ron advises kitesurfers to bring their big kites to Pilon. He uses a 14 meter, rather large compared to the 7 meter or 9 meters he might use in the states. "You need a bigger kite because the wind is very hot here, it makes the air thin and the winds light."
Sea Kings Surf Shop in Pavones will soon be stocking kites, boards and harnesses that suit local conditions. Inventory should be in the story during April. Rentals can be arranged through Shawn.
So don't lament those Zancudo winds, go kitesurfing.
Contact information:
Shawn Donoghue, (506) 2776-8243 gives lessons and multi-day packages, visit
www.costaricahorizon.com/kite.html. or book lessons with Shawn through Sea Kings, located in the main Plaza in Pavones, tel (506) 2776-2015, e-mail:
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