BBS - Kitesurfing Okinawa

Topic: First visit Okinawa
[No.2409] Posted by: Victoria on 10 Apr 09 at 20:36
Dear Sirs, This is our first time visiting Okinawa and we would like to try kitebording there. We'll be staying in Kariyushi Beach Resort Ocean Spa 18/04-27/04. Would you please advise if there is spot close to this hotel, which wind is there and whether that spot is organized or wihout facilites and rescue. Tahnk you for replies! Victoria and Max, Russia, Moscow

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2410] Posted by: Max on 10 Apr 09 at 21:26

Yes, in addition to this topic about our first visiting Okinawa to ride a bit: here is my email: rrama@mail.ru and my skype name: maksa112 - i'd be very, very appresiated if somebody tell me some details about kite riding in there. please.

Max

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2411] Posted by: Jason on 14 Apr 09 at 15:20

Hi,
Well, most of the information you need is already on this site. The nearest spots would be Miyuki Beach, KaiChu doro and Igei I guess, but you need a car to get there. Where to go depends on the wind direction, which is unpredictable. I'm pretty sure there are no kitesurfing facilities at your hotel, you should write to them and ask. There are many nice beaches around Onna-son, which is where the hotel is, but most are unsuitable for kiting...
Jason

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2412] Posted by: Max on 15 Apr 09 at 00:30

Thank you, Jason. What did you mean that most of beaches around Onna-son aren't suitable for kiting? Rocks, nonsafe, no rescue service, or what? And which spot of those 3 you'd recomend as the best one? All we need is just some water surface without critical barriers around and the rescue service in that case there are no wind accedently. Which one would be the best on your own opinion? And... well, if you don't mind, may be we can talk more via e-mail? Because of huge time difference between Okinawa and Moscow it would be great if it's possible. I mean talking some more about kiteriding on there.

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2413] Posted by: Victoria on 15 Apr 09 at 00:38

Dear Jason,
Thank you for your reply! Can you infrom whether you have any kind of kite organization in Okinawa to join to or be advised wind direction etc? We are not good in Japanese...
Yes, we liked the site, there were a lot of interesting information. But sorry to say we feel like it's impossible to organize kitesurfing by ourselves. We have our own kites, board and we are going to bring them to Japan.

Victoria

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2414] Posted by: Max on 15 Apr 09 at 01:41

Right, we've got all equipment with us. Here is the link to our hotel http://web.travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/14275/14275map_e.gif

There is a map, so may be it would be userfull to think which spot will be closies and best for ride.

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2415] Posted by: okikiter on 15 Apr 09 at 05:11

Check out www.patriotkites.com for more information about kiteboarding in Okinawa.

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2416] Posted by: Max on 15 Apr 09 at 08:17

Thank You, okikiter. I took a look at that site of patriotkites kite-school. But, it seems very low informative. I still can't get some information which spot will be closiest to our hotel... tried to use google map et cetera, but i'm not good at such stuff, and most of it in japaneese.

Still hope that somebody tell some info for us.

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2417] Posted by: Victoria on 15 Apr 09 at 08:55

Dear all,
Thank you for the messages.
Is that possible to rent a car in Okinawa or use some kind of transport to get let's say Miyuki Beach from our hotel?
And of course it might be interesting to meet kitepeople there but not be alone :0)

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2418] Posted by: Jason on 16 Apr 09 at 14:37

Hi,
The main problem is the wind direction- nearly all kitesurfers in Okinawa go to the beach where the wind is blowing. They check the wind forecast on the Internet and then drive to the best beach. Onna-son faces north-east so it's not ideal because the wind usually is south east or north east. Also many beaches are useless at low tide because the sea goes out very far and you can't cross the reef as it's too shallow. So you really do need a car.
There are literally thousands of cars for rent in Okinawa so you won't have a problem renting one!
Jason

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2419] Posted by: Max on 16 Apr 09 at 19:29

Got it, thank you, Jason, a lot. So, we need a car. I was expected something like that, so, asked our road police department which kind of driver's licence i need to drive a car in Japan. Nobody can sure me that i can do it with my russian licence... somebody told me that i have to have been extra examinated. But here is nothing i can do with now, tomorrow we're in low starting posision, so, we'll check it out inthere on the place. But, may be we can rent a motor scooter or something? which doesn't critical for driver's licence? And, which site you're using more often to check a wind direction? www.windguru.com or something local?
And... what do you think, seems like i don't need to bring my 9 m kite? I'm thinking to get only two of them: 16 meters and 12 meters. My weight is about 95 kilos, may be more.

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2420] Posted by: Victotria on 17 Apr 09 at 01:25

Dear Jason,

Thank you very much!
Is that ok if we call anybody from your group for more information if we need help/advice? If so please advise tel. number.
We have friends in Japan, but they are not joining us in Okinawa... So we are little worried about our staying there...

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2421] Posted by: YOSHI on 17 Apr 09 at 04:36

Hi! I'm one of the local kiteboarders in OKINAWA. The weather forcast for this weekend is windy enough to kitesurf and the direction will be east-north-east wind , so I think we may be going kitesurfing to Miibaru Beach〔新原ビーチ）which is located down south,near Tamagusuku〔玉城）You can ride in Kaichuu〔海中道路）which is near Miyagijima〔宮城島）If the wind blows from east, I suggest you go to Miibaru Beach where white sandy beach stretch out as long as 2 km and it is an ideal place for kitesurfing!! All of the local riders are very friendly and helpful in launching and landing everyone's kite. I hope we'll see you guys there this weekend!!

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2422] Posted by: Max on 17 Apr 09 at 05:12

Wow, nice to meet you, Yoshi! That's great to talk with local kiteborder. Thank you for the info... look, please, may you spend some of your time for us? i mean that if you be so nice and send an email to me on rrama@mail.ru or show up in the skype (my skype name is maksa112) so we can talk more? We're going to Tokio first, then flying to Okinawa. All this time we'll be on the line somehow.. don't know how it would be exactly, but i'll have my notebook with me in hope to find wifi connection somewhere along the travelling. We'd be very gratefull for Your support. I mean, it's good to have somebody who do know all local matters... may i hope?

and thank You again. Who knows, may be'll meet each other somewhere on the beach... i guess there aren't much of russian people, so.. we'd be very remarkable by our wide opened eyes and fool faces :wink <grin>

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2423] Posted by: Jason on 17 Apr 09 at 13:57

For local weather info look at this page:
http://kitesurfing.kujira99.com/bbs/index.php?sub=278 or you can click the 'Current wind information' links on the beach pages of this site.
Don't know about Russian driving licenses I'm afraid, but if you get a one-year International Driving Permit before you come you should be ok.
I 'm not in Okinawa at the moment so I won't be able to help you but most of the locals are friendly and will help you out if you talk to them- especially Yoshi! He's the handsome, macho, tanned 50 something year old flying the latest model kites! <wink>

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2424] Posted by: Victoria on 17 Apr 09 at 18:37

Hi everybody!
It was really nice and helpful talking with you. We are leaving Russia today, hope to see everybody in your spots!
Telling the truth Max is not perfect kiteboarder (there are not good conditions in Moscow for such kind of sport. Max, forgive me please for telling this here :0) ) But we would like to understand how kitesurfing is going on in Okinawa and share the info with Russian kiteboardes. You know, we could not find Russians who tried kiteboarding in Okinawa. See you.

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2425] Posted by: Max on 17 Apr 09 at 20:21

2Jason: Yoshi-san is macho, tanned, 50 something years old? Hmm, seems that the guy right for me to comunicate with <grin>

Viktoria was right, i'm not such sea-frog who's jumping creazy on sea surface... honestly, my kiteriding is just an excuse why i don't drink vodka as much as i should being russian <grin>

grin

I got you about the weather source, so i hope that everything be ok, anyway it owuld be fun, so, we're coming <grin>

grin: And many thank's again!

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2426] Posted by: YOSHI on 18 Apr 09 at 04:24

You guys are really lucky. It's going to be windy for several days in OKINAWA. We,all the local kiteboarders here, hope you will have a great time here in OKINAWA!! Here is my E-mail address, kite@nirai.ne.jp Please feel free to contact me!! See you guys soon!

Re: First visit Okinawa

[No.2427] Posted by: Max on 19 Apr 09 at 22:10

So, here we are, and here is an OKINAWA! Guys, what a beautiful land you`re living in! Really, all we can see here is like a dream comes　true. But not a kiter`s dream... it seems, that Miibaru Beach is quite unteachable for us, because it tooks about 4 hours of bus riding and we`ve lost any chance renting a car, because my driver`s licence doesn:t allow me driving a car here. So, all we need is some of wind blow somewhere close to our hotel. And tomorrow we`ll go to Miyuki Beach by bus, i hope we`ll find some wind there.

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