- Why Choose Ocean City, Maryland Over the Fabled Jersey Shore?
Three and a half hours is the difference between the location of Ocean City, Maryland, and the closest New Jersey beaches, those at Long Beach Island. Here’s why Ocean City, Maryland is by far the more superior destination for a beach vacation.

1. Maryland does not charge for the use of its beaches. New Jersey makes a small fortune by charging for ‘beach tags’ at every shore town, with the exception of those located in public parks – which are nearly always overcrowded and dirty. A Jersey beach tag can run you from $4 a day – yes, a day! – per person for the privilege of being on the beach – and paid township employees vigorously CHECK for these beach tags. Maryland’s beaches are free; New Jersey’s are not.

2. Housing is less expensive in Ocean City, Maryland. The New Jersey shore is, for the most part, comprised of houses, small bungalows and tiny motels. Ocean City, Maryland has in the vicinity of 3,500 rentals: individual homes, townhouses, condos, and trailers in mobile home parks. For decades, New Jersey – with the exception of Atlantic City – has strongly discouraged the construction of hotels and condominiums in its shore towns. You have far more options – and certainly far less expensive ones – by renting a place in Ocean City, Maryland than you do in New Jersey.

3. Maryland’s Ocean City was a pet project of Governor William Donald Schaeffer, the former mayor of Baltimore who personally loved Ocean City. Thus, the state plowed hundreds of thousands of dollars into beach replenishment and restoration. New Jersey, on the other hand, pretty much leaves it to individual towns to shore up their rapidly diminishing shorelines. Years of neglect and lack of funds have caught up with many towns in maintaining a decent beach.

4. O.C. has its beaches ‘plowed’ each and every night. New Jersey does not – nor has – had the funding to maintain its beaches to pristine condition. Your chances of finding syringes, medical waste, and just plain litter and trash are significantly higher on New Jersey beaches

5. New Jersey has its honky-tonk towns, most notably the Wildwoods; Sea Isle City has somewhat the same reputation. (Both towns have liquor licenses, not surprisingly.) Ocean City, New Jersey is probably the most family-friendly; Margate and Avalon bear the reputation of being elitist and snobby (with very few rentals available). While wild nights in Wildwood are legendary, Ocean City, Maryland has always promoted itself as a family-friendly resort. It has liquor licenses. It has night clubs and bars. It also has a very effective police force which patrols the town extremely well. The level of police presence at Jersey shore towns varies from town to town, depending upon each’s resources. Atlantic City, for instance, would like you to believe that it’s the glitz queen of the Jersey Shore. Actually, it’s more of the ‘bada bing bling’ type of town. Should you set foot outside of the direct casino areas themselves, the city’s streets are, frankly, very dangerous. It also has a quite high percentage of individuals with below national average incomes whose jobs are dependent upon the casinos. My husband worked for several years while in college at a lifeguard at an Atlantic City hotel. While an eye-opening experience for a kid fresh out of western Pennsylvania, it was not a pleasant one. You and your family’s chances of being physically safer are greater in Ocean City, Maryland than in most New Jersey shore towns.

My reflections on the differences between the two areas are based upon years of actual experience staying for extended vacations in both areas over the course of over three decades. While cited facts and figures are great tools in choosing a vacation spot, there’s nothing quite like the first-hand experience of someone who’s actually been there.

Have a fabulous summer vacation!

I, like many people, lost money on paper with the fall of Wall Street over the last two weeks. My broker and my son, who is a well respected trader who works for Fidelity Investments, have assured me that I must stick to the plan of dollar cost averaging that was established during a less volatile time period.

That all sounds good, but when you are seeing years of savings drift away day after day, it does take its toll. So what do I do? I do the thing any strong American Man would do. I decided to whine. Not just whine, I complained, I cried, I blamed the Republicans, then the Democrats, then the government, then the thieves on Wall Street. I became a whining complaining fool that no one wanted to be around.   

Then I FINALLY met my match with one of my oldest 40+ year friends who put the world back in perspective for me. My friend is a single mom who raised her son working only part time due to medical issues at a University in Cleveland, OH.

After listening to me whine and rant for a respectable time period she finally said, “Are you done?” Now Maxene is a soft spoken woman who is painfully honest and she calls it like she sees it. If you should cross the line of reason, her soft spoken nature turns into an attacking tiger. Well, you guessed it. I got the attacking tiger and it wasn’t Tony. She slapped me on the side of the head and gave me a dose of reality.

I don’t have space to share the gory details and I was also embarrassed that I needed to hear what she told me. I suppose the best way to sum it up was the reference she made to the old story of the person who complained that she didn’t have any shoes until she saw the person without a foot.

Now that was certainly as graphic as I needed to curl up in a ball and feel totally embarrassed by my behavior. But then she proceeded to filet me like a master chef with a brand new Ginza Knife. Her weapon was a simple poignant story that was not a business example but an interpersonal (you know those touchy feely kind of stories) that gave me one of those Eureka Moments that left my bottom jaw wide open, sort of like saying, “I should have had a V8.”

It was the story of a couple that she had been friendly with for a long time that were going through some difficult times in their relationship. (BTW my friend should have been an analyst.) She explained that the two people really loved each other but they were getting caught up in protocol, procedures, or the pecking order. Maxene listened to both of them until she finally quoted me. She told them, “Don’t worry about the mule going blind, just load the wagon.” (That is my all time favorite quote because it applies to so many business applications and issues with employees.) She flattered me by using my material but I just couldn’t understand the application here.

Now I must admit that really frustrated her and actually she started to lose it with me when she said, “Don’t you understand what your own quote means?” I didn’t shout back because she was trying to help me but I was flat footed and didn’t have a clue what she meant.

I said that the quote means that people are always worrying about things that might never happen. For example, I don’t want to take the car out because it might rain. Or I wouldn’t do that because someone might not like it. Or my favorite–Don’t schedule a certain person because she might get sick.

Then she challenged me when she said I was missing the beauty of the whole quote by interpreting it in a very narrow-minded way referencing it only to starting a project. It applies to anything that distracts us from our goal or path. She said her friends had developed a Paralysis from Analysis. They had gotten bogged down with who should do what and when they should do it as opposed to just living their lives. They were worrying about the mule going blind. They stopped talking about how something should or shouldn’t be done and they just did it. (Thanks Nike!)

Then I got the rest of my lecture that turned the light switch on for me. She politely complimented me on all of my business successes. Then came the dagger when she said that I hadn’t built all of my businesses over the years by whining, complaining, or blaming other people. I had done it myself! I wasn’t worrying if the mule was going to go blind, I had just loaded the wagon.

It not only made perfect sense, but it was such a freeing feeling knowing what I had to do and not to do. I swear my blood pressure dropped about 20 points. Of course I felt more than a little embarrassed. No, actually I felt like a big jerk. But sometimes we do need people around us who aren’t afraid to tell us the things we need to hear. Focus on what you can control. When you have a friend who’s not afraid to slap you on the side of the head and use your own words to make a point, appreciate them. They are your most powerful and humbling asset because they are the only people who can point out the best solutions that are right under our noses. And don’t forget: just load the wagon!

Kite surfing, also known as kitesurfing, fly surfing, and kiteboarding, involves using a power kite to pull the rider through the water on a small surfboard, a wakeboard, or a kiteboard.

A kitesurfer stands on a board with foot-straps or bindings, and uses the power of a large controllable kite to propel himself and the board across the water. However, this simplicity also makes kitesurfing challenging. Your body is the only connection between the kite and the board and you have to control them both at the same time: piloting the kite in the sky, and steering the board on the water.

The sport is still in its infancy, but is rapidly growing in popularity. In 1998, there were probably fewer than 30 kitesurfers worldwide. In 2006, the number of kitesurfers has been estimated at around 150,000 to 200,000[1].

The sport is becoming safer due to innovations in kite design, safety release systems, and instruction. Many riding styles have evolved to suit different types of riders and conditions, such as wake style, wave riding, freestyle, jumping, and cruising.

Other variations of using kites for propulsion include kite landboarding, snowkiting, kite buggying, kite jumping, and using kites to propel sea kayaks[2].

History

The Chinese are credited with using kites for propulsion in the 13th century[3].

In the 1800s George Pocock used kites of increased size to propel carts on land and ships on the water, using a 4-line control system – the same system in common use today. Both carts and boats were able to turn and sail upwind. The kites could be flown for sustained periods.[4]. The intention was to establish kitepower as an alternative to horsepower, partly to avoid the hated “horse tax” that was levied at that time[5]. In 1901, aviation pioneer Samuel Franklin Cody succeeded in crossing the English channel in a canvas canoe powered by a kite.

In the late 1970s the development of Kevlar then Spectra flying lines and more controllable kites with improved efficiency contributed to practical kite traction. In 1978, Ian Day’s “FlexiFoil” kite-powered Tornado catamaran exceeded 40km/hr.

Through the 1980s there were sporadic and occasionally successful attempts to combine kites with canoes, ice skates, snow skis[2], water skis and roller skates.

In 1990, practical kite buggying was pioneered by Peter Lynn at Argyle Park in Ashburton, New Zealand. Lynn coupled a three-wheeled buggy with a forerunner of the modern parafoil kite. Kite buggying proved to be very popular worldwide, with over 14,000 buggies sold up to 1999.

The development of modern day kitesurfing by the Roeselers in the USA and the Legagnoixs in France carried on in parallel to buggying. Bill Roeseler, a Boeing aerodynamicist, and his son Corey Roeseler patented the “KiteSki” system which consisted of water skis powered by a two line delta style kite controlled via a bar mounted combined winch/brake. The KiteSki was commercially available in 1994. The kite had a rudimentary water launch capability and could go upwind. In 1995, Corey Roeseler visited Peter Lynn at New Zealand’s Lake Clearwater in the Ashburton Alpine Lakes area, demonstrating speed, balance and upwind angle on his ’ski’. In the late 1990s, Corey’s ski evolved to a single board similar to a surfboard[5].

Two brothers, Bruno Legagnoix and Dominique Legagnoix, from the Atlantic coast of France, also contributed to the development of kitesurfing from the early 1980s. In 1997 they developed and sold the breakthrough “Wipika” kite design which had a structure of preformed inflatable tubes and a simple bridle system to the wingtips, both of which greatly assisted water re-launch.

In 1996 Laird Hamilton and Manu Bertin were instrumental in demonstrating and popularising kitesurfing off the Hawaiian coast of Maui. In 1997, specialist kiteboards were developed by Raphaël Salles and Laurent Ness. By 1998 kitesurfing had become a mainstream sport, and several schools were teaching kitesurfing. The first competition was held on Maui in September 1998 and won by Flash Austin[5].

By 1999 single direction boards derived from windsurfing and surfing designs became the dominant form of kiteboard. From 2001 onwards, wakeboard style bi-directional boards became more popular.

The current speed record over a 500 meter (1,640 ft) course, held by Olaf Marting, is 77.4 kilometers per hour (41.79 knots)[6]. A female SA rider, Sjoukje Bredenkamp holds the record at 37.26kts.

Techniques

Learning

Kiteboarding instruction by a certified instructor is regarded by most as essential. You will advance more rapidly while helping to protect your equipment, yourself, and ensuring the safety of bystanders. While the mechanics of kiteboarding may be fairly simple, many problems and dangers that may be encountered while learning kiting (some of which may not be immediately obvious) can be avoided or minimised by taking professional instruction.

A good course should include basic kite setup, operation, maintenance, size considerations, various types and operation of important safety systems. It will also include weather planning and hazards, launch area selection, body dragging upwind to avoid board leash use, solo launching and landing, emergency landing, self-rescue, safety gear, tuning, water starting, how to stay upwind while riding, “rules of the road” and other essential topics.

Learning techniques include flying a small kite on a beach to learn how to control the kite within the wind window.

Once good kite flying skills are obtained, the next progression is bodydragging, where a larger kite is flown and used to drag the student’s body through the water. The effect is similar to bodysurfing, but with an upward lift component. Bodydragging is also a self rescue technique in the event a kiter loses their board and needs to get to the shore.

The next progression is to lie in the water and attach your feet to the board (i.e. through the foot straps) with the board downwind. The kite is then flown left and right with its pull balanced against the board’s resistance by matching the pressure with alternate legs. For example, pressure on the left of the control bar is balanced against pressure applied by the left foot to the board, and vice versa.

Getting going

Generally, the first step of kite surfing is to fly one’s power kite into neutral position, in which the kite is overhead at the edge of the wind window, and therefore generating little pull ideally which can be balanced against one’s body weight. Note: if an excessive wind gust occurs with your kite , your body weight may not be adequate to anchor the kite resulting in your being lofted or involuntarily lifted off the ground. An instructor would take pains to avoid having this happen to students.

A safe way to launch involves sitting down with legs extended in shallow water, placing one foot then the other into the footstraps of the board. Then, in a (hopefully) coordinated movement, the kite is flown toward the water, with the board initially pointing downwind. The rider is then pulled up out of the water and the board starts to plane. The rider can then use his feet to edge steer the board across the wind and edge into the water, which has the effect of acting like a keel. If the board is not edged into the water or a wave, the kite will pull the surfer in a powerful planing motion similar to wakeboarding.

Turning

A beginner can turn by stopping, putting the kite up into neutral, and then turning the kite in the opposite direction. A quicker, more skillful turn moves the kite toward the wind, to swing the surfer’s path in a half circle, centered on the kite. As the turn ends, the kite is flown over to be in front of the surfer again. Turns away from the wind steal lift.

Kite surfing off in strong onshore winds off the north shore of O‘ahu in Hawai‘i. Note the wind-surfer catching the wave break.

A poorly executed turn will “fly” the surfer, and is often followed by a tumble if the surfer can’t put the board down at the right angle. It is important to use safety equipment like a deadman system where the kite lines can be detached from the surfer’s harness quickly because the kite can (unintentionally) power up after tumbles and pull the rider under water or against objects at uncontrollable speeds. Safety knives are a must to quickly cut lines in the event of dangerous entanglements. After a tumble, detangling and relaunching the kite can be difficult. Experienced kite surfers try to keep the kite in the air.

If the kite is only turned partially, or is not straightened at the right rate, a turning surfer can swing up and be dragged into the air by the kite, then get hurt when he recontacts the surface. Even in water, flying a power kite can be a brutal contact sport. The kite is usually twenty meters (sixty feet) in the air, and a careless turn in high winds can easily swing one five meters (two stories) into the air and down to an uncontrolled contact.

Controlled flying and jumping

Controlled flying is possible and one of the biggest attractions of the sport, but more difficult and dangerous. Flying occurs when the momentum of the surfer pulls the kite. Before jumping, the surfer builds up as much tension as possible by accelerating and strongly edging the board. Then in controlled, straight flight, the kite is flown quickly (snapped) to an overhead position, usually just as the surfer goes over a wave. The kite must then be quickly turned to glide in the direction of motion, usually into the wind. A large variety of maneuvers can be performed while jumping such as rotations, taking the board off one’s feet etc..

However, when jumping a kite surfer can also be flown into a nearby building, highway, or powerlines if the move is poorly executed or more commonly if the rider is caught by a wind storm or squall, or launches too large a kite whether in the water or on land. Jumping in shallow water or near fixed objects such as piers, groynes or breakwaters is very dangerous as a bad landing may result in hard impact leading to serious injury or death.

Assessing the wind

Wind strength and kite sizes

Kitesurfers change kite size and/or line length from the harness to the kite depending on wind strength — stronger winds call for a smaller kite to prevent overpower situations. It is important to avoid using too large a kite, particularly when you are new to the sport.

Kites come in different aspect ratios (AR). The AR refers to how much of the kite is exposed to the wind and what angle the wind takes as it passes through the kite. Newer kites also provide a “depower” option to reduce the power in the kite. By using depower, the kite’s angle of attack to the wind is reduced, thereby catching less wind in the kite and reducing the power or pull.

The more optimal these factors, the lower wind speed you will be able to perform in. A 170 lbs. rider will need about 8 to 10 knots sustained wind and a larger kite (16 m² or bigger). In 12 – 15 knots you can have a lot of fun by doing low jumps and freestyle maneuvers. 16 – 20 knots on a 16 square meter kite will allow you jumping high, while 20 to 24 knots might allow you to fly with the birds on a 12 square meter kite. An experienced rider generally carries a ‘quiver’ of different sized kites appropriate for different wind ranges. A typical kite quiver might include 9m², 13m² and 18m² traditional “C-kites”. Exact kite sizes will vary depending on rider weight and desired wind ranges.

Bow kites have a wider wind range than C-kites, so two kite sizes (such 7m² and 12m²) could form an effective quiver for winds ranging from 10 to 30+ knots for a 75kg rider[citation needed].

Wind direction

It is generally held that kitesurfers should never venture onto the water in direct offshore winds (because of the possibility of being ‘flown’ out to sea) or direct onshore winds (because of the possibility of being thrown against beach objects, trees, rocks etc). There are two exceptions to riding in offshore winds. If you have someone with a boat or other watercraft which can assist you back to shore, or if you are riding on inland lakes where you’ll inevitably hit the far shore eventually. Cross-shore wind directions are widely considered to be the best. Offshore winds are also generally gusty and much more difficult to kitesurf in.

Locations

Kitesurfer on the Columbia River.

Essentially any locale where consistent, steady winds (10 to 35+ knots), and large open bodies of water are available are suitable for kite surfing. Most kitesurfing takes place along the shore, but it can also be practiced on large lakes and occasionally on rivers. Since kiteboarding relies heavily on favorable, consistent wind conditions, certain geographic locations tend to become popular and sought out by experienced kiteboarders. Some of the world’s top kitesurfing locations include (no particular order):

Aberdeen, Scotland
Alaçat?, Çe?me, Turkey
Atlantis Beach, Bonaire, Dutch Antilles
Ayamonte, Isla Canela near Ayamonte, Spain
Bay of Puck, Poland
Long Beach, California
Bintan, Indonesia
Boracay Island, Philippines
Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Cagliari, Petrol Beach – Sardinia Island, Italy
Cape Hatteras, NC, US
Chumpon, Thailand
Columbia River Gorge, Columbia River, Northwestern US
Combuco, Brasil
Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, Canary Isles, Spain
Dakhla, Western Sahara (One of the world’s best flat water spots)
Bull Island, Dublin, Ireland
Eiderstedt, Germany
El Yaque, Isla Margarita, Venezuela
Fortuna Beach Rydebäck, Sweden
Geraldton, Australia
Guincho Beach, Portugal
Hood River, OR, US
Iles de la Madeleine, Québec, Canada
Jekylls Island, Georgia
Jupiter, Florida, US
Key Biscayne, Florida, US
Kite Beach, Martínez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Kuantan, Malaysia
La Ventana, Baja, Mexico
Lagan Båstad, Sweden
Lake Mille Lacs, MN, US
Lake Nipissing,Callender Bay(North Bay) ,Ontario,Canada
Lake Silvaplana, Switzerland
Lanzarote Famara is the ONLY safe place to Kitesurf on this tiny Island
Maui, Hawaii
Mui Ne, Vietnam (windsurf-vietnam.com)
Naxos Island, Greece
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Nitinat Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Noordwijk Beach, The Netherlands
Ocean Park, Puerto Rico
Oneye, Le Morne, Mauritius
Paros Island, Greece
Pellaro, Italy
Penghu, Taiwan
Poole Harbour, England
Port Douglas, Australia
Punta Rasa, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Safaga Bay, Egypt
Saipan, Marianas Islands
Santa Cruz, CA US
Silver Sands, Barbados
South Padre Island, TX, US
St. Peter Ording, Germany
Tarifa, Spain
The Bluff, Hayle, England
Tramore, Ireland
Tranque Puclaro, Chile
Traverse City, Michigan, US
Ulsan, South Korea
Walvis Bay, Namibia (Location where world speed record for kitesurfing set in 2006)
Western Cape, South Africa

Many of these popular kitesurfing destinations have year-long kitesurfing training and provide equipment rentals.

Restrictions

Kite surfing is restricted or banned in some locations. This is generally the result of safety and liability concerns, excessive general beach traffic and poorly organized practicing of kiteboarding. Bans have been reversed when kitesurfers have organized, prepared riding guidelines and negotiated with authorities for resumption of this sport. The primary reason why many experienced kite boarders stress safety and adequate quality professional instruction is to keep their sport from being banned or unduly restricted at their favorite location.

Not all locations will have explicit bans posted. Usually a simple warning from a park ranger, lifeguard or other official will let you know that kite surfing is not allowed. As a general rule, if you see other kiteboarders on the water, it is probably permitted. When new to an area or visiting be sure to ask about area restrictions and precautions before rigging up and riding. This simple courtesy should aid you in having a better riding session, avoid friction with locals and help to preserve kiting access for all of us. If riders offer suggestions, including not using a certain sized kite, relocating to a safer launch or not going out in current conditions, take what they say to heart. Ignoring well intended advice can cause unnecessary accidents and incidents.

Equipment

In order to kitesurf, several pieces of basic gear are needed. These are detailed in the following sections.

Power kites

A power kite is available in two major forms: leading edge inflatables and foil kites.

Leading edge inflatables

Leading edge inflatable kites, known also as inflatables, LEI kites or C-shaped kites, are typically made from ripstop nylon with inflatable plastic bladders.The inflated bladders give the kite its shape and also keep the kite floating once dropped in the water. LEIs are the most popular choice among most kitesurfers thanks to their quicker and more direct response to the rider’s inputs, easy relaunchability once crashed into the water, and resillient nature. If an LEI kite hits the water/ground too hard or is subjected on water to substantial wave activity, bladders can burst or it can be torn apart.

In 2005 Bow kites (also known as flat LEI kites) were developed with features including a concave trailing edge, a shallower arc in planform, and frequently a bridle along the leading edge. These features allow the kite’s angle of attack to be altered more and thus adjust the amount and range of power being generated to a much greater degree than previous LEIs. These kites can be fully depowered, which is a signficant safety feature. The ability to adjust the angle of attack also makes them easier to relaunch when lying front first on the water. Bow kites are popular with riders from beginner to advanced. Most LEI kite manufacturers developed a variation of the bow kite by 2006.

However, early bow kites have the following disadvantages compared to classic LEI kites:

They can get inverted and not fly properly
They are a bit twitchy and not as stable
Heavier bar pressure makes them more tiring to fly
More difficult to relaunch
Lack of “sled boosting” effect when jumping[7]

In 2006 second generation flat LEI kites were developed which combine 100% depower and easy, safe relaunch with higher performance, no performance penalties and reduced bar pressure. These kites are suitable for both beginners and experts.

Foil kites

Foil kites are also mostly fabric (ripstop nylon) with air pockets (air cells) to provide it with lift and a fixed bridle to maintain the kite’s arc-shape. Foils are designed with either an open or closed cell configuration; open cell foils rely on a constant airflow against the inlet valves to stay inflated, but are generally impossible to relaunch once they hit the water, since they have no means of avoiding deflation and quickly become soaked. Closed cell foils are almost identical to open cell foils except for the fact that they are equipped with inlet valves that do not allow air to leave the chambers, or water to get in, thus keeping the kite inflated (or, at least, making the deflation extremely slow) even once in the water. Water relaunches with closed cell foil kites are easy; a steady tug on the power lines is usually enough to get them to take off again. Foil kites are more popular for land or snow, where getting the kite wet is a non-issue. While traditionally foil kites are far more expensive than standard LEIs, they can cover a much wider wind range, comparable to that of up to 3 LEI sizes, due to their more refined aerodynamic performance and wide depower range, although the new LEI “bow” kites have a comparable wide range (still not as wide as foils, since bow kites are afflcted by most of the aerodynamic shortcomings of traditional LEI kites) and are cheaper. Foil kites have the advantage of not having to be inflated, a process which, with a LEI, can take up to ten minutes.

Kite sizes

Kites come in various sizes ranging from .7 square meters to 21 square meters, or even larger. In general, the larger the surface area, the more power the kite has, although kite power is also directly linked to speed, and smaller kites can be flown faster; a tapering curve results, where going to a larger kite to reach lower wind ranges becomes futile at a wind speed of around eight knots. Kites come in a variety of designs. Some kites are more rectangular in shape; others have more tapered ends; each design determines the kites flying characteristics. ‘Aspect ratio’ is the ratio of span to length. Wider shorter (ribbon-like) kites have less drag because the wing-tip vortices are smaller. High aspect ratios (ribbon-like kites) develop more power in lower wind speeds.

Seasoned kiteboarders will likely have 3 or more kite sizes which are needed to accommodate various wind levels, although bow kites may change this, as they present an enormous wind range; some advanced kiters use only one bow kite. Smaller kites are used by light riders, or in strong wind conditions; larger kites are used by heavier riders or in light wind conditions. Larger and smaller kiteboards have the same effect: with more available power a given rider can ride a smaller board. In general, however, most kiteboarders only need one board and one to three kites.

Kite prices range from $100 (for small kites) to $1700+ USD. Prices generally increase relative to the kite size.

Other equipment

Flying lines are made of a very strong, technologically advanced material, frequently Dyneema, in order to handle the dynamic load of various riders in unpredictable wind while maintaining a small cross-sectional profile to minimize drag. They come in many different sizes, generally between seven and thirty-three meters, although shorter and longer lines are not unheard of; experimentation with different line lengths is common in kiteboarding. The lines attach the rider’s control bar to the kite at its edges or through the bridle. Most power kites use a 3, 4 or 5-line configuration. The 5th line is used to aid in water re-launching or adjusting the kite’s angle of attack.

The control bar is a solid metal or composite bar which attaches to the kite via the lines. The rider holds on to this bar and controls the kite by pulling at its ends, causing the kite to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise like a bicycle. Typically a chicken loop from the control bar is attached to a latch or hook on a spreader bar on the rider’s harness. Most bars also provide a quick-release safety-system and a control strap to adjust the kite’s angle of attack. While kite control bars are made intentionally light, they must also be very strong, and so are usually heavier than water; “bar floats” made of foam are generally fixed to the lines right above the harness to keep the bar from sinking if lost in the water.

A kite harness comes in seat (with leg loops), waist or vest types. The harness together with a spreader bar attaches the rider to the control bar. By hooking in, the harness takes most of the strain of the kite’s pull off of the rider’s arms, and spreads it across a portion of his body. This allows the rider to do jumps and other tricks while remaining attached to the kite via the control bar. Waist harnesses are by far the most popular harnesses among advanced riders, although seat harnesses make it possible to kitesurf with less effort from the rider and vest harnesses provide both flotation and impact protection. Kite harnesses look very, very similar to windsurfing or sailboarding harnesses, but are actually much different; usually a windsurfing harness used for kiteboarding will break very quickly, leading to unpredictable results including possible injury or gear loss.

Kiteboard

Kiteboard, a small composite, wooden, or foam board. There are now several types of kiteboards: directional surf-style boards, wakeboard-style boards, hybrids which can go in either direction but are built to operate better in one of them, and skim-type boards. Some riders also use standard surfboards, or even longboards, although without footstraps much of the high-jump capability of a kite is lost. Twintip boards are the easiest to learn on and are by far the most popular. The boards generally come with sandle-type footstraps that allow the rider to attach and detach from the board easily; this is required for doing board-off tricks and jumps. Kiteboards come in various shapes and sizes to suit the rider’s skill level, riding style, wind and water conditions.

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” (kite + 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 a contributing factor.

To maximize safety, basic safety guidelines should always be followed, some of which follow:

Always check the weather forecast, color radar, realtime wind reports on the Internet for indications of storms/squalls and excessively gusty winds, wind direction changes and lightning hazards. Do not launch or ride in or near squalls or storms.
Avoid kite surfing in crowded areas, near rocks, trees, or power lines. In general there should be a minimum of 100 meters of safe distance from all obstructions.
Try to ride with side-shore winds. Avoid offshore or directly onshore winds.
Pay attention to changing weather and wind conditions. Particularly dangerous are storm fronts, which are often preceded by strong, variable wind gusts and sometimes involve lightning. If you feel a static shock from the kite bar, land the kite immediately and seek shelter.
Helmets and impact vests can save lives and add substantial convenience if you wear them.
Wear appropriate exposure clothing for conditions and a reasonable period of time in the water, should you become disabled.
Do not remove or disable factory-installed safety equipment or releases. The most basic is a quick-release harness safety system. Harness safety systems come in different configurations; most allow the kite surfer to release the kite with one tug or push, leaving only one line which is attached to a kite leash. This one line ideally will cause the kite to lose its shape and fall from the sky, without power. Redundant safety releases are even better; do not remove your kite release because you assume you can simply unhook. “Safety equipment” also includes the bar floats, the foam floats on the outside lines of most kite bars; most kite lines sink, and without bar floats sunk lines are more likely to tangle around an underwater obstruction. This could even happen with the bar floats, but they do help. With the kite in the water, a tangle like this could drag you underwater and hold you there.
Never use a board leash without wearing a helmet. Under very common circumstances, a board leash can cause the board to strike the rider in the head. Alternatively, don’t use a board leash. A helmet is a wise precaution in most circumstances whether you use a board leash or not, but never use a board leash without wearing a helmet. NOTE: board leashes have propelled boards through helmets in the past. The best course is normally to not use a board leash and practice body dragging upwind to regain your board.
Avoid riding overpowered. Using too large a kite for the wind conditions or your experience level is extremely dangerous. Underpowered riding is preferable to overpowered riding. When in doubt, go to a smaller kite and see how it goes. Always stay within the wind range specified by the manufacturer for the kite.
Be extra careful when landing or launching the kite. Most accidents occur on shore or while a rider is entering or leaving the water. It’s advisable to either un-hitch your kite from your harness while on-shore, holding onto it with only your arms, so you can release if necessary, or simply be ready to operate the quick-release mechanism. Ideally, don’t spend any time on shore with the kite in the air; launch the kite and then leave the beach immediately, and when coming in, land as quickly as possible. When on shore, keep the kite low: if it’s hit by a gust, it can drag the rider, but may prevent lofting.
Carry a knife attached to the harness for cutting tangled lines. Tangles are dangerous because an entangled rider in the water may not be able free themself quickly enough in the event the kite powers up suddenly (catches a wind gust, suddenly accelerates, or, if it’s in the water, gets hit by a wave). The tangled lines around a riders body can cut and sever a rider’s fingers, toes, or limbs or cause serious and deep lacerations. In a crash situation, with the kite in the water, under no circumstances allow a line to encircle a part of the body.

Another, more subtle hazard is that at fifty km/h (a typical speed for a skillful kite surfer), one can easily get tired, and then get farther from shore than an easy swim, which is the primary reason kite surfing in directly offshore winds is discouraged. Still other general 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 significant hazards, particularly at busy locations.

Some kite designs from late 2005 and onwards have included immediate and 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 substantial quantity of riders have been killed in kiteboarding-related accidents since 2000, according to a safety adviser for one of the sport’s governing bodies[citation needed].

When practiced safely, with the proper training and gear, kiteboarding is an enjoyable, addictive sport. Like any other sport, respecting nature, paying attention to the weather and staying within the limits of the riders ability will provide the safest and most enjoyable experience.

Terminology and lingo

air time: the amount of time spent in the air while jumping. This can be remarkably long; the current record is probably Erik Eck’s 39-second kitemare. 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.
body dragging: being pulled through the water without standing on your board. This is an early step in the learning process, and is recommended before trying the board after flying a trainer kite.
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.
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 you 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.
boost: to suddenly become airborne
donkey dick: a hard rubber piece attached to the top of the chicken loop which the rider feeds through the hook on the harness to prevent the rider from becoming “unhooked”.
downwind: the direction the wind is blowing towards; to leeward. When you are facing downwind the wind is at your back.
downwinder: a kitesurfing “trip” (could actually be as short as a few minutes) where the rider starts at one point and (hopefully intentionally) ends up at another point downwind of their original position. This is a good way to learn; park a vehicle a mile downwind and you can concentrate on tricks or learning or waveriding or just jumping and not have to worry about walking back or tacking upwind.
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 kiteboarding and is one of the ways kiteboarding 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. Edging in wakeboarding is used intermittently, for jumping, or steering the board; continuous edging is impossible in wakeboarding, due to the force of the boat, but essential for kite control in kiteboarding. Riding downwind towards the kite subtracts massively from the kite’s power; edging upwind again restores it.
heel side: the side of a board on the edge where your heels are (opposite of toeside). “Riding heelside” is riding with your heels down. Heelside is the normal and most comfortable riding position.
Hindenburg: A reference to the Hindenburg Airship disaster of 1937, which in kiteboarding terminology refers to the kite stalling and falling out of the sky. Hindenburging can be caused either by lack of wind or by the kite advancing to a position upwind of the kiteboarder in the wind window.
kiteloop: is a group of tricks that you loop the kite while spinning through the air
kitemare: a kiteboarding accident or dangerous mishap. Kitemares can be deadly.
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 my minimising 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.
nuking: wind blowing at great speeds(30-40kts). 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.
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.
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.
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.
Send it: To move the kite aggressively up through the power zone.
Schlogging: This is riding extremely underpowered. You have no power to plane and definitely not enough to jump. You and your board bounce from planing on the surface to being dragged in the water.
S#*t Hot: The art of stylish smooth moves.
side shore, winds blowing parallel to the shore. Usually the most desirable direction for kiteboarding.
side onshore: wind blowing between sideshore and at a 45 degree angle towards the shore.
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 kiteboarder 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 your toes are (opposite of heelside). “Riding toeside” is riding with your 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 current 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.
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.

Surfing

Surfing is a surface water sport that involves the participant being carried by a breaking wave.

Overview
There are multiple kinds of surfing, based on the different methods or vehicles used to ride a wave. The basic categories include regular stand-up surfing, kneeboarding, bodyboarding, surf-skiing and bodysurfing. Further sub-divisions reflect differences in surfboard design, such as long-boards versus short-boards. Tow-in surfing involves the use of motorised craft to tow the surfer onto the wave; it is associated with surfing huge waves that are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to catch by paddling alone.

Surfing’s unique relationship with nature afforded it a mythic quality, which set the stage for its commercial simulation.[1] However, there remains a vital core to the culture, which is both local and global in scope. These “hard core” members of surf culture are united in their dedication to the sport’s essential practice of riding waves. A disciplined surfer will check local surf conditions at dawn when the wind is calm, having already assessed the day’s prospects based upon weather reports, swell predictions, and tide tables.

When surfing conditions are ideal, social commitments can be relegated to secondary priority. In this way, surfers can be said to defy the temporal order imposed by capitalist culture. Their subculture is founded on the aesthetic appeal of naturally occurring patterns and processes. The obvious contradiction between the surfing experience and its depiction as serving commercial interests highlights the contemporary western history of separation from the natural world, its utilitarian valuation and exploitation. Through direct involvement with nature, surfers appreciate the intrinsic value of the biosphere in a way that is gaining exposure through the recognition of ecosophies, such as deep ecology and ecophenomenology.
Surf conditions
There are a number of factors that influence the shape and quality of breaking waves. These include the bathymetry of the surf break, the direction and size of the swell, the direction and strength of the wind and the ebb and flow of the tide.

Swell is generated when wind blows consistently over a large area of open water, called the wind’s fetch. The size of a swell is determined by the strength of the wind, the length of its fetch and its duration. So, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to large expanses of ocean traversed by intense low pressure systems.

Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since the rideable surface of a wave can become choppy in blustery conditions. Ideal surf conditions include a light to moderate strength “offshore” wind, since this blows into the front of the wave.

The factor which most determines wave shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave. The contours of the reef or sand bank influence wave shape in two respects. Firstly, the steepness of the incline is proportional to the resulting upthrust. When a swell passes over a sudden steep slope, the force of the upthrust causes the top of the wave to be thrown forward, forming a curtain of water which plunges to the wave trough below. Secondly, the alignment of the contours relative to the swell direction determines the duration of the breaking process. When a swell runs along a slope, it continues to peel for as long as that configuration lasts. When swell wraps into a bay or around an island, the breaking wave gradually diminishes in size, as the wave front becomes stretched by diffraction. However, it is more common to see waves cross into the shallower water and finally close out.

Based on the underwater topography of the surf break, the factor that most determines when to go surfing is the tide . Wave-shape and the whole pattern of the surf changes with the tide more or less hour to hour, while wind and swell remain constant for hours, even days.

You have to be sensitive to all these factors to get to know a surf break, and each break is different, since the underwater topography of one place is unlike any other. At beach breaks, even the sandbanks change shape from week to week. So, it takes commitment to get good waves (a skill dubbed “broceanography” by Californian surfers). That’s why surfers have traditionally regarded surfing to be more of a lifestyle than a sport. Of course, you can sometimes be lucky and just turn up when the surf is pumping. But, it is more likely that you will be greeted with the dreaded: “You should have been here yesterday”. Nowadays, however, surf forecasting is aided by advances in information technology, whereby mathematical modelling graphically depicts the size and direction of swells moving around the globe.

The regularity of swell varies across the globe and throughout the year. During winter, heavy swells are generated in the mid-latitudes, when the north and south polar fronts shift toward the Equator. The predominantly westerly winds generate swells that advance eastward. So, waves tend to be largest on west coasts during the winter months. However, an endless train of mid-latitude cyclones causes the isobars to become undulated, redirecting swells at regular intervals toward the tropics.

East coasts also receive heavy winter swells, when low pressure cells form in the sub-tropics, where their movement is inhibited by slow moving highs. These lows produce a shorter fetch than polar fronts, however they can still generate heavy swells, since their slower movement increases the duration of a particular wind direction. After all, the variables of fetch and duration both influence how long the wind acts over a wave as it travels, since a wave reaching the end of a fetch is effectively the same as the wind dying off.

During summer, heavy swells are generated when cyclones form in the tropics. Tropical cyclones form over warm seas, so their occurrence is influenced by El Niño & La Niña cycles. Their movements are unpredictable. They can even move westward, which is unique for a large scale weather system. In 1979, Tropica Cyclone Kerry wandered for 3 weeks across the Coral Sea and into Queensland, before dissipating.

The quest for perfect surf has given rise to a field of tourism based on the surfing adventure. Yacht charters and surf camps offer surfers access to the high quality surf found in remote, tropical locations, where tradewinds ensure offshore conditions. Since winter swells are generated by mid-latitude cyclones, their regularity coincides with the passage of these lows. So, the swells arrive in pulses, each lasting for a couple of days, with a couple of days between each swell. If the arrival of a swell coincides with a rising tide, the size of the waves can jump by a foot each set. Since bigger waves break in a different configuration, a rising swell is yet another variable to consider when assessing how to approach a break.

It’s best to plan a surf trip for the week following a full or new moon, since this is when the tide is high during the middle of the day. On a full or new moon, high tide is at around ten o’clock in the morning. A week later, it is late in the day, because tides return about an hour later with each day that passes. This sequence is due to the moon orbiting the planet in the same direction as the planet spins. Since the moon advances in its orbit during the course of a day, it takes about an hour extra for your location to catch up to the moon and the tide that follows it.

The value of good surf has even prompted the construction of artificial reefs and sand bars to attract surf tourism. Of course, there is always the risk that one’s holiday coincides with a “flat spell”. Wave pools aim to solve that problem, by controlling all the elements that go into creating perfect surf.

To learn more about surf meteorology, see StormSurf’s Tutorials.

The availability of free model data from the NOAA has allowed the creation of several surf forecasting websites. These automatically combine the above variables into a presentation of how good the surf will be.

The geometry of tube shape can be represented as a ratio between length and width, such that a perfectly cyllindrical vortex has a length to width ratio of 1:1, while the classic almond shaped tube is nearer 3:1. When ‘width’ exceeds ‘length’, the tube is typically described as “square”.
Surf breaks can be grouped according to their intensity. There are two variables to consider in determining the intensity of a surf break: the shape of the tube and the angle of the peel line. Tube shape indicates the degree of upthrust, which is roughly proportional to the volume of water being thrown over with the lip. The angle of the peel line reflects the speed of the tube. A fast, “down the line” tube has a peel line with a smaller angle than a slower, “bowly” tube.

Surfing maneuvers
Surfing begins with the surfer eyeing a rideable wave on the horizon and then matching its speed (by paddling or by tow-in). A common problem for beginners is not even being able to catch the wave in the first place, and one sign of a good surfer is being able to catch a difficult wave that other surfers can not.

Once the wave has started to carry the surfer forward, the surfer will then jump to his or her feet in what is termed a “pop-up” and proceeds to ride down the face of the wave, generally staying just ahead of the breaking part (white water) of the wave (in a place often referred to as “the pocket” or “the curl”). This is a difficult process in total, where often everything happens nearly simultaneously, making it hard for the uninitiated to follow the steps.

Surfers’ skills are tested not only in their ability to control their board in challenging conditions and/or catch and ride challenging waves, but also by their ability to execute various maneuvers such as turning and carving. Some of the common turns have become recognizable tricks such as the “cutback” (turning back toward the breaking part of the wave), the “floater” (riding on the top of the breaking curl of the wave), and “off the lip” (banking off the top of the wave). A newer addition to surfing has been the progression of the “air” where a surfer is able to propel oneself off the wave and re-enter.

“Tube riding” is when a surfer maneuvers into a position where the wave curls over the top of him or her, forming a “tube” (or “barrel”), with the rider inside the hollow cylindrical portion of the wave. This difficult and sometimes dangerous procedure is arguably the most coveted and sought after goal in surfing.

“Hanging Ten” and “Hanging Five” are moves specific to longboarding. Hanging Ten, refers to having both feet on the front end of the board with all ten of the surfer’s toes off the edge. Hanging Five is having just one foot and five toes off.

Common Terms:

• Regular –  Right foot on back of board
• Goofy –  Left foot on back of board
• Take off –  the start of a ride
• Drop in –  dropping into (engaging) the wave, most often as part of standing up 
• Dropped in  on – taking off on a wave in front of someone else (considered inappropriate) 
• Snaking –  paddeling around someone to get into the best position for a wave (in essence,  stealing it)
• Bottom  turn – the first turn at the bottom of the wave
• Shoulder –  the unbroken part of the wave
• Cutback –  a turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave 
• Fade –  dropping back into the wave
• Chili  Cheese Dog – a Costa Rican term; wiping out in a really messy way 
• Over the  falls – going over the top of the wave
• Pump – an  up/down carving movement that generates speed along a wave 
• Stall –  slowing down from weight on the tail of the board or a hand in the water 
• Floater –  riding up on the top of the breaking part of the wave
• Hang-five/hang-ten – putting one or two feet  respectively over the the nose of a longboard
• Re-entry –  hitting the lip vertically and re-rentering the wave in quick succession. 
• Switch-foot – riding opposite stance from what feels  natural
• Tube  riding – riding inside the curl of a wave
• Carve –  turns (often accentuated)
• Off the  Top – a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving 
• Snap – a  quick, sharp turn of the top of a wave
• Fins-free  snap – a sharp turn where the fins slide off the top of the wave 
• Air/Aerial  - airing off the top of the wave

Surfing equipment
Surfing can be done on various pieces of equipment, including surfboards, bodyboards, wave skis, kneeboards and surf mat. Surfboards were originally made of solid wood and were generally quite large and heavy (often up to 12 feet long and 100 pounds). Lighter balsa wood surfboards (first made in the late 1940s and early 1950s) were a significant improvement, not only in portability, but also in increasing maneuverability on the wave.

Most modern surfboards are made of polyurethane foam (with one or more wooden strips or “stringers”), fiberglass cloth, and polyester resin. An emerging surf technology is an epoxy surfboard, which are stronger and lighter than traditional fiberglass.

Equipment used in surfing includes a leash (to keep a surfer’s board from washing to shore after a “wipeout”, and to prevent it from hitting other surfers), surf wax and/or traction pads (to keep a surfers feet from slipping off the deck of the board), and “fins” (also known as “skegs”) which can either be permanently attached (”glassed-on”) or interchangeable. In warmer climates swimsuits, surf trunks or boardshorts are worn, and occasionally rash guards; in cold water surfers can opt to wear wetsuits, boots, hoods, and gloves to protect them against lower water temperatures

There are many different surfboard sizes, shapes, and designs in use today. Modern longboards, generally 9 to 10 feet in length, are remeniscent of the earliest surfboards, but now benefit from all the modern innovations of surfboard shaping and fin design.

The modern shortboard began its life in the late 1960s evolving up to today’s common “thruster” style shortboard, a three fin design, usually around 6 feet in length.

Midsize boards, often called funboards are of a size somewhere in between a shortboard and longboard, with various shapes.

There are also various niche styles, such as the “Egg”, a longboard-style short board, the “Fish”, a short and wide board with a split tail and four fins, and the “Gun”, a long and pointed board specifically designed for big waves.
Famous surf breaks
Some of the best known surf breaks:

• Banzai  Pipeline
• G-Land 
• Killer  Dana 
• Jeffreys Bay 
• Puerto  Escondido
• Snapper  Rocks
• Teahupo’o 

• Cape St.  Francis

List of surfing areas
This is a list of areas associated with surfing.
Africa
South Africa

• Durban ,  South  Africa 
• Amanzimtoti , South  Africa 
• Scottburgh , South  Africa 
• Muizenberg , South  Africa 
• Port  Alfred,  South Africa 
• Port Elizabeth , South  Africa 
• Jeffreys  Bay, South Africa  
• Cape St.  Francis (Seal Point), South  Africa
• Mossel Bay , South  Africa  

Morocco

• Essaouira 
• Taghazout  

Asia

• Aurora ,  Philippines  
• Phuket ,  Thailand  
• Chiba ,  Japan  
• Bali ,  Indonesia  

Australia

• Bondi  Beach, Sydney, Australia 
• Newcastle , New South Wales,  Australia  
• Gold Coast , Queensland, Australia  
• Noosa Heads , Queensland, Australia  
• Bells Beach , Victoria, Australia  
• Surfers  Paradise, Queensland, Australia
• Margaret  River, Western Australia, Australia  
• Torquay , Australia

Europe
France

• Biarritz , Aquitaine 
• Hossegor , Aquitaine 
• Lacanau , Aquitaine 
• Cap-Ferret , Aquitaine 
• le Lizay ,  Charente-Maritime

Italy

• Capo Mannu , Sardinia 
• Spiaggetta , Ostia 
• Varazze , Liguria

Portugal

• Ericeira 
• Peniche  

Spain

• El Quemao ,  Lanzarote, Canary Islands 
• Mundaka 
• Punta Blanca , Tenerife, Canary Islands  

UK

• The Bar, Scotland 
• Bude,  Cornwall 
• Fistral  Beach, Newquay, Cornwall  
• The  Mumbles, Wales
• Rhossili,  Wales
• Llangennith, Wales
• St Davids,  Wales
• Freshwater West , Wales 
• Southerndown, Wales  
• Newgale ,  Wales 
• Perranporth, Cornwall
• Crantock,  Cornwall 
• Porthleven, Cornwall
• Sennen,  Devon
• Lynmouth,  Devon
• Westward  Ho!, Devon
• Saunton,  Devon
• Croyde,  Devon
• Putsborough, Devon 
• Woolacombe, Devon 
• Sandymouth , Devon 
• Cayton Bay , North Yorkshire 
• Sandilands, Lincolnshire
• Aberdeen , Scotland  
• Coldingham Bay , Scotland  
• Fraserburgh , Scotland  
• Pease Bay , Scotland  
• Thurso ,  Scotland  
• Tiree,  Scotland
• Challaborough

Ireland

• Bundoran,  Donegal

North America
Canada
West Coast

• Tofino ,  British  Columbia

East Coast

• Halifax County , Nova Scotia

Mexico

• Puerto Escondido , Mexico  

Baja California

• K-38 ,  Baja  California 
• Isla  Todos Santos, Baja California
• San  Miguels , Baja  California 
• Seven  Sisters, Baja California, Mexico  

USA
West Coast

• Santa Cruz , California 
• Santa Barbara , California 
• Orange County , California 
• Mavericks,  Half Moon Bay, California
• Huntington Beach , California 
• Newport Beach , California
• The Wedge
• Corona  del Mar, California 

• Salt  Creek, Dana Point, California
• San Clemente , California  
• San Diego County , California
• San Onofre State Park
• Oceanside
• Carlsbad
• Cardiff
• La Jolla
• Imperial Beach
• Windansea

• Westport , Washington 
• La Push,  Washington  
• Neah Bay , Washington

East Coast

• C-Street Wrightsville Beach
• Ocean City , Maryland  
• Sebastian Inlet and environs,  Brevard County, Florida 
• Lawrencetown Beach and environs  (Eastern Shore), 
• The Outer  Banks of North  Carolina
• Virginia Beach , Virginia, Host of the East  Coast Surfing Championships 
• Narragansett, Rhode Island
• Sand Dollar  Shores NC  
• Ocean City , New Jersey

Gulf Coast

• Galveston 
• Corpus  Christi 
• Freeport 
• South Padre  Island

Caribbean

• Ramey  Puerto Rico 
• Jobos, Midless, Shacks;  Isabela Puerto Rico 
• Dome’s, Maria’s, Tres Palmas, Steps,  The Landing; Rincón Puerto Rico  

Oceania
Hawaii
North Shore (Oahu)

• Pipeline 
• Haleiwa 
• Laniakea  
• Off the Wall 
• Sunset Beach  
• Rocky  Point
• Velzyland  
• Waimea Bay
  

Other surf spots in Hawaii

• Ala Moana,  Oahu 
• Honolua Bay , Maui 
• Hookipa,  Maui
• Maalaea,  Maui
• Makaha,  Oahu  
• Peahi  (Jaws), Maui 
• Richardson  Beach , Hawaii (island)  
• Shit Falls , Maui 
• S-Turns ,  Maui 
• Waikiki,  Oahu
• Windmills ,  Maui

New Zealand

• Gisborne,  North  Island 
• Mount  Maunganui, North Island 
• Piha,  North  Island 
• Raglan,  North  Island 
• Taranaki,  North  Island 
• St. Clair,  South Island
• The  Catlins, South Island  

Other

• Tavarua / Namotu , Fiji  
• Teahupoo,  Tahiti

South America

• Galapagos Islands 
• Cabo Blanco , Peru  
• Pico  Alto , Peru  
• Chicama , Peru  
• Saquarema,RJ,Brazil
• Fernando de  Noronha ,PE,Brazil  
• Garopaba ,SC,Brazil  
• Joaquina ,SC,Brazil  
• Praia  Mole,SC,Brazil  
• Praia do  Rosa,SC,Brazil  
• Torres,RS,  Brazil
• Ilha dos  Lobos,RS, Brazil  

History
People were surfing in Hawaii by AD 400, but nobody knows when, or precisely where, this practice started. Captain Cook, a British sea captain and explorer, was the first European to witness surfing in Hawaii in the late 1770s.

When the missionaries from Scotland and Germany arrived in 1821, they forbid or discouraged Hawaiian traditions and cultural practices, which included leisure sports like surfing and holua sledding. By the twentieth century, surfing, along with other traditional practices, had all but disappeared from widespread practice. Some Hawaiians continued to practice the sport and art of crafting boards from local woods.

At the start of the twentieth century, Hawaiians living close to Waikiki began a revival of surfing, possibly in protest to the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and they re-established surfing as a sport. In 1908, the sport of surfing reached California, and it then began to spread to other parts of the United States and other countries. Duke Kahanamoku, “Ambassador of Aloha”, Olympic medalist, and avid waterman, rightfully introduced surfing to the world, although authors like Jack London wrote about the sport after having attempted surfing on his visit to the islands.

Surfing progressed tremendously in the 20th century. Growing and evolving in primarily three locations: Hawaii, Australia, and California.

Up until the 1960s, it had only a small following of dedicated participants, but with coming of Gidget, the surfing world was changed forever. The popularity of surfing soared (and with the limited amount of truly good breaks, it gave surfers something to complain about ever since: crowds).

The churning out of B-movies based on surfing and Southern California beach culture (Beach Party films) formed most American’s idea of surfing and surfers.

Regardless of the hype or distorted views in mainstream (American) society, surfing continued to evolve as a sport, and as a way of life. The evolution of board design, and the ever-changing surf styles that accompanied that evolution, plus the always increasing and changing modes of competitive surfing, have kept surf culture vibrant and intact. Renowned surfer George Nguyen wrote about American surf culture in the 1990s, “It’s come of age. It’s finally arrived.”

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kite itself is lifeless but still spreads message on International Peace, Communal Harmony, Anti Terrorism to all people living in this universe.  Only we have created boundaries between different nations on this Earth but kite do not follow this man made rules and still spreads fragrance of brotherhood on reaching to other countries by crossing borders and flying high in the sky.

Meaningful Educational Kites can also made with different combination of colours schemes to educate children and young people.  Kites with social messages like ‘PROTECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT’, ‘GROW MORE TREES’ and ‘SAY NO TO CRACKERS’ can educate people on benefits of clean and pollution free environment.  Kites carrying message against smoking, drinking and drugs can save youth from indulging in bad habits.

Kite flying helps in the development of concentration and thus student can score good marks by concentrating his mind in studies and other activities.  Flying of kite is one of the best low budget recreation, clean and safe entertainment which helps in recovering physical as well as mental tiredness in a shortest possible time.  Kite flyingregenerates quantas of energy, happiness and freshness which helps to handle day to day duties with more vigour, interest and dedication.

It is also a physical exercise for brain, arms, legs, neck and eyes.  Kite flying helps in improving eye sight as eye lids are to be moved constantly along with every changing moment of the kite fly high  up in the sky.  Flying of kiteunder blue colour of the sky also provides soothness to our eyes.

Most of the time kites are flown in the parks and under the Sun so intake of Vitamin ‘D’ and fresh oxygen into our body is definitely more than watching TV, playing on computers and other indoor activities.  As more and more oxygen is being supplied to lungs and heart means building up of stronger heart.  Stronger heart controls the supply of blood all body parts quite efficiently and keeps blood pressure of a body normal and thus reduces chances of heart attack.

All of us must start flying a kiteat least once in a week and thus lead a happy, healthy, stress and strainfree long long life.

Dr Devinder Pal Singh Sehgal

Slovak Republic  Record Holder

Impossibility Challenger Record Holder

Drachen (USA) Record Holder

# 5692/A, Sector 38(W), Chandigarh.

Yes, you’ll most likely have to watch a few ollies and kickflips on Ocean City’s Ocean Bowl Skate Park, but you won’t mind so much knowing what else is in store. A trip to Assateague Island to roam the beaches with the wild ponies will have your kids raving to all their friends. Your younger set will be awed into delightful jabber remembering how they got to go on an exciting pirate adventure and how they got to assist Captain Cholly and his buccaneer crew battle Pirate Pete and bring home the neat hidden treasure. There is also the unforgettable Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum or the Life-Saving Station Museum, with a saltwater aquarium and real live shipwrecks. Ocean City Maryland has earned its reputation as the East Coast’s Number One Family Resort. So Pack up your Kids and Enjoy!

1. Assateague Island
End of Rte 611
410-641-1441

Your kids will thank you for hours after a trip to Assateague Island to see the wild ponies. Straight from the pages of Marguerite Henry’s children’s classic Misty of Chincoteague, there are plenty of wild Assateague ponies that will walk right up to you. Make sure your kids know not to feed or pet the ponies though: they are wild, even if they look incredibly cuddly. The most exciting time to go is the end of July where some 150-175 wild ponies make the historic swim across the Assateague Channel (during low tide) to strut their stuff at the annual auction. If you’d prefer a more tranquil experience, take your kids to Assateague off season. There is plenty to do year round on the 35-mile long barrier reef named for the region’s native Assateague Indians, from hiking, canoeing and biking to surf fishing, clamming and crabbing. Guided walks and children’s activities are available through the Barrier Island Visitor’s Center, open all year. The museum offers a small aquarium, a touch-tank, and a beachcombing exhibit as well as telescopes, films, and a bookstore. You can also camp on the island: Call 1-800-365-2267 to make a reservation. If you are driving, Assateague’s north entrance is at the end of Route 611, eight miles south of Ocean City MD. If you are arriving in season, it is worth it to take an adventure cruise. Try Assateague Adventure, 410-289-3500, on the Talbot Street Pier, or the Assateague Island Explorer, 410-289-5887, in downtown Ocean City MD. Both offer 1 +1/2 hour nature cruises that land on Assateague.

2. Ocean Bowl Skate Park
3rd & St. Louis Ave.
410.289.BOWL (2695)

You will soon find yourself on the privileged “cool” list, having had the forethought to take your kids to the Ocean Bowl where 17,000 square feet of concrete will delight skaters of all skill levels. For the best of ollies, shove-its and kickflips, the skate park touts a world class pool bowl with deep and shallow end, a large vert ramp and a mini ramp, along with the innovative open concrete street course with hit walls, hips, and small bowl. Designed by nationally recognized X-Games competitor and skatepark designer Tim Payne (who built the MTV street course) and molded by Omer Windham, the Ocean Bowl Skate Park definitely puts Ocean City Maryland on the map. Skaters must wear helmets, knee pads, wrist guards, and elbow pads while in the park, and a liability waiver must be signed by all participants and/or parents of children under 18 years of age. Legal guardians must be present at registration, or the official waiver form with the guardian’s signature must be notarized.

3. Pirate Adventures
Harpoon Hanna’s (142nd Street and the Bay)
302-539-5155
Har Mateys! How about taking your little ruffians on an exciting seafaring adventure to find hidden treasure? Dressed for the part with sailor sashes and painted faces, your little pirates will take the honored oath of loyalty before they assist Captain Cholly (USCG certified) and his swashbuckling deck hands find the treasure. They will have to decipher the treasure map and battle the fierce rogue Pirate Pete, but if all goes according to plan, they will get to hoist the treasure chest into the ship and return home with the booty. But not before they fire off the cannons and hear a couple of pirate stories. Safe for children of all ages. Reservations required. The pirate ship sails weekends in May with six trips daily from June 9 to Labor Day.

4. Museums
The museums on the boardwalk of Ocean City Maryland can’t help but impress. Start with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum at the Main Pier, 410-289-6586. You’re not likely to miss the building with the giant shark crashing through it. Inside you’ll find more than 500 oddities from around the world, and if the tallest man in the world and a 40-foot long working wooden roller coaster don’t do much for your kids, take them to the torture-chamber devices and shark exhibit, guaranteeing delighted outbursts of “OH Cool!”


At the inlet is the Ocean City’s Lifesaving Museum, 410-289-4991. Built in 1891 this newly renovated lifesaving station includes saltwater aquariums, shark jaws, bathing suits dating back to the early 1900s, and artifacts recovered from shipwrecks off the Delmarva coastline. There is also the Ocean Gallery, 410-289-5300, on 2nd St. on the Boardwalk, where you will find an interesting collection of posters and art. Off the boardwalk, head to Wheels of Yesterday Antique & Classic Cars Museum, 410-213-7329, at 12708 Ocean Gateway (Rt. 50), where you will find Jack Benny’s Overland, a 1930s racing car and a 19th-century mail wagon among its other fine attractions.


5. Go Karts
The speed demons in your family will seem ready to take the checkers as they race on Ocean City Maryland’s go kart tracks. There is something for all skill levels. You have your choice of three Go Kart racing facilities. You’ll find the fastest go karts at Baja Amusements, 410-213-BAJA, 1 Mile West of Route 50 Bridge, where your racers can choose among six tracks. For kids eight and older, there is Family Tracks and the Family Grand Prix where they can drive themselves and acquire car and racing skills. Children under eight can ride free with an adult. For the experienced, there is a competitive stock car track and a challenging oval track as well as Road Racer, a 1/2 mile track with high banked turns and twisting corners. For the largest selection go to Speedworld at the Jolly Roger Amusement Park, 410-289-4902, 30th St. & Coastal Highway. You will find more than 300 state-of-the-art go karts and will be able to choose from a selection of 14 tracks geared toward families, kiddies and experienced drivers. The best prices are at Ocean City Grand Prix, 410-213-1278, Route 50 in West Ocean City. Choose from seven exciting go kart tracks.
 

6. Indoor Ice Skating
Carousel Ice Skating Rink
11700 Coastal Highway
800-641-0011

Whether you have the next Sarah Hughes on your hands itching to do a triple-triple combination or have a child that just wants to wobble a little on the ice, you will have to visit the Carousel Ice Skating Rink while you are in Ocean City Maryland. During the summer months, it’s fun to get a change of scenery from the beach. They have great ice shows. You can reserve a time with an instructor of just take your kiddies out yourself. If you’re on the ice with your child, skate backwards using your outstretched palms to offer support. This is a lot better than supporting your child from behind. (This is, of course, assuming you can hold yourself up.) To slow down and stop, tell your child (or yourself) to bend the knees, turn the toes of each foot in toward the other foot, point the heels out, and push out on the heels. Remember to bring gloves and invest in knee pads or elbow pads or both. Wearing a helmet is a good idea for beginners.

7. Miniature Golf

There are countless popular miniature golf courses in Ocean City Maryland, and with good reason. First on your list, especially on those cold or rainy days, should be Old Pro Golf’s indoor underwater course: Undersea Adventure, an elaborate 2-story, 18-hole course complete with whales, barracuda, a shipwreck and a sunken submarine. Located at 68th St., it is open all year. Call 410-524-2645. Old Pro has seven other courses located throughout the city each with their own theme: 23rd St. (Hawaiian Gardens), 28th St. (Medieval Castle & Big Top Circus), 68th St. (Dinosaurs) and 136th St. (Pirate, Safari and Polynesian). Also try the following courses:

Treasure Golf & Jungle Golf
30th St. & Coastal Highway
410-289-3477
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Journey through a tropical rain forest, under and through waterfalls, around peaceful lagoons and over scenic mountains. Watch out though, wild animals (of the animated variety) will pop out at you when you least expect it.

Baja Amusements
12639 Ocean Gateway (Route 50)
410-213-BAJA
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Putt putt through a challenging safari, complete with waterfalls and lagoons.

Lost Galaxy Golf
33rd St. & Coastal Highway
410-524-4FUN
Open year round. Take a trip into outerspace with special effects such as fog, flames and a UFO that blasts off.

65th St. Slide & Ride
Toward the Bay at 65th St.
410-524-5270
Open April through September. Cool nautical theme.

Maui Golf
57th St. & Coastal Highway
410-524-8804
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Take an adventurous trip to the island of Maui.

Frontier Town
Rt. 611, West Ocean City
410-289-7877
Open mid-June through Labor Day. This is mini-golf, cowboy style.

8. Planet Maze and Laser Tag
3301 Coastal Hwy, 21842
410-524-4386
Not your Victorian hedge maze, this year-round indoor and outdoor soft play maze will stimulate your kids without frightening even your littlest ones. It is a great way for your younger kids to entertain themselves while you sit back and enjoy a cool drink as you watch the action from above. You can also of course join in the fun as they work their way through the foam forest, jump in balls, and climb and slide on tubes, tunnels, three-story slides and rope climbs. Your little tykes will improve hand/eye coordination while you get a little break as the tot-friendly staff keep an eye on things. No need to worry about your child’s safety. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends the Soft Contained Equipment used in building the playground. There is also a laser tag game featuring virtual reality at its best. Armored with laser guns and futuristic headgear, kids of all ages will enjoy the team on team sport. Kids enter an arena filled with black lights and fog reminiscent of the movie “Stargate.” They then try to laser tag rival team members and their arena guardian, “RA,” while protecting their own RA. When a player is hit, they are directed to go to the Energy Pod to recharge. Game time typically lasts 10 minutes.

9. Kite Flying
Being the Kite Capital of the World, you almost have to take your kids on a kite flying adventure while you are in Ocean City Maryland. If you don’t have a kite, that’s not a problem. Enter the Kite Loft, 800-682-5483, on 5th Street and the Boardwalk. Just walking into the store will be worth it. You will be entranced by the mix of brilliant colors, spinning windsocks, flying toys, floating kinetics, sky chairs, windwheels and, of course, kites, plenty of kites. For kite flyers, it is the place to be, particularly if the Loft’s owner, local personality Bill “King of the Wind” Ochse (O’-shee), is in. He’ll show you how it’s done.

10. Amusement/Water Parks

Nothing quite like watching the waves hit the shore from atop a boardwalk Ferris Wheel, breathing in the saltwater air and trying to save your french fries from the flock of sea gulls above you. There is no shortage of amusement and water parks in Ocean City Maryland.

65th St. Slide & Ride
Toward the Bay at 65th St.
410-524-5270
Open May through September, this family oriented amusement and water park features a triple flume water slide with kiddie slide. You will also find go-karts, bumper boats, batting cages, miniature golf, Moonbounce and kiddie cars.

Baja Amusements
12639 Ocean Gateway (Route 50)
410-213-BAJA
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. In addition to go-karts tracks, Baja Amusements features such delights as miniature golf, video arcade and bumper boats.

Frontier Town
Rt. 611, West Ocean City
410-289-7877
Open mid-June through Labor Day. This is the Wild West. Lots of fun for the kids with horseback rides, stage coach rides, rodeo, Indian dancing, train rides, paddle boats, water slides and mini golf.

Splash Mountain/Jolly Roger Amusement Park
30th St. & Coastal Highway
410-289-3477
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, the park features roller coasters, rides, games, water park, go karts and miniature golf. You can plunge back and forth down the sides of the Stealth, the 45 foot tall half-pipe slide, the third of its kind anywhere. If the weather is warm, try Splash Mountain, which offers a number of fun rides.

Trimper’s Rides
Boardwalk and S. First St.
410-289-8617
Open year round (indoor section). Kids and adults alike will enjoy the 1902 antique carousel. Outdoors are popular rides such as the Boomerang and the Tidal Wave.

Ocean City Pier Rides
On the Inlet in Downtown Ocean City Maryland
410-289-3031
Located in the charming Old Town section of the Ocean City Maryland Boardwalk, there are plenty of rides to satisfy everyone in your family. Your younger set will appreciate the Strawberry ride and the Candyland Adventure Fun House while your older kids will appreciate the open Looping Roller Coaster. The Ferris Wheel is a must for all.

Although you might miss the boardwalk, there’s a ton of things to do and there is also a beach! Lifeguards patrol the beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Be sure to wear water shoes as the beach has more broken shells than Ocean City Maryland’s beaches.

Not only will you find the wild ponies, you can “watch” a variety of wildlife and birds. There are more than 300 species of migratory and resident birds–including the American bald eagle.

If you are a tent camper, Assateague Island has designated campsites that must be reserved—in advance—and early! The summer is almost always booked, but you may get lucky.

If you get daring and have an SUV, there are designated areas where you can drive on the sand dunes. It’s not cheap; permits are $70 and are good for one year.

Areas not designated for swimming can be used by surf fishing and sport fishing lovers. Just be sure you have a Maryland state fishing license. If you’d like to “dig a few clams” be sure to check the visitor center for seminars on clam digging to learn what to keep and what to throw back!

Love to boat? There is a public boat launch at the cost of $5. Is canoeing or kayaking something you’d like to try? The bay side offers calm waters to paddle and the shallow water makes it a great place for beginners. Canoe rentals are available.

Okay, so the boardwalk is out, but there’s still a great way to get those feet moving, try the 15 miles of trails through sand dunes and marshes, one even leads to the lighthouse. Nothing is more fun than bike riding on the boardwalk in Ocean City Maryland, but why not try the four miles of paved road at Assateague? Bike rental is available—just like in Ocean City Maryland!

It’s always difficult to bring your pet to Ocean City Maryland, but not to worry, pets are permitted in the national park—on the Maryland side only and must be on a leash that is no longer than 6 feet at all times. Word of caution, pets aren’t even allowed in the car on the Virginia side.

To get to the state park, follow Route 611 from US 50 to the two entrances to the national park, either through the state park from Route 611 or at the end of Route 175 which is two miles from Chincoteague, VA.

Be sure to call and get the skinny before making plans—410-641-2120 or 410 641 1441. If you need camping reservations, call 888 432 CAMP (2267).

The state park is free, but there is a charge to enter the national park. Cost is $3 per person by foot or bike or $10 per car and the entrance fees are good for seven days! You’d spend that much on an amusement ride or two in Ocean City Maryland, can’t beat that price for family fun! Be sure to bring plenty of bug repellant!

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Join today at http://www.aka.kite.org

In those days, people traveled to Ocean City by stage coach and ferry. It wasn’t long before other boarding houses were built on this ten mile strip of sand. The new attraction soon brought prominent businessmen from the Eastern Shore, Baltimore and Philadelphia, but these businessmen were not on vacation. They were looking for an opportunity. They decided to develop and 250 lots were cut into the barrier island. There were 4,000 original shares and each sold for $25 each. It was a good investment.

The first luxury hotel was opened July 4, 1875. The Atlantic Hotel featured billiards and dancing, and boasted over 400 rooms. A railroad to Berlin was completed in 1878, and the line went all the way to the sand in 1881.

In 1933, a severe storm formed what is now the Inlet. Engineers decided this inlet would make for easy acces to fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, and they decided to make the south end inlet of Ocean City permanent.

Due to surf and wind, the island is gradually moving westward, and if nature has its way, in hundreds of years, Ocean City Maryland will no longer be an island but will instead be connected to the mainland. Millions of dollars have been poured into the sand to prevent the slow erosion of the shoreline.

In 1952, post-war America rapidly completed the Chesepeake Bay Bridge, and suddenly Ocean City Maryland was readily available to everyone along the Baltimore-Washington corridor. In 1964 the Bay Bridge Tunnel was completed, and a path for potential southern visitors was made.

Throughout the 70’s, Ocean City flourished with more than 10,000 condominiums built. Within just a few years, condo row and its spectacular high-rise ocean view had been created. Ocean City Maryland now has all the makings of a modern resort in the north end of town, while the south end still boasts an old town aura.

Ocean City Maryland has changed a great deal in the 130 years since Isaac Coffin opened his first cottage. It has extended from a few cottages between 1st and 9th street to hundreds of high rise condominiums reaching all the way to 145th Street. The Boardwalk has grown from a few wooden boards that were laid in the sand each morning and picked up each night to a concrete-based, wooden-topped permanent fixture that features a variety of shops, eateries, and other attractions. It seems the one thing that hasn’t changed is the main attraction of Ocean City Maryland. The fresh, clean smell of the salt air, the unparalleled feel of sand between your toes, and the mesmerizing view of the ocean.

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
 
Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents?
 
In the 60’s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
 
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.
 
How it is one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?