During the long awaited October break, my friend and I, Kaalep, went up north to Kalpitiya to try kite surfing for the very first time. The drive was a lengthy 3 and a half hours of pure music and anticipation for the next couple days ahead. When we arrived, the atmosphere completely changed from a buzzing Colombo city to a relaxed beach resort. My supervisor was a Kite-Surfing pro, Zac Andrews, and he taught us the basics all the way up to catching legitimate wind while standing up on the board.

The first day of training consisted of familiarizing ourselves with the mechanics of the kite and being able to manipulate it on order to go in certain directions. We quickly picked it up and began using the board on the second day. After a full day of unsuccessful rides, we took a break and tried again the next day. On just the 3rd day, we were able to get up and ride the lagoon for lengthy amounts of times. After this we continued to practice and improved our technique as well as learned how to stop riding without flying 5 meters out of the water. The next time we visit the resort we will be learning how to turn while riding which will give us more freedom in how we ride the waves and where we can go.

LO4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

I learned that with repetition, results come. After flying off the board, meters into the sky and crashing into the water, I never gave up. I trusted Zac’s process of repetition and it had a positive outcome as, by the end of the trip, I was consistently getting up and riding the waves. I also learned that age is just a number and shouldn’t stop you from trying new things and reaching your goals. This became evident as both my Dad and Kaalep’s Dad successfully kite surfed. I wasn’t sure if they would be able to do it as both of them have had significant muscular injuries throughout their lives. They proved both Kaalep and I wrong which was eye opening as I realized that with commitment and perseverance, you can get through anything, no matter your age.

Supervisor: Zac Andrews