Archive for the 'Environment' Category

Brutal Firestorm Winter

Published on Oct 10, 2017 in Calm, Dreams, Endurance, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Power, Recovery, Safety, Training, Yoga and Zen. Closed

Each winter I monitor forecasts and track every major storm that sweeps our Garden Route coastline, hoping to ride the most furious ones that come through. In early June I saw a massive 40 – 50 knot storm on the radar. I was determined to ride it and started to get my body, mind and gear ready. There was a feeling of some chaos and disruption on the day of this storm and there were some logistical issues getting to the beach from Knysna. I had heard that there were a few fires in the morning and was concerned due to the magnitude and duration of the forecast storm. But I had no idea of just how devastating it would be. I did my yoga and meditation practice and headed out for a quick ride. It was a bit gusty but nothing really too intense. Nothing over 40 knots when I rode and I was quite comfortable on a 5.5 m kite. After my session I did a quick trainer kite flying lesson with my assistant. Then someone in the Sedgefield Myoli Beach car park said the road to Knysna was closed and the fires were raging out of control. What a devastating disaster it turned out to be. Deep condolences to those who lost lives. Material things can always be replaced. We let go of what we have lost, we learn and we move forward.

Pause

Published on Jan 27, 2015 in Calm, Diving, Dreams, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Swimming and Zen. Closed

sit
Happy 2015 to everyone!

After 8 years of teaching surfing and kitesurfing I’m taking a bit of time to travel, reflect and study. I’ll be back later in the year with even more efficient and fun lessons.

Wakeboarding lessons continue in my absence through most of the year and these are highly recommended to improve your surfing and kitesurfing.

Surf/ kitesurf bookings are open for the Southern spring season (from September 2015 into summer of 2016) in Cape Town and the Garden Route region of South Africa. As I’ve found myself becoming more nomadic over the years, I’m also open to suggestions to travel to meet you at your dream destination.

While I’m away you are most welcome to get in touch with any questions or to request recommendations for learning surfing, kitesurfing and yoga.

email onreturn@gmail.com for a chat about lessons, gear or advice.

I hope to see you out there somewhere soon enough!

Have fun 🙂

Stuart Barnes

Summer 2014 Lessons in the Garden Route…

Published on Feb 17, 2014 in Dreams, Environment, fitness, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Safety and waves. Closed

Stuart Barnes Kitesurfing Myoli Beach

As the summer sunshine continues, so does the wind and so do the kitesurfing lessons here on the Garden Route.

Join coach Stuart Barnes for lessons at Myoli Beach in Sedgefield and many of the other beaches, lakes and lagoons along this pristine coastline.

From Plettenberg Bay to Knysna lagoon to Lake Brenton to Buffels Bay to Myoli Beach, Sedgefield to Wilderness to Great Brak to Little Brak to Hartenbos to Mossel Bay – we have all the spots covered. We ride, fly and coach at all of them.

The mostly moderate winds make it a magical place to safely introduce yourself to this awesome sport.  For intermediate riders, the conditions are also perfect to comfortably work on your jumps and turns in the sea or on one of our local flat water spots.  Waveriding conditions along the coastline are truly epic and our uncrowded downwinders are almost endless!

With over 7 years kitesurfing coaching experience in the region we pride ourselves in strict safety standards and expert world class coaching. Our training is super fun and it will accelerate your learning.

email onreturn@gmail.com for further information, to chat about your lesson or make a booking.

Wakeboarding on the Garden Route

Published on Feb 11, 2014 in Art, Core Strength, Environment, fitness, Kitesurfing, Learning, Training and Wakeboarding. Closed

Stuart Barnes Wakeboarding Swartvlei

It is well known that wakeboarding is essential training for efficient kitesurfing progression across all levels. It accelerates development of riding as it allows us to isolate board skill from kite skill. And the harder you work on it, the more rewarding the results. The benefits for all board sports on any surface are good. Regardless of your level, it’s just super fun.

We offer world class kite-specific coaching with an epic boat at awesome spots. The main wakeboard training venue is Swartvlei lake near Sedgefield. It’s a vast open semi-saline estuarine lake, that’s completely uncrowded for 95% of the year. It’s extremely warm in the summer and wind conditions are zero to light most mornings, offering great riding on nice smooth water surfaces…

For core wakeboarders we offer coaching and riding too.

Contact us to book your session:

onreturn@gmail.com

Big Bay

Published on Feb 19, 2013 in Art, Calm, Core Strength, Dreams, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Recovery, Safety and Training. Closed

Stuart Barnes - Big Bay, Little Birds, Puppetry and Kitesurfing...

You know that you really love what you do when the first thing you do when you have some time off is… exactly the same thing…

After teaching the peak Summer season on the Garden Route I picked a windless local week to chase a windy week to Cape Town for a little kite holiday. The forecast looked perfect there and, true to form, the world’s greatest kitesurfing destination delivered!

I spent many years living, studying and working in Cape Town so it always feels like home to me. It’s always great to catch up with old friends… the food, the people, the places – it really is a magic city 🙂

Downwinders in Cape Town are epic. You can start at Kite Beach or further up towards Dolphin. Then you can just enjoy the freedom of cruising downwind for miles and miles and miles… Big Bay is a great place to stop but you can just keep going if you like… lifts back are plentiful with shuttle buses, taxi’s and loads of kiters. The kite scene is so international and it’s always interesting to meet fellow travelling kiters from around the world. They are pretty much the most stoked and blissed out people you could ever meet anywhere.

Living the dream…

Back to my magic job on the Garden Route… feeling refreshed and inspired, thank you Cape Town!

Thank you to Claire Butler from What She Saw Photography for the shots at my sunset session at Big Bay.

Welcome to Summer

Published on Dec 8, 2012 in Calm, Dreams, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Power, Safety, Slow, Surfing and Training. 0 Comments

Welcome to Summer

Learn to surf or kitesurf this Summer!

We are celebrating 6 years of fun and successful  teaching on the Garden Route. This feels like yet another magic season and we are enjoying sharing it with old and new students.

Surfing and kitesurfing are fun and healthy sports that put you in close contact with nature. We place a strong emphasis on safety in all of our training. The goal is always to get you going as efficiently and independently as possible while keeping risks to yourself and others to an absolute minimum. We offer lessons at all the beaches along the Garden Route.

Most of our kitesurfing lessons start on Myoli beach in Sedgefield where the winds are clean and consistent. We also do lessons near Mossel Bay at Hartenbos, Great Brak and Little Brak,  Wilderness beach near George, Swartvlei lake, Knysna lagoon and Plettenberg Bay beaches and lagoon.

email onreturn@gmail.com for further information, to chat about your lesson or make a booking.

See you in the water!

2012 Spring Lessons

Published on Sep 15, 2012 in Calm, Core Strength, Dreams, Endurance, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Safety, Slow, Soga, Speed, Surfing, Swimming, Training and waves. 0 Comments

Stuart Barnes Surfing

After a long and cold Winter with plenty of waves for the dedicated, sunny Spring is once again here!

The Spring South Easterlies are starting to blow on the Garden Route and lessons are under way.

It’s a perfect time and place to learn to Surf and Kitesurf!

email onreturn@gmail.com for further information, to chat about your lesson or make a booking.

Surfing and kitesurfing are fun and healthy sports that put you in close contact with nature. We place a strong emphasis on safety in all of our training. The goal is always to get you going as efficiently and independently as possible while keeping risks to yourself and others to an absolute minimum. We offer lessons at all the beaches along the Garden Route.

Have fun and see you on the water!

Summer Sunday

Published on Jan 10, 2012 in Art, Calm, Core Strength, Dreams, Endurance, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Power, Recovery, Safety, Slow, Speed, Training and waves. 0 Comments

Best Wishes for 2012 to everyone!

Here is some footage of coach Stuart Barnes kitesurfing Myoli Beach on the Garden Route last Sunday.

We have had a great Summer season teaching surfing and kitesurfing. It’s always so rewarding to see students progress with an understanding of safety and to share their stoke.

January is still busy and lessons continue throughout the year.

Have fun and see you on the water!

Freedom Fitness and Flow

Published on Nov 4, 2011 in Calm, Core Strength, Dreams, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Power, Recovery, Safety, Slow, Speed, Surfing, Swimming, Training, waves, Yoga and Zen. 0 Comments

Freedom
Having fun
Getting out into nature
Living in the moment
Forgetting troubles
Challenge
Rush
Bliss

These are some of the reasons why people surf and kitesurf and want to learn these exhilarating sports.

Learn to surf or kitesurf this Summer! Join us for the 2011/ 2012 season on the Garden Route.

email onreturn@gmail.com for further information, to chat about your lesson or make a booking.

Garden Route Surfing

Surfing and kitesurfing are fun and healthy sports that put you in close contact with nature. We place a strong emphasis on safety in all of our training. The goal is always to get you going as efficiently and independently as possible while keeping risks to yourself and others to an absolute minimum. We offer lessons at all the beaches along the Garden Route.

2010 Summer Lessons

Published on Nov 25, 2010 in Core Strength, Dreams, Endurance, Environment, fitness, Flexibility, Freedom, Health, Kites, Kitesurfing, Learning, Safety, Surfing, Swimming, Training and waves. 0 Comments

Learn to surf or kitesurf this Summer! They are fun and healthy sports that put you in close contact with nature. We place a strong emphasis on safety in all of our training. The goal is always to get you going as efficiently and independently as possible while keeping risks to yourself and others to an absolute minimum. We offer lessons at all the beaches along the Garden Route.

Most of our kitesurfing lessons start on Myoli beach in Sedgefield where the winds are clean and consistent. We also do lessons on Wilderness beach, Swartvlei lake, Knysna lagoon and Plettenberg Bay beaches and lagoon.

Surf lessons for beginners usually start with a swimming assessment in a lake or lagoon, followed by some paddle technique and balance training. Buffels Bay and Plettenberg Bay are great gentle places to learn to surf.

email onreturn@gmail.com for further information, to chat about your lesson or make a booking.

See you in the water!