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I will travel on 24th november to Jeddah and bring my kiteboard. I'm no beginner (see: http://www.kitewake.de/Kiteboarden/kiteboarden.html )
I heard that there are kiteboarders close to the Beach club of the Sheraton Hotel. Anyone here, who knows more?
Thanks

i was in jeddah about 12 y ago with the business and at that time i heard you could be fined/arrested/stoned/shot for showing in public in "so short" boardshorts as on your picture. so it would be wise first to consult your travel agent or host about tourist grade places where you can behave more freely without insulting religious habits of locals.

winds

OK. I'm now in town (Sheraton Hotel, room 705). Anybody likes to ride with me?

What a desaster: every day around 18 knots wind and I'm sitting in the hotel beachclub and there is no way to launch a kite. No space, only rocks and buoys. It's too dangerous!
And if you drive along the city shore there are concrete walls,.....no kiter around. No free beach access!
There would be a chance to leave the city by rental car, but I'm not allowed to....and as far I know there is a military post that stops you.

i guess you have to find some sporty looking local guy to ask for advice, may be police too, just to be sure. theres stadiums in the city according to google maps so locals do go for sport. there is huge lagoon with a hundred or so small islands south of the port in place called khumrah with no residences for hundreds of meters from the beach, so you would not disturb anyone there.

OK. I will be there from 31st december to 3rd januar. Any Jeddah KIteboarder here in the forum?

Hello Pingo!

I arrive on 2.01. in Jeddah.. I just had 2 Kiting Lessons in Dubai till now.. but I am on it.. great sport!!

I wil stay in jeddah for the next 12 months... so it is mandatory to get any info from you that could be helpfull...

Please post whatever could be helpful to start kiting in Jeddah!

Best

I would be happy to help you, but up to now no local kiteboarder did answer this post. It's windy nearly every day. I know there are a few people kiteboarding there, but up to now I don't know the right spot where kiteboarding is possible. In the city there is no place I know where you can access the water. All concrete or privat. And I think there is no kiteboarding school in Jeddah. It will be tough for you. Do you know to stay upwind? Will you bring your own kites?
Send me your mobile number and email. I will contact you on 2nd.

There is hope. Yesterday I did kiteboard the South Corniche (12-18 knots). Nice session in front of the arabic people sitting at the beach not expecting such a great sport in Jeddah.
I was the only one who did watersport. No windsurfer, no kiteboarder along 20 km of beach.
Today it is even more windy (20 knots).
I will write a spot report for kitebeaches.com, when I have more time.

Today was a great day. Around 25 knots. I made very big jumps with my R6-14. The beach crowd was cheering. All Bypassers were stopping there cars...Again I was the only one doing watersport in this area. After the session, an arabic man asked me whether I would be interested in a TV Shooting tomorrow with interview . Also he asked, if I would know somebody who likes to install a kiteboarding school here. If you are interesed, just contact me I will make the contact.

Spotguide here: http://www.kitebeaches.com/beach/South_Corniche.html