Hurricane Katrina first ripped through Florida as a "minimal" Catagory I hurricane before moving on to rage unbridled devestation in the Gulf of Mexico. It was Cat. I in Florida unless you were in Key West, FL. Due to a weather interaction with a system over Cuba winds bumped to Catagory II. At least 98 mph sustained winds is what a NOAA vessel that sought safe harbor in Key West recorded. It went on for HOURS. The hurricane was never predicted to hit the Keys and it came as a surprise ... a big one! At one point they just shut down the only road into the island and said good luck.

Key West is the home of the KiteHouse. Paul Menta has a nice setup including a houseboat base out on the flats.


Let's call this shot "before" Katrina, and some views in past times Here

and this one ...


"after" Katrina.



Sun used to come in here ...



but today ... GRUNT SNAPPER!? Permission to come aboard?



Anybody seen Paul ... uh, Got Wind?


Ah, found him along with Nick.

There she lies in ten feet of water a total loss. With advanced warning, the vessel was secured and weathered Hurricane Dennis in July with no problems, not so this time around. They say the South will rise again. I have to believe it is true, particularly this small piece of it. Paul is working to buy another even larger platform for riding in the flats of Key West soon. Stay tuned!


Katrina has done unimaginable damage as we see on a daily basis. It is a challenge to human endurance, ability to carry on under unimaginable circumstances and compassion. With hard work, faith, help from the rest of us, this calamity shall to shall pass. If you can help it would be sincerely appreciated MORE HERE ANOTHER IDEA APPEARS BELOW, READ ON!


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I mentioned a prize after the Sea Story and you've seen the submarine, here it comes ...

A PARTY AND PREMIER OF
“Into The Air: A Kiteboarding Experienceâ€

So making a feature film is easy right, just like a really BIG video clip right? WRONG! Take a bunch of free spirited wind addicts, ship them down to the PR, add wind and stand back.

Case in point, I heard a rumor, a pretty interesting one. One of our intrepid kiting actors was hanging with some of the local wind homies, tossing back some drinks and having a good old time. As a prank the kiter "papered" one of the homies cars with bumper stickers. The homie had some festering bad feelings for the biz listed on the stickers and went from nice drinking/riding bud to a knife welding maniac in no time! He chased our kiter into a van which he furiously locked the doors on. The homie proceeded to help the van tires breathe with a bit of knife-aided ventilation.

The rumor goes on to say a promenient rider with roots in Philly with some torso "bite marks" from some Philly land sharks, interceded and took the knife away from the homie aka maniac. Mortal threats were thrown down by the homies who subsequently split. Concerned about a lingering feud and getting blindsided, our Downtown Philly boy brought the confrontation immediately back to the homies inside their home, where else? The rumor has it that the rider from Philly said if you're gonna do it, let's do it now out in the open. A peace was brokered after some tense moments and our rough rider from Philly shredded out of town honor and backside intact. That ain't no Philly Cheesesteak neither.

In writing this I had a thought,

The FKA pledges private donations of $1.00 for each person attending the premier during Surf Expo to be given to the American Red Cross to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Of Mexico. These funds have nothing to do with the $5. ticket price being collected by The Social. I think that is the gate fee for the club for putting on the event.

I tossed the idea out to Paul Menta from The Kitehouse will also pledged $1.00 donation to the American Red Cross for each person attending the premier.

Now, here's a challenge, who else, businesses or individuals are with us on this? Who will put up money to be donated to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina relief? Outright donations or matching donations based upon attendance at the premier? Come on folks this is for a good cause.

Post here or via PM to RickI if you want to participate. We will let you know what the attendance was after at the Premier. You can make your online donations here:

https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp

Send along your donation receipt dated from today on, to the American Red Cross and we'll put your name up with a very hearty THANK YOU!

Map appears at:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=54+N+Oran ... Orlando+FL

and The Social website at:
http://www.orlandosocial.com/

The premier of "Into The Air" came off during Surf Expo in Orlando, FL.



There was a nice turnout of about 200 riders and interested folks. There was a raffle of a lot of prizes from sponsors inclouding three kiteboards.


A legion of Leah's, looking good!



After an active day on the show floor people were ready for some entertainment and the movie delivered.

Shot on location in various parts of Puerto Rico, it captured the times of a group of well known kiters as they shredded and partied into a "tribe."


The tribe doing tribal stuff like sucking down a flambe libation from a bamboo joint. Yum.

The film reached deeper than slick moves on the water and head banger sound track developing some insight into the lives and experiences of the kiters.


Looking inward through a new yoga move.

The flick delivered the full gamet of prime shedding winds, calms and nuking squalls in exotic well filmed locales.


All together now ... S-Q-U-A-L-L = a black mass of potentially pretty nasty blow stuff sliding across the water. HINT - DON'T be there, at least not connected to a kite. Hollywood types, where's the stunt double when you need 'em, jeez!

Many of the kiters in the movie were present at the premier. There were even baby and early childhood shots of our riders and animated sequences. Good blackmail stuff!


Andy Hurdman about to apply autographs with a chunk of pineapple ala Goombay Smash to adoring fans.

I asked several of them what they thought of the movie having just seen it for the first time. Many said they were particularly nervous at times during the filming, didn't really show though.


Having fun and living the life.

The riders came across as down to earth .. real people, imagine. Some of the non-riders came up and said wow, I get it, this is what kiteboarding is about.


Paul falls victim to the notorious Top Hat "kiter goose" as Antoine surges along. Beware of shredders in toppers.

"Into The Air" should be touring at home and abroad for a while at various film festivals. It makes for a good get togther with fellow riders. Eventually it will be available in DVD. Checkout the website for Cineforce Films for future viewing locations.



Keeping a weather eye peeled for squalls at the Kitehouse.

Well done Cineforce, Paul and all the kiters. The first full length kiteboarding movie feature has hit the streets.


The Globerider Girls hang out in a sea of riders.

Check it out when it comes your way, in the meantime pass the popcorn.



Ride on.




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