By McKenna Beery
Theme Editor
Chemistry and physics teacher Dan Bartlett glides into a whole new world outside of school. Bartlett picked up the sport of kiteboarding three years ago with his 22-year-old son, Sean Bartlett. Bartlett and his son taught themselves how to kiteboard after buying their own kites off of Craigslist and practicing with them during the weekends.
“Teaching ourselves how to learn was so dangerous,” Dan Bartlett said. “We bought a trainer kite and flew that first, thinking we’ve got this down, but during the first big wind the kite picked me up and launched me on my back 20 feet.”
While kiteboarding, the Bartletts ride on a modified surfboard while holding on to a specially-designed kite, using the wind for propulsion. Kiteboarding began in the 1990s and is known as the fastest growing water sport. Kiteboarding will even be a sport in the upcoming 2016 Olympic games.
“Ripping the water by myself, controlling and harnessing the air, leaning with salt water in my eyes, hanging on for dear life; all this comes together and it makes me feel pretty good,” Dan Bartlett said. “I feel like I am the only one in the world who can do it. It gives a sense of individualism, just me and my board against everything else in the world.”
There are many disciplines of kiteboarding, including old-school freestyle, new-school freestyle or wakestyle, waveriding, course racing, speed and air style. Freestyle kiteboarding requires the rider to get enough air in order to do flips and big jumps. Wakestyle includes tricks and jumps on ramps. There are different types of kites that can be used, including “c” kites, foil kites, delta kites and hybrids.
“Freestyle kiteboarding is the style I prefer, and my favorite kite is a “c” kite because it compliments the style,” Sean Bartlett said. “It is the most exhilarating thing I have ever done in my whole life and it is my passion, so any chance I get to bring awareness to the sport, I will.”
According to Dan Bartlett, kiteboarding can be unpredictable, as the wind can change directions, and the kite can pull and launch you away from your board. The kiteboard could even hit or kill its rider. In addition, flotation devices are typically not worn.
“As a surfer, I agree that all of these water sports are dangerous activities, but I think that it is very cool that the Bartletts do it anyway,” junior Nash Hale said. “Being a previous student of Mr. Bartlett, I’ve heard a lot about his life-threatening and exhilarating stories about kiteboarding. His kiteboarding stories inspire me to go out sometime.”
The main reason Dan Bartlett started was to spend quality time with his son. He feels that he may be too old to participate, but his son inspires him to continue the pastime.
“I would have never thought kiting was going to be so influential to our lives,” Sean Bartlett said. “The sport is so addicting; not a day goes by without us checking the wind radar for any anomaly in the weather. Basically, we just wanted a hobby that would allow us to spend time together. ”
Bartlett and his son have several places that they like to go kiteboarding, including On-Shore Breeze in Hermosa, Leo Carillo and Nicholas Canyon in Malibu and Pismo Beach.
“We like kite-boarding in Hermosa Beach because it is home, but all of these beaches have different wind patterns, which is fun and unpredictable,” Bartlett said. “If you don’t have an ‘oh shoot’ moment every day, then you probably aren’t living.”
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