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by Jessica Valenzuela

As I held on to the 7m Cabrinha Convert under the Golden Gate Bridge with giant wave rollers, ferries, ships and yachts around, the blast of the fog horn consistently drowning any audible sound I make, the fog close behind and San Francisco in full-view these words kept repeating in my head “OMG, this is so crazy, this is so crazy and wonderful!!!”

Not On My To Do List, It Just Came Up

Jessica Valenzuela and Capt. Jon Von Tesmar of Kite The Bay getting ready! photo courtesy Erin Loscocco

I have visited San Francisco a number of times and love exploring it. Truth be told, it was my number two option when I contemplated a move from Chicago five years ago. Instead, I spent the summer in New York and stayed. I am back on the road this time for kiteboarding, a sport that I fell in love with a year ago. It has taken me to places I otherwise would not visit and met a number of remarkable and memorable people along the way. My life is taking a new form. I find myself caught in the poetry of the wind, change, the places I visit, friends I make and the consistent longing for the Big Apple, a City I now call home.

Learning to kiteboard was not on the to do list. Neither was kiteboarding Crissy under the Golden Gate Bridge. Yet time and again I learn that anything unplanned brings the best and fondest memories. Before going in the water under the Golden Gate Bridge Capt. John Von Tesmar of Kite The Bay reminded me “it should be in your heart , feel it. This is Mother Nature at her best.” When it feels right, don’t question it. Just kite it!

Kiting Crissy and The Golden Gate Bridge

Is definitely for the brave and highly-skilled rider. A world-class windsurfing and kitesurfing spot NOT for beginners. So what was I doing at Crissy? With boat support and encouragement from our previous Ripping It feature, Erin Loscocco and Captain John owner and IKO instructor at Kite The Bay, I thought why not? As we were heading out from the Treasure Island Marina the current seemed stronger than usual or so I thought. I’m not super accustomed to choppy water. I learned to ride well in flat water. Admittedly I have not mastered the art of body dragging back to my board, but getting there. Little knots were beginning to form in my belly as the two advanced riders stoked over our mission: get Jessica to kite under the Golden Gate Bridge. Erin probably sensed that I was quietly turning pale as we approached the mighty Bay Area icon which was and mostly partially covered in fog. Fog so thick that from a distant view it looks like someone streaked white-out on the bridge enough that you’ll only see the tip of its towers.

Todate, an attempt to kite under the Golden Gate Bridge open to nature’s elements and moving vessels is number one on my list of crazy things I’ve tried. Was it worth it? Yes and yes! Feeling so small under the mighty bridge with winds blowing in the upper 20s, giant waves rolling around you, the sound of the fog horn drowning every sound I make, the incoming and outgoing vessels and the skyline of San Francisco in full view — I’ve not felt completely dependent on a kite, the skills I’ve learned in the past year of being a water woman and the boat support. Will I try it again? Certainly. I can’t wait to gain better skills and confidence to ride Crissy again! It will be a long and windy road before that day arrives and certainly worth the patience and skill-building.

Photos! Professional photographer Erin Loscocco shares his Golden Gate shots from the Fort Point collection. Check them out! More photos from Erin on kiting the Bay Area.

Eric Due, regular Crissy kiter throwing it down under the Golden Gate Bridge, photo courtesy of Erin Loscocco

Crissy Kiters

They look like little fireflies over water in the Bay Area. You can’t help but experience kite envy when you see them at play. The show gets even cooler when a large vessel like a tanker, a cargo ship comes across in and out of the Bay Area. Kiters swarm like moths to a flame behind the vessel and ride the waves that the wake creates.

Charles Dietrich, CEO of tech startup SlideRocket under the Golden Gate Bridge photo by Erin Loscocco

I’ve heard Erin Loscocco, Bill Tai, Konstantin Othmer, Pierre Wolff, Steve Gibson, Charles Dietrich, professional kiteboarder Chip Wasson, World Racing Champion, Adam Koch and many other Crissy kiters share their kiting stories under the Golden Gate Bridge. Charles Dietrich, CEO of SlideRocket, a content management system for presentations ++ has been kiting for 10 years and learned at Crissy. “I love to kite Crissy because of the diversity of conditions, swell, eddy lines, waves, cargo ships, flat water, floods, ebbs and it is 1/4 of a mile from my front door.” Spoiled! He splits his time between his wife and two little ones, leading a tech-startup and playing (kiting, biking and skiing) in about that order. Pierre Wolff who often is seen kiting with Charlie is a kiter of 10 years and a Crissy kiter of 8 years. Meanwhile, Chip and Adam are most often seen racing at each other’s heels during the Cabrinha Race Series hosted every other Thursday by the St. Francis Yacht Club. Erin says that “most Crissy kiters including the regulars who are familiar with the conditions have been rescued by the Coast Guard at Crissy at one point or the other. With perilous wind shadows and ever changing currents moving faster than you can run or swim – you can find yourself in trouble rather quickly.”

How amazing and beautiful it is, yet how unpredictable! The unpredictability of the condition is when danger rolls in. Dire situations that can happen in a quick second when you least expect it. Should you or your kite fall and if you are unable to re-launch quickly depending on where the currents are going, you could find yourself in the middle of the Pacific Ocean or washed in the Alcatraz rocks or nearby islands. The consistent vessel traffic in and out of the Bay Area is definitely an important factor to be constantly aware of while kiting. The rollers are large and fun! Wind can be inconsistent and gusty. What to know about kiting Crissy:

• You must be a truly advanced kiteboarder.
• Be aware of the wind conditions. The Bay Area’s wind conditions vary in different spots. It can be nice and consistent on certain days under the Golden Gate Bridge like yesterday, but it could be gusty and super inconsistent by the beach and launch area.
• A few things to prepare when you kite Crissy (courtesy of the Bay Area Kiteboarding Forum): thick wetsuit (150mm thick), race board, marine radio, swim fins, life jacket, safety whistle, camelback, rescue boat (minimum of 8), oxygen tanks, waterproof marine charts, gps with tide tracker, portable wind sensors, remote control (submersible), shark repellent or shark cage, cab fare, jock strap, strobe light. Obviously, not all of these items apply.
• Know what your out is in any situation. Be prepared.

Pierre Wolff, tech consultant an dregular Crissy kiter, photo courtesy Erin Loscocco

I didn’t have the above items when I jumped since I had my own boat support. At best, make sure to bring a marine radio and a whistle. I hear some kiters bring flares too. Make sure you know how to ride rollers and waves well and can jibe! Be aware of the wind shadow in the South Tower and around the Bay. If the water is too flat — that means there is no wind. Before heading out, check what the tides and currents are doing. The locals have a little white book, aka Tide Charts to predict the behavior of the current and ebb for any specific day. Crissy under the Golden Gate Bridge is not a kite spot you want to fall in, if you do be prepared to self-rescue quickly.

Notes Courtesy Of The Bay Area Kiteboarding Forum

Crissy Field is a world-class sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing site, but is definitely not for beginner kitesurfers. The extremely unpredictable gusty winds (5 mph to 45 mph) makes kiting here very challenging and is best left to the experts. Crissy can be a very dangerous place to launch. The wind is side-offshore and the currents are extremely strong. You must excel in up wind and jibing ability, be knowledgeable of ebb, flood, counter currents, and excellent swimming ability is a prerequisite for kiting here. Also, no matter how warm the day, the cold water and strong currents demand a full wetsuit all year long. Windsurf traffic, cargo tanker traffic and general boat traffic can be quite heavy – so keep your eyes open.

To keep kite access at Crissy Field open to all of us, you need to pay attention to what’s happening both on and off the beach. Windsurfers have been here for a long time, and kiters need to respect their territory. Generally, launch up wind of the windsurfers and head toward the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. The beach is almost always packed with people with small children and dogs. THEY ALWAYS HAVE RIGHT OF WAY. Do not launch if people, especially small kids are in the immediate vicinity. DO NOT FLY YOUR KITE ABOVE PEOPLES HEADS. One accident is all it will take to put access to Crissy Field in jeopardy. Trust me; you don’t want to be the kiter who screwed up Crissy Field for the rest of us. Launch your kite and get off the beach ASAP.

Most kiters park at the end of the parking lot (end closest to the GG). Rigging on the lawn is OK. Once you go to the beach, the wind can be very light on the beach but nuking on the outside. Rigging the right kite size is imperative. Think nuking outside rather than mellow inside. Also, the wind can die on the inside, so make sure you are a VERY GOOD SWIMMER. The best place to launch is on the west side (GG side) of the lagoon (less people and upwind of the windsurfers).

The wind can be very light on the beach. Keeping the kite in the air can be challenging, and luffing into the air is a major concern. Also, your kite can fall out of the sky as winds drop to zero. Hence, be aware of people and get off the beach ASAP. Stick close to the beach until you are comfortable enough to head out the GG Bridge. Self-rescue at Crissy is very challenging. You typically are not washed towards the beach, but rather currents take you either out towards the GG Bridge or towards Alkatraz Island. Being rescued by the Coast Guard or a passing by sailboat is common at Crissy Field, but kiters must understand that these options are not always close by and the water at Crissy is VERY COLD.

Seriously, if your are new to kitesurfing, come and enjoy the view and meet the people at Crissy Field, but wait until you are more experienced before you venture out. Oh, and don’t fly your trainer kite over peoples heads at Crissy Field, go down to the Marina Green (near Safeway), where you will have more room and there is typically less people and better winds.

Be safe and have fun!

Kiting Crissy Under the Golden Gate Bridge, there ain't nuthin like it!, photo by Erin Loscocco

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