There hasn't been much on the day to day at JIBE so thought I'd catch up a little and feel free to add any comments. A number of us arrived over the weekend and it was an extremely busy weekend for events on Jekyll which meant the beach was crowded but a few got in some shorter runs.
Monday the winds were more SE (angle onshore) for most of the day and then got lighter by late afternoon. The majority has packed up for the day and the tide was coming in and the Angus made a little day adjustment to the flux capacitor on the Jekyll wind generator and a fantastic late day wind came straight onshore that gave us wonderful long runs for that last couple of hours of the day.
Tuesday started off looking cloudy and windy and the forecast for rain showed it slightly inland which looked promising. The wind continued to build as the tide eased back and everyone headed to the beach - again very SE wind. The first few riders were zig zagging their way south and coming back up the beach at great speeds. As it got into the afternoon the sand was still blowing on the beach but the wind eased off just a little allowing for the intimidating conditions on wind strength so just about everyone got out to fly, many with smaller kites and it still meant zig zagging south and working the angles to do faster runs Back downwind heading north. Again by later afternoon the winds started to swing slightly more ESE and pick up so the sand was blowing down the beach and a number of enjoyed many great runs in the high 40 mph range. My personal best was 48.9 and I'm sure Bobby, Errol and Phillip were all within that area as well. I'm guessing approximately 15 riders here now plus spouses, family, girlfriends, boyfriends etc - today was stellar, got a lot of good fast and fun riding in, had a blast seeing everyone and riding with friends.

JIBE riders Mark Groshens and local rider Jim Weldy made the front page of the Brunswick News on Tueseday. Local reporter Bobby Haven snapped this photo of Mark...

and then this photo of Jim Weldy...

Nice job guys. Just goes to show how accurate weather reporting is...

We have had a few spits of rain - enough to rinse the salt off - but that kept the Muggles off the beach and allowed some safe riding at good clips.

Somebody over-reported when they told the newspaper "speeds upward of 50 mph..." but I think we'll be OK. As long as someone doesn't report the running down of plovers and small children.

I also watched some novice riders have their first buggy runs and safe tacks/ jibes. That's the whole game right there.

Thanks for the update Mark and Angus! Man I miss you guys.

Phillip Chase was another fast one. He was running beside me on a run over 45. It was amazing how there was an extra push of wind in the half mile in front of kite beach. It's like the wind just knows!

Earlier in the afternoon I flew my 12 m Phantom. It loved the downwind runs and pulled even after lturning a few degrees more downwind past kite beach. After going to pick up my wife for some beach time, I switched to my new Montana X 8m. It was better upwind than the arcs by just a bit but didn't have the pull downwind of the arcs. Saying that, the Montana gave me my fastest run of the day and a beach PB over 46. I wish I had been flying the Phantom when flying with Mark to compare to his Phantom II 12m. We'll see what the winds offer up today.
At the end of the day I was wondering how an 11-13m LEI would have liked the wind angle we had.
The best part is hanging out with and riding with the new friends and old. So many times I referred to people as longtime friends I just met. Lots of people that started coming to JIBE after I moved out west I've finally gotten to meet face to face for the first time.

I got to meet BeamerBob y'all!!!

Yesterday was pretty nuclear... the kinda day where you tell wifey to keep the kids at the pool so their poor little legs don't get sandblasted.

I tried a little with my 4 line Symphony conversion but it just wasn't enough to do anything but carry me down wind... it died down enough that I felt ok putting up the 6m P1 and had a great time (cautiously)... I lost my GPS so I couldn't tell how fast my tastes tuns were, but I was trying hard to keep up with Mark, Bob and Wexler... and falling short. Plus that 6m was SUPER flappy on the upwind leg.

Many thanks to Randy (KAZEDOKA) and Ted for helping me put the Peak down and pack it up.

Great time yesterday guys... good on y'all for making the paper!!!

Thanks Soliver!

Wexler hates changing kites and stuck with the 3.2 Vapor. His fastest run was over 42. I told him Monday how lucky I feel that we get to share this together.

I don't think I got into the 30 mph range... if I did it was short lived and a little too much for me... I know I'm a ninny. No way I was anywhere near you guys in the 40's.

Not that I could've gone to the 12m, but I'm like Wexler, I don't like to change kites if I can avoid it.

im worried about Howard...
keep an eye on him for us

I too made a splash yesterday. But not intentionally......





Caption: "I did not see that coming."

no worries abkayak, i have it on good authority that he's doin' ok.
no personal bests here - small kites and comfortable cruising in the mid-30's.
making new friends here that feel like old friends; everyone here has been warmly welcoming to this newbie (and ines, whose pics will be posted as usual).

Mark, Jim, Errol, and others, made it into the local paper today:
https://thebrunswicknews.com/uploaded_photos/kite-buggies-ro...

(thanks to "kite killer" for the 3m access! what a great kite to throw around in high winds:-)

Here's the link to Bobby's album from yesterday:

https://thebrunswicknews.com/gallery/news/jekyll-island-bugg...

Please note the "Buy Now" button.

Bobby and Nancy's house got totaled from Hurricane Irma. Buy big!

(I especially like aerial Errol....)

https://thebrunswicknews.com/gallery/news/jekyll-island-bugg...

Loving the comments and pics- makes missing you guys and Jekyll even more- keep them coming
Scott

Sounds like some epic runs on the beach!!!

Hectic end to a great day!

I had a good time rolling the kids to the south water tower and back in the Tandem with the 12m Peak! Then after wifey brought the kids home and I was able to get a run or so in rolling solo before the weather rolled in. Everyone got to packing up to get off the beach and I was caught with 2 buggies full of Kiting gear, beach toys, boogie boards and misc family beach gear when the buckets of rain, hail and gale force winds hit the beach... many many many thanks to Mr Angus Campbell for his help getting all my cr@p to the top of the ramp!!!

It was fun to see the Pavilion full of buggies and liters soaking wet and shivering.

Yup, today (Wednesday) was another great day overall. As others described a storm south of Jekyll slowly moved toward Cumberland just before noon and everyone waited to see if it would go inland or hit us before getting onto the beach. We caught a corner of light rain and then it cleared up and SE, maybe a bit more ESE kicked in. Everyone making their way to the beach and nice that the dull stRt to the day kept the beach overall empty (of other beach goers) for quite a while. Started with a fixed bridle 6.5 Libre Spirit and threw down a number of fast deadmans - great when the kite whips right around fast. Soon buggies and kites of all description running to the south tower and north to the holiday inn.i found it easy to run north but depending on kite choice there was a lot more zig zagging north for some. There was a little more east in it today so running north was downwind but you didn't need to work the kite and angles to keep from over running the kite, it just built speed and again as we closed in on the bend by base camp/kite beach it was the max speed zone. Absolutely fantastic to see a cluster of kites and a close group of riders making long runs.
Later afternoon the ominous dark sky to the south gave warning to clear the beach. A dozen of us got a little wet hauling our bugs and gear up to the big pavilion and then the crazy tropical storm let loose- great social time waiting for it to pass and load cars to call it a day - another super day followed by a delicious dinner out at one the local restaurants with a number of couples.....mmmm blackened Georgia shrimp and beer

If you can't access the images on the Brunswicknews.com, here are the thumbnails

https://photos.app.goo.gl/stKEtehDRXGQwsv62

Thanks so much for the detailed updates. I can feel the water in my face now. Next year. Hell or high water!!!

Hell or permanent high tide kinda the same.
Y'all come back now

Enjoying this wonderful venue and hospitality 😎

I'm pretty wiped out... gonna sit out today and go to the pool with the fam-jam!!

Although I have been several years in the past...still never rode.
Had an awesome time Monday and Tuesday with Rebecca up there...both as first time riders.May venture back up tomorrow. Thanks for all the help and hospitalityfrom everyone. Looking forward to next year with gear and more skills
Any shirts available still?

I'm hoping to get a t-shirt too - medium.

Thanks for all the updates everyone, it's almost like being there. Still wishing I was.

I'd do an update from Thursday but I left my buggy and 6.5 Libre Spirit sitting on the beach and some barefoot bearded buggy pirate took off with it and spectacularly blew out the lines. If I catch him, he's a deadman!

Mark you think you are so funny!

I had a nice day off the beach yesterday ... the wind didn't look favorable, I needed a rest and the kids needed some daddy attention... Ended up walking the dog down the beach yesterday and could tell from the buggy tracks in front of Tortuga Bar place that PKF won't let me post their name for some reason that y'all had a killer day!!!

We will be headed down to the beach after lunch for more tandem rides and buggy fun!

Right now, in an effort to use up the food in the rental and not have to transport it back to Marietta, its Bacon, Eggs and Grits for lunch... BEST... WIFE.... EVER.

We are departing tomorrow around noon!

Quote: Originally posted by Demoknight

Mark you think you are so funny!

:D sometimes.....and sometime I just want to move tables together and be a pain in the a$$

Okay Thursday we came to the parking lot and the wind indicator was straight south with swings SSE to SSW so for a number of us it was social time, line, kite, buggy maintenance time. As the wind showed steadier SSE some got onto the beach for early runs and the rest joined over the next hour. A lot of tacking to get upwind but a bigger kite cut down the tacks needed and could hold more coming back downwind. The usual suspects having fun in kite beach area and working south for long runs back. Beach has been fairly good people wise all week and not too busy at all Monday to Thursday. I'll probably miss a few names but here goes: Davis, Michael G, Ted, Albuquerque Randy, Chris, Frank, Scott, Howard, Peter, Phillip, Errol, Angus, Alex, Bobby, Wexler, SSI Jim, Canada Jim, Mark, Spencer (I think he had a family day yesterday), and probably another 4-5 I'm forgetting

Late afternoon most had packed and gone but Jim, Bobby, Wexler and myself were still there on the buggies having a blast playing around each other zig zagging on the beach and trying to run as a pack back for Scott to get some photos in, not as easy as it sounded when trying to plan it out in my head. Peter was still ther too and Alex arrived later to rip around on the blocart. We came off the beach sometime closer to 8:00 and then met up at Tortuga Jacks for dinner, drinks, music and attempted to move tables around.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

We are departing tomorrow around noon!

Sadly, by then we'll also be on the road.
But first, there's lots of beer and food in the fridge to enjoy, and another afternoon of buggy seat time to get to today.
This has been a great week! Thanks y'all :wee:

PS: Ines has managed to capture some great images... stay tuned - we'll try to have them posted to flickr next weekend.