Surf Cat

By Kitty Hawk Kites on July 22, 2020

Wind is one of the most powerful forces on Earth. It keeps us cool, generates power, and with the right equipment and conditions, enables people to take flight. The Wright Brothers were drawn to the Kitty Hawk to perform their earliest flight experiments because of the coastal winds and soft sand. The Outer Banks remains one of the finest locations in the world to harness the power of the wind and take flight in the spirit of adventure. Here are some of the best ways to harness the power of the wind.

Fly a Kite 

No matter your age, flying kites can be a fun, rewarding, and healthy activity. It stimulates your eyes, clears your mind, relieves stress, and connects you with nature. There are so many types of kites to choose from that it can seem a daunting task to pick the right one for you.  

Single-line kites tend to work well for beginners, and they come in all shapes and sizes, from simple colorful delta kites to wacky animals and dinosaurs. They are generally either comprised of a sail held in place by rigid frame parts, or they are open-cell foils. This variety allows single-line kites to be flown in a variety of wind conditions, generally from as low as 5 mph to as high as 20 mph and be packed away easily. 

Dual-line kites are a fun way to start doing tricks and stunts using a kite. There are a wide variety of maneuvers one can perform with a stunt-kite, from flips and rolls to stalls and soft landings. Similar to single-line kites, dual-line stunt kites can have rigid frames or open cell foils, and there are many different styles and models for beginners to advanced flyers. Connecting a tube tail can impact the effect of the wind across the kite’s sail, and they make for more spectacular flying sessions. 

Quad-line kites provide control over nearly every edge of the kite, allowing an experienced pilot to hover mid-air anywhere in the sky, in any position. There are also large foil kites, power kites, trainer kites, and kiteboarding kites for those who wish to experience a strong pull to harness the full power of the wind. 

Go Hang Gliding 

Hang gliding is a truly unique way to experience flight, and it is the closest a human can get to soaring like a bird. Kitty Hawk Kites has been operating hang gliding lessons in the Outer Banks since 1974. Dune hang gliding lessons are conducted at our training facility in Jockey’s Ridge State Park located at Mile Post 12 in Nags Head, NC. The dunes of Jockey’s Ridge provide the perfect platform for learning to hang glide. They have plenty of height for beginners and are soft for landing.  

In tandem hang gliding, the student and instructor are hooked into the glider together. The glider is designed specifically for tandems with a larger wing area for more lift, and tricycle landing gear to simplify take–offs and landings. An ultralight plane tows the glider to altitude, then releases it, allowing the instructor and student to glide back down to the landing zone, where you land like a plane. A student can fly up to a mile high in the air with their instructor, learning to control the glider and experiencing spectacular views of the surroundings. Kitty Hawk Kites offers tandem hang gliding in the Outer Banks and at the Morningside Flight Park in New Hampshire. 

Learn Kiteboarding 

Kiteboarding is a thrilling watersport that blends elements and characteristics of wakeboarding, surfing, windsurfing, snowboarding, paragliding, and skateboarding. Kiteboarders are connected to a large hand-controlled kite via a harness and, using the wind, the kiteboarder uses a board to glide across the water. Considering how much power the wind can generate on the kite, people interested in the sport can learn the skillset required to control the equipment, as well as important safety information and techniques, from a PASA-certified kiteboarding school. 

Kitty Hawk Kites Kiteboarding School is located at Waves Village Watersports Resort on world-famous kiteboarding lesson mecca: Hatteras Island of the Outer Banks, NC. Kitty Hawk Kites is dedicated to providing the most professional instruction available for students of all levels.  

Try Parasailing 

With two convenient locations for Parasailing, you can have the opportunity to soar above the Roanoke Sound and the Currituck Sound while enjoying breathtaking bird’s eye views of the Outer Banks. The views of the ocean, Roanoke Sound, Southern Shores, the barrier islands, Corolla Lighthouse, Bodie Lighthouse, and marshes in between are fantastic. 

The crew has over 30+ years of parasailing experience, with USCG licensed captains, CPR certified mates, and all have passed an intensive parasail training designed for your safety. You can be assured you will have the safest, most enjoyable parasailing air adventure possible. 

Enjoy a sailing cruise 

Those who sail are passionate about the time they spend on the water. As the wind fills the sails, the boat’s hull gently glides across the water. Sailing is an environmentally-friendly way of enjoying the local Outer Banks waterways and is fun for people of all ages and abilities. Aboard the Movin’ On, you can enjoy a cruise over the waters of the Albemarle Sound in a beautiful 41 foot Tartan offshore cruising Ketch. The sailboat is roomy and comfortable, and whether you want to cruise to relax and sunbathe or participate in the actual sailing, she will treat you to a wonderful adventure. The maximum capacity per Coast Guard regulations is 6 passengers in addition to the crew. There are daytime and sunset cruises available with Kitty Hawk Kites.