Kitesurfing on Hel Spit IN TRANSLATION
Kitesurfing on Hel Peninsula
In Poland, kitesurfing, a type of surfing, where a huge kite is used instead of a sail, is getting more and more popular. It is hardly a surprise. The Polish seaside offers probably the best conditions in the world for practicing this discipline. Fans of this sport will also find quite good conditions at many Polish lakes, especially ribbon type lakes, where at predictable times of the day we can expect strong winds.
On Hel, one may go through all the stages of skill of this sport: from the first steps to the first competitions. If one does not know Polish, it is not a problem, as all the instructors recognized by the International Kiteboarding Organisation (www.ikointl.com) speak English fluently. Several dozens of water schools offer their services. A good address to visit is www.wake.pl.
For natural reasons, the Hel Spit is one of the best places in Europe to learn kitesurfing, as well as other “board” sports. Almost always, there is a wind from the open sea to the west and along the inside part of the arch which is established by the strip, thus pushing the surfing sportsmen in the direction of the land. According to statistics, on average wind blows with the speed of 12 knots for 220 days a year. The best months for kitesurfing are May, June and September. Athletes prefer the already mentioned north shore of the Spit, that is the waters of the Gulf of Puck. There, even one kilometer from the shore, the water is from 0.5 to 1 m deep. The water is neither too shallow, nor too deep, therefore it is safe. The bottom is not muddy or stony, but sandy and pleasant. The Polish sea is free from dangerous coral reefs, thorny sea urchins, burning jelly fish or rocks or other surprises which lurk for swimmers in warm countries. The water of the Gulf on the Spit side is clean, warm and relatively... sweet. Even after long training it does not dehydrate the skin as much as the salty waters of the ocean and the Southern seas.
The kite, which is the main source of driving energy, is not cheap, so sport schools offer the equipment for rent. In Poland both the LET kites ( Leading Edge Inflatable kite) – with hard (inflatable) edges and inflatable hardening slips and the Bow kites, with a more bent edge and with a flat swept-back profile, are available. There are also power kites, which resemble paragliders, which are easier to start from the land. Naturally, there is equipment of all possible types and sizes.
Kitesurfing is the way of life for many people in Poland. One of the beaches on Hel has even kite-training equipment for tricks, the only water kite slider/kicker-park in Poland and flood lamps to light the water and the beach during night Kite-Sessions. A good address for the future and already professional kitesurfers is the town of Chałupy.
The Hel Spit is connected with the mainland by Kosa Rewska, which is visible on the satellite picture. It changes into a long shallow, sub-water sand embankment. It is a unique shoal, which can be crossed “with a dry head” from Kuźnica up to Rewa. We suggest participating in the annual ”Herring March”.
The Hel resort is a wonderful choice for several more reasons. By bicycle or by train, without standing in the traffic jams we can get to tens of beaches from the side of the open sea, straight to the
