Seal Beach Pier


Seal Beach Pier
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

To say I’m totally and completely addicted to KAPing is now an understatement. As is easily confirmed by looking at all the photos I’ve posted on Flickr, I’m simply enthralled with this new hobby.

In addition to the major benefit of obtaining much-needed stress relief, flying kites is simply fun. I’ve also met quite a few other kite flyers and others while engaging in this great activity. The cool thing about kites is that they are inherently joyful objects that bring smiles to everyone’s face. It’s hard to think about anything stressful or worrisome while holding on to a kite string and watching it dance in the breeze. Of course, the environment also helps – I’ve always loved the beach and adding a kite (or kites) to the scene only enhances an otherwise fantastic place to be.

Just a good is the fact that the beaches are not crowded during the Winter which adds to the enjoyment of listening to the waves, breathing the fresh air, and getting some exercise without having to deal with any crowds. Interestingly, I’ve even had people pull of the highway to say hello just because they saw that I was flying a kite!

Another interesting aspect of this great hobby is that there are people of all ages participating. Interestingly, I’m also finding a lot of folks around my own age (no, I’m not that old) who are engaged in flying kites. I hadn’t really flown many kites since I was a kid and the incredible technological wonders of the past few decades have really added greatly to the rather low-tech experience of kite flying. Not only are the materials used far different than those used when I was a kid (most kites were made from paper and came in just three basic forms – diamond kites, box kites, and the newly invented delta kites), but advancements in such things as kite string has made the whole experience that much more enjoyable. Of course, this says nothing about the emergence of digital cameras which are absolutely phenomenal to use with KAPing – it’s possible to take hundreds of photos (I generally get 200 to 300 photos each time I go KAPing) but one just needs to erase all of the bad photos without losing any money on developing them in the first place. As a result there’s no need to worry about taking too many shots. All in all, this is just too much fun!

Balboa Jetty


Balboa Jetty
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

This is one of the few successful photos I managed to take during my “MiniKAP” adventure to the Balboa Peninsula. Due to the decreasing winds, I wasn’t able to get much altitude on my rig (the Titanic) and, therefore, most of the pictures that were taken merely showed the surface of the water and nothing else. This photo, however, shows the jetty that protects the entrance to Newport Bay. During stormy weather, the left (west) side of the jetty can be hit hard and often crashes over the rocks.

Taking Off


Taking Off
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

Okay, okay, I admit, this is getting a bit wild – I’ve now gone KAPing three (3) days in a row! This time, I took a trip down to the jetty at the end of the Balboa Peninsula (which is also the mouth of Newport Bay). The winds were quite mild but steady so I put up my kite thinking that the winds would only pick up as the afternoon wore on (which would be “normal”). Sadly, it was the inverse that happened (the breeze slowly weakened) so I really didn’t get much of a chance to fly. Even so, I managed to get this photo of my kite taking off. Again, while it was a beautiful day, I had to call it quits early due to the breeze – I didn’t want to lose my camera again.

Boats in the harbor at Dana Point, California


Boats in the harbor at Dana Point, California
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

One of the great things about KAPing is that I’m not really sure what I’ll get until I get home and look at the photos. Currently, my camera takes a photo approximately once every fifteen seconds and a tiny, battery operated motor (called a servo) also rotates the camera about 30 degrees at the same time. As a result, the camera eventually makes a complete circle and starts all over again. While many KAPers use remote controls designed to pilot radio controlled model airplanes, my rig does sport that feature. That’s not a problem though as it’s fun to see what comes up. About the only thing I can control is the angle of the camera and even that is somewhat variable as the angle can change due to the winds. I like this photo of the colors (the blue water contrasted with the trees that line the roads and think that the angels of the docks are also interesting. All in all, I’m pleased with the way this photo turned out.

Okay, I’m hooked!


Breakwater
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

Yes, I’ve been bitten by a strange new bug – Aerial Kite Photography (KAP). I was so thrilled with my first successful flight that I had to go flying for a second day in a row. As I love the ocean, I thought that the Dana Point Harbor might be an interesting place to go. It turns out that I was really lucky – the day was absolutely gorgeous, the winds cooperative, and the scenery beautiful. I love the color of the water and, as can be seen, it was a clear day (if you look carefully, you’ll see a bit of fog forming in the distance). Still, I have no complaints as far as the weather was concerned – I couldn’t have planned it any better.