Kitebuggying in Cornwall
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Mobilise member Frank Napper tries out the extreme sport of kite-buggying and finds it fantastic fun!
When my wife and I visited Cornwall to do some research for our website, www.disabledholidayinfo.org.uk we visited several attractions including the very wheelchair friendly Eden Project and Falmouth Maritime Museum which was particularly accessible. However it was some unexpected kite-buggying with the Mobius Disability Kite School on Perranporth Beach that gave me my most memorable day.
Another younger researcher (I am 64!) was due to test the kite-buggying, but couldn’t make it so I had to be the guinea pig for the day. I was very nervous beforehand and was not looking forward to the experience. However once I had met the team of instructors who reassured me that I could do as little or as much as I felt safe with, I felt more confident.
The first thing I had to do was transfer, with their assistance, from my own wheelchair to a beach wheelchair. This is a chair with balloon like tyres that I needed to sit in, in order to get onto the sandy beach from the car park. This in itself was a novel experience, to be pushed across deep sand on to and across the wide beach area.
Up, up and away!
An area on the far side of the beach was designated by the life guards specifically for kite sports so that no one was mown down! The instructor explained the safety procedures and I had to sign a disclaimer. He then drew a plan in the sand and explained about flying the kite and power zones. I thought this first stage of just flying the kite without the buggy was going to be child’s play, but how wrong I was!
At first I struggled to keep the flexi-foil kite in the air but after a while I started to get the hang of it. I was then introduced to a more powerful kite which, after a few minutes struggling with, actually pulled me out of the beach wheelchair. I had been advised that if you have problems to just let the kite go and it will drop onto the sand .But for some reason I hung on resulting in me being dumped on the beach, much to the hilarity of my wife and the instructor.
Eventually I began to get it in the air for a reasonable amount of time and was then able to try the buggy. This is a four wheeled buggy that is totally hand controlled with a steering wheel instead of foot controls. The only one of it’s kind in the country, it is very difficult to overturn. I was helped into it and my legs strapped so that they couldn’t get caught up in the wheels. I was given the kite which I got into the air and then there was a sudden surge and off I went down the beach. I managed about one hundred yards before the kite hit the sand.
If you fancy having a go at this I would wholeheartedly recommend it. The kite flying in itself is enjoyable (although you have to have good upper body strength) and I fancy getting one just to play with. The kite-buggying however is absolutely fantastic!
Check it out
You can see kite-buggying in action by visiting the Mobius website (see contact details below) and watching the short film on their news page. Mobius told me that they are thinking of producing a tandem buggy for people who cannot do it solo. If they get enough enquiries I’m sure it will hasten this.
Every wheelchair user will have different capabilities so prior consultation about the suitability of the activity for you is essential. This activity could be classed as an extreme sport and can involve an element of risk. Although the providers carry appropriate insurance, before taking part you will be asked to sign to say that you understand this. Adverse weather conditions can affect when this activity can take place so you may need to be flexible when booking.
For more details contact the Mobius Disability Kite school at http://tinyurl.com/lexw7w or telephone 08456 430 630. Lessons start from £35 per hour.
This article first appeared in the September 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
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Tags: sport