Roberto Primi, Author at Kite Cruises, Kite Safari and Kite Lessons in Egypt - Sick Dog

A Kite Holiday for Couples – A Kite Safari could be a good idea

Roberto Primi — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 07:25:14 +0000

While I always tell my potential kiters that a Kite Safari is good for anyone (solo travellers, small group of friends), I wanted to focus here on couples, and why it’s good to come on one of our kite safari with your partner.

We have on average 1/2/3 couples per week, and we normally accommodate them in one of our rooms with a queen or king size bed (depending on the boat) – these cabins are a bit larger than usual and, while a little bit more expensive, are totally worth the difference in price. If you are two friends (or a solo traveller for example), there is no real for a huge cabins with two beds or for a single cabin, all you want is kite, eat, sleep, repeat fundamentally. But if you are with your partners, it’s important to spend some quality time with them also off the water.

What I can promise is that, as a couple, it won’t be weird on the boat – there are many other kiters for when you want to socialize, and there is plenty of space for when you want to be by yourselves.

Generally speaking, the energy on the boat is good – it’s the group that makes this holiday special, and it’s the mix of cultures, languages & relationship (bond together by the love for kitesurfing) that makes this trip unique. It’s a kitesurfing adventure, that I can surely recommend for couples.

If you have more questions, send me a whatsapp or an email, and I will show you our cabin for couples.

And as always, hope to see you on board soon!

Roberto Primi

I love kitesurfing, travelling, and making short walks with my dog. I organize kite cruises in Egypt since 2014, you may find me in some windy beach pretty much all year round when I’m not on the boat, may it be Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritius or Greece. I drink red wine and play (badly) the guitar. You can contact me at +201009410388 (whatsapp or calls) or just email me at info@sickdogsurf.com

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Yacht Kite Safari or Sail Kite Safari – Differences, Pros & Cons

Roberto Primi — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:01:39 +0000

Yacht Kite Safari or Sail Kite Safari – Differences, Pros & Cons

A yacht Safari and a Kite Safari are two different concepts that have in common the same love for kitesurfing. There are some major differences, but if you love kitesurfing, both are great kiting experience that you need to try at least once if your life. A kite safari on a yacht is more comfortable and offers better facilities and food, a sail kite safari is more adventurous and add the element of sailing on top of kitesurfing. Let’s see the basic differences here, where I will highlight pros and cons of both.

Yacht Kite Safari vs Sail Kite Safari

A yacht kite safari is a week long kite cruise in the Red Sea, cruising with a 40m motor yacht to the best windy spots and going to kite on beaches and lagoons, while using our yacht as our home base, directly at the spot, where to sleep, chill, eat and party. The same applies to a Sail Kite Safari, but with a smaller sail boat that can fit 6 people and 2 crew member.

The pros of a Yacht Kite Safari are numerous, if compared to a sail kite safari. It is a more comfortable kitesurfing experience, all the cabins on our yacht have a private toiled and aircondition, there is a restaurant that will cook fresh foods 3 times per days, we have drinks, a coffee machine, and an ice machine. One of the feedback that I receive more often is: this yacht is much better than I expected. It is indeed comfortable. Movements to the spots are faster (because the yacht is faster than a sail boat) and it’s in general a better organized kite safari – there are two fast rescue boats and a full team on board. A yacht safari is the direction to go, if you don’t have much experience in kitesurfing.

In a yacht safari there are normally 20/24 kiters – it is a very social kite trip, where you will meet people from all around the world and spend a week together.

Sailing kite safaris boats are smaller and more romantic, perfect for smaller groups of friends and for couples for example. It is a true kitesurfing adventure, and it’s not a fancy trip: small cabins, shared toilets, no aircondition. You can sleep on deck, watch the stars, play your guitar, and enjoy the calmness of the Red Sea. The big pro of a Sail Kite Safari is that there is no generator – the boat is incredibly silent during the night. Another big plus is that sometimes people don’t have a week for a kite safari – a sail kite safari can be shorter, for example 2/3/4 days, depending on your needs.

What I prefer?

In my opinion a kite safari needs to be a week long to experience it in full. And I need my toilet and my comfort. So the winner for me is the Yacht. Said that, I do daily trips to tawila with the sail boat sometimes just for fun. But that’s it, just a day.

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Aya Reaches the impressive landmark of 40000km kiteboarded

Roberto Primi — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 18:45:47 +0000

An impressive landmark from one of our loyal Sick Dog Rider, Aya Eiffel! She just reached the impressive goal of kiting over 40000km (officially recorded by Woo). Part of this incredible achievement was possible thanks to the great conditions of our kite safari, that guarantees many hours in the water and great kitesurfing conditions.

Here I will write an original statement from Aya, I’ve contacted her on IG and waiting for her reply

This impressive record made me think: how many kilometers have I ever kiteboarded lifetime? I tried to make a few calculations (I never use WOO or any GPS system to measure my kitesurfing, but I can simply use logic and some approximations.

Imagining that I kited 4h per month, since the last 10 years (cause yeah, I learned kiting around 10y ago, I’m old), at an average speed of 20km/h (too much? probably), that would mean 960km per year, then around 10000km lifetime. I honestly thought less…

If you want to follow Aya’s next achievement, check her instagram here.

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Where to Kite in July

Roberto Primi — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 18:01:38 +0000

Where to Kite in July

There are many places to kite during July, Europe is the logical choice for a cheap and hot kitesurfing trip, but other continents can be interesting too… let’s see which are my favorite destinations for kitesurfing in July:

Sicily – Lo Stagnone is the logical choice for a kiting oriented trip, a huge lagoon incredibly flat with perfect conditions for beginners and advanced alike. Ok, it’s busy during the summer, but it’s worth a visit. And don’t forget all the extra non kiting activities that Sicily can offer. Recommended.
Greece – Rhodes has been on my kiting list for a long time, and that’s I think it’s the year I will go visit. Apparently there are two spots, at different sides of the island, and this variety is interesting, making it possible to kite in different conditions (and more importantly with different forecasts). Exciting.
Mauritius – One Eye and Manawa – these waves at Le Morne are on my bucket list. I was there kiting years ago, but I went in October, and found out that Summer is the time to go for better chances of wind. Won’t make the same mistake twice… One day I will be back.
Italian Lakes – just a few hours away from my home in Milan, italian lakes attract italian and foreign kiters alike, with their beautiful landscapes and good wind conditions. There are tons of kite schools ready to help you out, just a bit crowded maybe but for sure worth a visit.
Egypt – Kite Safari is maybe a surprise entry, but it does make a lot of sense to kite in Egypt during the summer. Great chances of wind, and not many people around (cause most people stay in Europe to kite, understandably). We run many kite safaris during the summer, that means no wetsuits and empty kite spots. It’s a good time to join us for a trip.
Spain – Tarifa probably was a few years ago higher on my list, but I need to reconsider. Too crowded and bad wind. At this point I don’t see myself going to Spain to kite, but I must admit that it is practical (especially for spanish people).

Hope to see you in the water this Summer!

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Kite Cruise in Egypt – Why yes and Why no

Roberto Primi — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 11:02:19 +0000

Kite Cruise in Egypt – Why yes and Why no

Which are the pros and cons to come on a kite safari in Egypt? Is a kite cruise with Sick Dog the right choice for you? Let’s go more in details on why you should choose a kite safari with us (and why not), keeping in mind that the pros will greatly overwhelm the cons. After all, what we do is kitesurfing, and what we do is organizing kite safari – we do believe in what we do, and we do it cause we think it’s a kitesurfing experience anyone should do, at least once in a lifetime.

WHY YES

It’s a very intensive Kitesurfing adventure: pretty much all our kiters want to kite as much as possible, to progress as much as possible. We include lessons at all levels, to make sure everyone will progress.

The price is right: 8 days and 7 nights on board, with food and drinks included, will cost you pretty much as a room in a hotel plus food.

The yacht is nicer than you think: it’s true, our boat has no jacuzzi on board, but it’s comfortable, spacious, and with great food. You will be surprised.

Incredible kite spots: the spots you will visit during a kite safari can be seen only during a kite safari.

Better wind conditions: where we go kite, the wind is much stronger than at land in Egypt. A bad wind week at land in Egypt is normally an ok wind week during a kite safari.

Meeting new people, making new friends: this is a part of the experience. Meeting new kiters from all over the world (and meeting our team) is fun, I promise.

WHY NO

Honestly it’s not easy to figure out why for a kiter is not a good idea to come on a kite safari.

Exploring Egypt: obviously if you are on a boat you will have not much time to see the rest of the country. A week on a boat could be too long, if you plan to visit Cairo or Luxor (or both). In such case, a 3 days trip to El Gouna is probably best for you.

Hope to see you guys on board anytime soon!

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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A kite safari is good for non kiters?

Roberto Primi — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 07:24:02 +0000

A kite safari is good for non kiters?

The simple answer is yes, there are several activities during a kite safari that will keep a non kiter entertained. So if you are a kiter and you are planning to bring your partner or a friend that doesn’t kite on a trip, no worries – he or she will have a great time on board. Let’s get more into details on what can be done during a kite safari for non kiters. Keep in mind that most activities for non kiters are low wind activities – that means that some activities are only recommended when it’s low wind.

Snorkeling

The water in the Red Sea is turquoise, clean and beautiful, so it’s always a good idea to go for a swim from the boat to the beach or just by the beach, with your snorkel and mask or without. In low wind days, we go and visit great reefs, with beautiful scenery and great marine life.

Wakeboarding

In low wind days, water is really flat and wakeboarding and wake foiling is a real pleasure. It’s a simple but intense and fun activity, good for everyone.

Stand up paddle

While we wakeboard and snorkel, the conditions are great to explore and stroll around with a stand up paddle.

Diving

If we have a dive guide on board, it’s possible to dive in Egypt, with or without a dive license (in such case you will simply do what is called a Discovery Dive (or DSD).

Chilling by the beach

Everytime we kite, we go to the beach – a non kiter of course can join us, have a swim and just tan and be with us on the beach. Not everyone kite all the time, and on the beach we have drinks and snacks to keep us ready for our next kite session!

Enjoy the yacht

The boat is always ready for anyone that needs a break from kiting – drinks, snacks, music and satellite Starlink internet are available all day long.

We had in the past many non kiters on board, and it always was a fun trip for them – my personal recommendation is not to worry too much, if you come with good energy, it will be a great trip for all!

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Downwinder Kite Safari – A complete Guide

Roberto Primi — Thu, 30 May 2024 05:38:58 +0000

Downwinder Kite Safari – A complete Guide

A downwinder during a kite safari is a classic activity, loved by kiters and by the team, and it’s the most adventurous thing you will do during a kite safari – it can be long 1 or 2h and you will be riding with other kiters alone in the middle of the Red Sea (but with the support of our Rescue boats, and leaded by one of our team). Here we will explain which are our usual downwinder routes during a kite safari, and the different level required. If you will join one of our kitesurf safari in Egypt, better be ready!

ROUTE 1 – ASHRAFI TO GEISUM

DIFFICULTY: EASY

DURATION: 1H

We launch our kite from the small side beach in Ashrafi, and when the kiters are ready, the boat will lead the downwinder heading to Geisum. It’s a good 45 minutes heading South, and it could be a bit wavy. Arrived at Geisum, the kiters will go upwind to Geisum South in 5 minutes, and that’s it. It’s a short downwinder, and I consider it easy cause it is short. Technically all downwinders are equally easy, but the longer the downwinder, the harder it is for our kiters.

ROUTE 2 – GEISUM TO TAWILA

DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM

DURATION: 2H

From any of Geisum kite spots, we will head to Tawila island. The first part is upwind till the West tip of Geisum – from there we will head South, passing the beautiful Survivor Island. Right after that, our kite leader will turn inside Tawila, going for a channel that will head to the main spot of Tawila, while the boat will simply make a bigger turn and head to the open sea. This downwinder it’s long, and it’s a mix of open sea areas and lagoons. The final part of the channel is really beautiful, and the arrival in Tawila is pure magic.

ROUTE 3 – GEISUM TO SURVIVOR ISLAND

DIFFICULTY: EASY

DURATION: 30 MINS

Exactly as above, but we stop way before hitting the channel, to the beautiful Survivor Island. Just be careful on how approach the island, as it needs to be approached by its EAST side (the rest is reef, better avoid it if you have no watershoes). That’s why it is so important to have a good briefing before the downwinder.

ROUTE 4 – ASHRAFI

DIFFICULTY: SUPER EASY

DURATION: 10 MINS

From the main lagoon of Ashrafi we will head to the small beach of Ashrafi. It’s a super short downwind, that we do normally at the end of the day (since most times our boat is parked at the small beach). A fun experience if you never did a downwinder in your life.

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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A kite safari – From Finland to Egypt

Roberto Primi — Thu, 09 May 2024 11:11:54 +0000

Last month we had a fun group of kiters joining us on board of our beloved yacht Galaxy – Jusa and the team from Leijasurffaus.fi (you can check their website out here) brought good energy (and great kiting) from the cold waters of Finland to the warm winds of Egypt.

THE ROUTE

On Sunday We headed first to our beloved secret Geisum spot (one of our favorite cause it hosts only one boat, so plenty of space for just us ;). We spend 2 nights there, and then we went for a no wind day to Gubal, for some well deserved rest, a bit of snorkeling, drinks and music on the beach, and a small party at sunset. On Wednesday we moved early up North to South Geisum (my personal favorite kite spot in the Red Sea) for some more kiting (of course), to end up with a cool downwinder to the beautiful Survivor Island on Friday.

SICK DOG TEAM

I was on board (as I often do), taking care of the route of the day and making sure that the everything runs smoothly. I trained Teemu, but he was quickly independent, Hassan Trained Meri-Helene, Kasia took care of all the advanced riders and Essam helped on the beach. Easy week cause the level of most riders was good, and everyone was pretty much independent on and off the water.

Here I will post a few pictures that Jusa sent me.

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I hope to see them again, we are already thinking about 2025 with Jusa, and if you are from Finland and you are reading this article, just give Jusa a call – Egypt has never been closer to Finland!

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Live Wind Kite Safari

Roberto Primi — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 17:03:29 +0000

Live Wind Kite Safari

Here you will find the live forecast for the wind in the island of the Red Sea we visit during our kite safari. I will explain you how to read it correctly, as this forecast only reflects a certain position in the Red Sea, and during our kite safari we visit different kite spot.

The live forecast above reflects the forecast of island of Tawila, that can be considered the central spot of our kite safari. We normally visit kite spots northern than Tawila, and spot southern than Tawila – you always need to add 2 knots to that forecast if we visit for example Geisum, 3/4 knots if we visit Ashrafi, and remove 2 knots if we visit any spots South of Tawila, like Abu Mungar. It’s that simple.

Tawila is at the center of the Map – Going South of Tawila, expect less wind – Going North, more

LIVE WIND EL GOUNA

Here you can see the difference between the wind forecast of the islands of the Kite Safari (above) and the wind forecast of Egypt on the coast (in this case, El Gouna). As you can see, there is 4/5 knots difference.

This wind forecast is accurate only if the wìnd comes from NORTH. If the wind comes from SOUTH, it is irrelevant where we are, so ignore everything I wrote above. With South wind, kiting in the Red Sea is less ideal and the forecast is less precise and harder to read. With North wind, this forecast is instead precise, but NOT for more than 2/3 days. If you go on the forecast and scroll right, you will see the complete weekly forecast, but keep it as an indication rather than a certainty.

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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Secret Spot Geisum Island

Roberto Primi — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:51:22 +0000

Secret Spot Geisum Island

Hidden behind Geisum Island, there is a secret beach (honestly not that secret) that is perfect for hosting one boat. Most of the times it’s obviously busy, but if we are lucky enough and we are quick enough, we can sometimes get in and spend a few days in this little corner of paradise.

THE WIND IN SECRET GEISUM

Off-shore, as usual. Nothing more to say about it.

FOR WHAT LEVEL OF KITEBOARDING IS SECRET GEISUM OK?

Every level is fine. There is plenty of space for a 4/5 beginners and intermediate and advanced will also enjoy the spot.

AFTER KITING

We never go to secret spot after dark: it is just too far away from the boat, and the beach is not the nicest.

MORE ABOUT SECRET SPOT GEISUM

We constantly clean the spot, and I have a vision – one day this spot will be spotless and really pretty. In the meanwhile, I invite all kite safari people to clean Secret spot when they go and visit it!

Check the video below – in summary, Secret Spot Geisum it’s not the largest of the kite spots, but with the right tide it’s beautiful. Plenty of space for 20 kiters, and for a few students. The wind is as usual off-shore, all you have to do is being careful of the reefs on both sides of the spot. That’s it!

Roberto Primi

Hope to see you on board one of these days!

www.sickdogsurf.com

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