The show centers on amazing outdoor locations, perfect weather conditions and incredible sports adventures. Cape Hatteras has all of the above, so it was no surprise when the production team tapped REAL Kiteboarding and its Team Riders Sam Bell and Enily Vater to be featured on the episode. Local rider Dimitri Mariminedes, iKitesurf meteorologist Dave Morris and Kiteboarding Magazine’s editor-in-chief Aaron Sales also will appear on the episode.
Shooting was supposed to start at REAL on August 22nd, but when the wind began picking up in The Slick on August 21st, the production team hustled down to the REAL Lesson Center to start shooting. The winds filled in perfectly from the SW at 18-22 mph, with an average of 20 mph. Epic Conditions indeed!
Sam got out on the water first with his Naish Helix 14m, and the Dimitri jumped on the water shortly after Sam. Enily was the last one on the water (but also the last one off!) on her Best Yarga 11m and her Jimmy Lewis Park 128. The shoot started in front of the REAL Lesson Center and ended upwind at The Slick with some killer overhead helicopter shots. After 7 hrs on the water, Day 1 of the shoot ended with an incredible Cape Hatteras Sunset!!
Longtime REAL friend and meteorologist David Morris was on hand to lend his vast expertise on weather and more specifically, weather in Cape Hatteras. Cape Hatteras is blessed with consistent winds, but because it comes from all directions, weather conditions here are sometimes hard to predict. Dave noted that SW and NE trends typically bring the most strong and consistent winds to the area. Not one to sit on the sidelines watching the action, Dave was out riding with the crew on Day 1, and his first Slick session since last year brought a huge smile to his face!
Day 2 of the shoot started with interviews at the REAL Lesson Center. As if on cue, after Enily’s and Sam’s interviews were in the bag, the winds picked up again – this time from the NE ! Both riders rigged up and got out on the water for a great sunset session. Sam was perfectly powered on his new Naish Helix 14m, which was a nice change from his super litt session the day before. Enily got out on her Best Yarga 13m and her Jimmy once more for some “on the fly” shooting!
As the sun started to dip into the horizon, the crew decided to call it a night. At that point, the riders were literally in the middle of the Pamlico Sound about 10 miles south of the REAL Lesson Center. The production team looked on in awe as Sam stood up in waist-deep water about 2 miles off-shore and landed his kite to Captain Brian Beckham, who was providing boat support. They couldn’t wait another minute to join in on the fun… So they put away their cameras and jumped into the water for a crash course in kiteboarding! As they learned to kite, the production team saw for themselves why Cape Hatteras has such Epic Conditions: strong, steady breeze, waist-deep water to the horizon, about 75 miles of downwind possibilities, and a beautiful sunset to end every thrilling day!!
Watch Epic Conditions : Cape Hatteras