On Friday May 12, four Kiteboarders; Adam Koch, (Los Angeles, CA), Chip Wasson (Berkeley, CA), Jeff Kafka (Pacifica, CA) and Steve Gibson (Mountain View, CA), attempted the first-ever circumnavigation of the Farallon Islands by Kiteboarders. Launching from Drakes Bay on Point Reyes at 11:40 a.m. the team, supported by four boats rounded the South East Farallon Island by 1:15 p.m..
Koch and Wasson were able to successfully work their way though a portion of light wind several miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge and land in San Francisco at Crissy Field beach. Kafka and Gibson, on slightly smaller kites and boards, floated in the waters outside the bridge for over an hour but were unable relaunch their fallen kites in the 5 m.p.h. light winds and were picked up and brought in by their support boats. The full team or riders and crew were all reunited at the St. Francis Yacht Club. The riders completed the 70+ mile journey in 4 hours and 30 minutes powered solely by kites and riding a 4 to 5 foot kiteboards. Wasson, Kafka and Gibson had completed the first-ever crossing by kiteboarders from the Farallon Islands to San Francisco on May 23, 2004, (about 28 miles total).