Oliver and Eric
Hi everyone,
This is one hell of a story…true adventure with a ton of spirit and balls thrown in to. Olivier and Eric just completed a 1200km downwinder on their own, just taking the minimum they needed in a waterproof backpack and completed what we call in paragliding a bivouac adventure. Olivier is Ozone paragliding’s pro photographer capturing the essence of what Ozone is all about on his many travels. He has now discovered Kitesurfing and what a hell of a way to learn….makes complete sense….a 1200km to get the hang of it !!!!!!
Congratulations Olivier and Eric, looking forward to seeing the movie of this incredible adventure
Certainly puts a whole new perspective on freeriding…..
Cheers Matt
Read on for Olivier’s report >>
“Hi Matt,
We just finish our Kite bivouac few days ago (from the 9th until the 22nd November). Our project was to follow the coast in Brazil from Natal, until Sao Louis through Fortaleza with our instinct sport, 1200 km of coast.
We are 2 paraglider pilots and the bivouac flight is one the ultimate part of our activities; We have crossed the Himalaya’s, the rift valley in Africa just using thermals for power, just with the wind and by walk without assistance, is a very pure feeling! We meet the local people, outside the touristy place, live the nature 100%, sleep under the stars! that’s bivouac spirit and Ozone bloodline.
We wanted to transfer this spirit in the Kite activities. So we did, with Eric Gramond, my friend, a wonderful down winder for 14 days without assistance, no car, no bus, just the wind. A bag with a hammock, few litter of water, few biscuit, a pump for the kite and a camera video…
We did the first part, 580 km with the 11 m instinct sport, the wind is lighter in the south, we did it in 6 days. It was very comfortable, we found regularly some posada along the beach (little hotel), and you never do more than 50 km without find a village along the beach.
One day was to weak to ride, but it was perfect to take a rest! All our staff was in Paracuru so we were switching the 11m for the 9 m in the middle of the trip and after one days off in the village. So we was continuing during 1 week until the gate of Sao Louis.
The last 300 km are very wild, regularly without village and human activities, big islands in the delta of Parainaiba, with a wonderful tropical forest, so many birds, like the wonderful red ibis. The beach can be scary because so many piece of wood sharp, it would give you no chance for your kite if you crash! We had to cross the last 100km with all the sweet water for several days, the bag was horrible to ride, very heavy but it was the last days! 1100 km after Natal ,and 100 km before Sao Louis center we had to give up the trip, the wind was to weak to cross the last island, at 25 km from the shore and join the main island of the city. It’s a incredible atmosphere like Amazonia, there are no beach on the island, only forest… We had to switch 3 times the boats to reach the first road from our last bivouac, with a wonderful sunset in the river in the middle of thousand red ibid. So many great nights with the fisher man around the fire, eat the fresh prawn, sea the water under our hammock during the high tide in the †abris sur pilotisâ€, pylone house. We met thousand turtles, we have seen 1000 smiley fisher man one their boat, so surprise to see us in the middle of nowhere, 100000 great waves during this endless downwind of 1100 km.
We have a lot of project for the next year, Patagonia, Mozambique….
see you olivier
1200 km, daar krijg je nog 's stevige bovenbeentjes van!! Niks dan respect, ik wil die MOVIE!!
, maar met zon downwinder, heb je dus terwijl je vaar je spullen op je rug? en als je valt is die tas dus zeiknat en alles 2 x zo zwaar?
word lekker looiig lijkt me.. Wel vet miss een keer met noordenwind met aantal gasten vanaf ijmuiden , flinke downwinder maken?
?
