Kite Surfing

deAction Surf Shop is by far the best location on Barbados to teach kiteboarding. The conditions are also ideal for experienced kiters as well, with waves off the outer reef and flat water in the inner lagoon for tricks.

We provide lessons with a professional team of instructors led by Tony "Corn" Lord. We offer the starters package of six hours which normally divided up into 2 to 3 sessions: this course takes you from flying the stunt (small kite) kite through getting body dragged with a big kite to getting up onto the board. All equipment is included.

We also have kiting equipment for rent but must be a confident level 3 (able to keep up wind): twin tip boards, directional and kites by Naish.

Last Man Standing Competition.....Kitesurfing Around Barbados.

The event was part of Brian Talma's Beach Culture World tour, which objective is to promote this life style. Brian travel the world promoting kiting and it's related sports and culture. This being his first event of the year, with the strong winds Barbados was experiencing on Tuesday 5th of January, it was agreed that the next day they would attempt to kitesurf around Barbados. The hard reality was Barbados was also experiencing a small boat advisory with huge North and East swells pounding all the coasts which would make this feat difficult.

The next morning at 8:30 am, 6th of January local daredevil watermen Tony Lorde, Roland Boyce , Jimmy Marshall and world famous Brian "deAction Man" Talma set out to do the unthinkable - kitesurf around Barbados. They pushed off from deAction Beach, Silver Sands. Jimmy Marshall a pioneer who dominated windsurfing in Barbados in the 1980s and was the first local to windsurf around Barbados was now spearheading this exposition. Tony Lorde winner of many local kitesurfing events and the prestigious Waterman Festival was pushed to include this feat to his already huge accomplishments. He is also highly respected in the fishing community for being one of the best fishermen. Brian Talma one of the most accomplished Waterman in Barbados and the world, having solo paddled around Barbados and windsurfed around Barbados on two different occasions wanted to add another discipline to his around the island adventures. The last person to join the crew was brave iceboat fisherman and windsurfer Ronald "Full Moon" Price, who was recruited to captain a small fishing boat as the rescue boat after other boat owners refused to challenge the huge seas. The knowledgeable captain was ready for the voyage.

The noise of the conch shell was blaring from the top deck of deAction Surf Shop, accompanied by shouting and clapping.....as Tony "Corn" Lord eight later at approximately 4:30pm became the first man to navigate around the island on a surfboard powered by a kite and claim 1st place. He cruised to deAction Beach, Silver Sands and stepped on the beach as if he had just finished an afternoon kitesurfing session.

"Corn, as he is called had this to say, "That was OK, I was a little scared around the East and North coast but I was really concerned around the harbour wall. The wind was pushing off shore, so if anything happened I definitely would get back to shore. I was deep in the ocean and couldn't see the rescue boat. Also because of the strong current I was making very little head way toward home. It was frustrating."

Tony Lord is a dominate fixture in the Silver Sands community, not only is he a main instructor at deAction Beach Shop and local ripper. He's a real sea man, being one of the best spear fisher in the region and always bringing home the largest catch during the no wind season of August through September. This time of the year Barbados has no wind and it great for surfing & SUPing on the East Coast at a place called Bathsheba.

The sun had dipped past the horizon, and near dark and a few hours behind Tony, Jimmy Marshall falling inches short of his goal and had to come in at Oistins. He was totally exhausted, fading light - dying wind contributed to the local veterans abandoning his trek at approximately 5 pm. He had to settle for 3rd place.

This is what Jimmy had to say about his adventure:-

"The wind was good for most of the way but the massive swells were cause for concern. We knew it was going to be rough, but not to that extent. The biggest waves were encountered around North Point and I was reminded of the North Shore of Hawaii - world famous for its huge breaks; but the most difficult part as always is off East Point. The currents are treacherous and the waves come from all different directions. You see a clearing and suddenly from nowhere an enormous wave breaks around you. Going through the reef I was catapulted into the water but luckily managed to keep my kite in the air. Brian was not so lucky and his ordeal must truly have been awful and his survival is a testament to his fitness."

Brian Talma had a life and death experience at Ragged Point. The action man, while trying to round the treacherous water off East Point, was catapulted into the water by a massive wave, and had to abandon his kite. After two hours of swimming and paddling in the gigantic washing machine that is Ragged Point he managed to pull himself into a remote beach and lived to tell the story.

'This was by far the biggest adventure of life. I've windsurfed the biggest rideable wave Jaws, I've windsurfed Hurricane "Ivan" in Barbados; I've windsurfed around Barbados on two different occasions; I've solo SU paddled around Barbados...just me but this voyage went from trying to make it around the island to how to save my life. I got pounded by an over 15 ft wave off the Eastern part of the island and had to eject from my kite because I was getting pulled violently toward the cliffs. I was now helpless in a whirlpool of currents, huge chop and monstrous waves. No rescue boat and not a person in sight. I couldn't maneuver through the currents, all I could see were sheer cliffs with waves pounding upon them. I was getting flushed deep into the ocean. I needed help, I reached into my bag to call the coast guard, but everything was gone. I was in serious trouble. I was staring death in it's eye and accepted it. I didn't panic but relaxed and I had to formulate a plan. The further I drifted out to sea I realized the current was subsiding. I knew no rescue boat was coming for me and it was time to fight for my survival. I took some land marks and from these bearings I figured out the direction of the current and started to paddle and kick with the current. Not until I saw the Light House off Ragged Point, I knew I would live to tell this story."

Local fisherman Ronald "Full Moon" Price played an intricate role by braving the gigantic swell on the east and especially the North coast where the infamous breaks of Cow Pens and Red Backs were "going off". The boys had to stay out to avoid disaster if they got caught in the 15 foot monsters around North Point. Unfortunately Talma lagging behind was left on his own to battle for his life off Ragged Point.

On the West Coast approaching calm waters the boys exhausted by now took advantage of over 25 knots to cover the distance between North Point and the Deep Water Harbour in just over an hour. But the wind direction proved a real challenge from there on and it took 2 hours to round Carlisle Bay and the Hilton.

The two remaining adventurers now cramping, thirsty and totally exhausted had to contend with dying winds, fading light and the upwind trek up the South Coast home. Brian Talma, no doubt unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time would have achieved his goal. Tony Lorde makes his mark in the history books became the first person to kitesurf around Barbados with such determination and style. This was followed by Roland Boyne who has firmly implanted his name in the kitesurfing scene in Barbados as being one of the fearless watermen. While Jimmy Marshall a true adventurer by far the oldest and organizer of this exposition had the courage to put things in place to make this voyage possible.

That even everybody congregated at deAction Surf Shop to celebrate with drink, telling their personal stories and laughter. It fare to say, Tony and Roland were celebrate achieving making around Barbados; Jimmy was a little disappointed because he came within a mile of making; Full Moon was just smiling and Brian was celebrating being alive. This is Barbados beach culture a mixture of the Silver Sand fish Community and the surf society creating a rich lifestyle.