Kitesurfing can overwhelm beginners quickly, especially when the first mistakes happen in deep water. On Long Bay, a shallow bay on Providenciales, the Turks and Caicos’ main tourism island, kitesurfing lessons begin with a jet ski ride offshore to waist-deep water, giving beginners a rare advantage in a sport that can feel unforgiving.
Long Bay has what most kitesurfing spots don’t. Beginners can try again without ever fighting to stay afloat. Photo credit: Depositphotos.
Kitesurfing, also called kiteboarding, uses a large kite to pull a rider across the water on a board. On Long Bay, the early goal is not distance but control: steering the kite, managing power and knowing how to shut it down.
A lesson built around shallow water
A private lesson with Big Blue Collective began with a safety briefing on the beach. It was booked through the Beach Enclave concierge, a villa resort a short walk from the meeting point. Instructor Tom Fuller went through the release system, how to dump power quickly and what to do if the kite pulls too hard.
Then he moved the lesson offshore. Big Blue supplied the gear and headed out by jet ski roughly a mile into the bay to a training area that stayed waist-deep for a 5-foot-4 rider, a setup the company says includes jet ski support during lessons.
That depth is the difference between a reset and a struggle. Instead of treading water while trying to relaunch, beginners can stand, adjust and relaunch. The space also felt open, with room to practice without constant traffic from other riders.
Wind and control
Fuller calls Long Bay “the best place on the planet” to learn kitesurfing. He points to shallow water far from shore, space to make mistakes and fewer consequences when a beginner loses control.
Wind still decides what a lesson becomes. The wind during our session was light, and the lesson stayed focused on kite control rather than sustained board riding. Early attempts were without the board, with the focus on steering the kite, managing power and practicing releases.
Fuller also teaches against a common misconception. First-timers often assume kitesurfing requires upper-body strength. He demonstrated how small hand movements control the kite and how quickly riders can release power if it feels like too much. He compared the appeal to flying a kite as a child, only it was bigger and with more control systems built in.
Fuller said the sport draws a wide range of learners. He cited recent students as young as 5 and as old as 82, who were visitors taking lessons while on holiday. Fuller also wrote “Learn Kitesurfing Faster: Kitesurfing Made Simple,” a beginner’s guide, and said he is working on a second book focused on advanced riding.
Timing and seasonality
Big Blue says it teaches year-round except September and October, which it describes as low-wind months. It points to June, July and August as prime months, and says winter winds from January through March tend to be stronger, with waves more likely on the north shore for seasoned riders looking for different conditions.
Fuller calls Big Blue the best place to learn. About a mile into the bay, beginners can still stand in waist-deep water, dump power quickly if the kite pulls too hard and get back to the next attempt.
Mandy is a luxury travel, fine dining and bucket-list-adventure journalist with expert insight from 46 countries. She uncovers unforgettable experiences around the world and brings them to life through immersive storytelling that blends indulgence, culture and discovery, and shares them with a global audience as co-founder of Food Drink Life. Her articles appear on MSN and through the Associated Press wire in major U.S. outlets, including NBC, the Daily News, Boston Herald, the Chicago Sun-Times and many more.
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