Smoke On The Water - annual 4th of July party @ Blue Crab Tavern

The Dream of the Crab

Mirror mirror on the sound 

where the good times can be found 

Life on the water sure is fab 

pinched and doubled up, the dream of the crab

HQ Kites Relocates USA Headquarters

Kite distributor expands business toward North Carolina’s Outer Banks

HQ Kites & Designs, Inc., a German-based kite & toy distribution company has announced plans to locate their North American headquarters in Powells Point, an Outer Banks community located in lower Currituck County. The new location will double their current footprint and provide office and warehouse space for products to be distributed to retail stores throughout North and South America. HQ Kites & Designs, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Invento, a privately-held corporation based in Rastede, Germany and founded in 1993. The company plans to begin operating at the new site by Novermber 30, 2009.

In both Europe and North America, the HQ brand is known for their wide range of high quality kites, ranging from easy-to-fly kites for children to power kites that are used for kiteboarding and snow kiting. HQ also produces a variety of lawn & garden décor and air toys.

The company chose to locate in Currituck County because of lower business costs, proximity to kite & kiteboarding retailers, and enhanced exposure for HQ’s product line and customer base. “HQ is excited to be operating from the Outer Banks, home of the Wright Brothers first flight, and now the ‘Mecca of Windsports’ for kite flying, kite surfing, and windsurfing. Being on the Outer Banks will open up marketing opportunities for our business. Because so many people come here to enjoy the natural resources, it offers great exposure for our products,” stated Chris Shultz, Vice President of Sales. “The quality of life for our employees will be enhanced by living the lifestyle inspired by our products.”

About HQ Kites

HQ Kites & Designs USA is a national sales and distribution company located in Chesapeake, Virginia. As a 100% subsidiary of Invento GmbH from Germany, HQ Kites has an international background using a worldwide network of designers and engineers to ensure the highest level of innovation and quality. Our entire line of HQ Kites™, Windspiration™ lawn and garden spinners, HQ Powerkites and other outdoor toys are created for fun and engineered to last.

HQ Powerkites World Tour stop > OBX

The Powerkites.de World-Tour comes to the Outer Banks of North Carolina – famous for wind and the birthplace of flight.

On April 18th we stop at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head, North Carolina – the largest natural sand dunes on the East Coast. Located just across the street from the Kitty Hawk Kites flagship store. Here you can test fly all the new power kites on the soft, forgiving sands. Access to the shallow waters of the Albemarle Sound is available behind the park.

That evening we’ll meet for a refreshments and BBQ at the Blue Crab Tavern, courtesy of HQ Kites.

On April 19th the tour continues south to Hatteras Island and the village of Waves, one of the best kite boarding destinations in the country. The best surf on the East Coast can also be found on the Atlantic Ocean side. Kitty Hawk Kites will host us at their new store and kite boarding resort, where miles of shallow waters and constant winds create an amazing flat water riding paradise. An ideal environment to try the HQ NEO and Hydra. Join us for a test ride and deck party.

For travel information to the Outer Banks, visit http://www.outerbanks.org/.

Lucky Seven Run

We'll call it the Lucky Seven Run...seven miles from Nags Head Pier to the Outer Banks Pier in South Nags Head. Santa left a holiday treat on the OBX day after Christmas. Über smooth ENE winds averaging 12 mph - perfect for buggy runs on the beach.

The onshore breeze was an easy upwind reach. Only one portion gave us trouble, avoiding a large drainage pipe near Nags Head Pier that put us through soft sand on the upwind. Riding fast along the dynamic contour water edge, the tide was low leaving smooth hardpack. The downwind runs were awesome! Some of the finest beach buggy I have ever had(Sorry Galveston). I logged upwards of 30 miles today, making the full run from pier to pier twice. Amazing to see the number of cottages and beach front properties suffering from erosion. We even caught a glimpse of beach decay evidenced by some graffiti.


Click here for more pictures

Save a turkey, Eat a kite party

HQ Kites and the Blue Crab Tavern is proud to present...

Thanksgiving night

8 pm

Blue Crab Tavern

on the road to Colington in Kill Devil Hills, NC

RSVP

This is a private party...so please RSVP if you would like to attend.

Kiteboarding

Living on the Outer Banks has it drawbacks and rewards. One prize the islands provide are the consistent winds and shallow waters of the Albermarle and Pamlico sounds. This is one of the best kite surfing locations anywhere on the east coast. I returned to the island in June to find many of my old friends from high school and college now kiting, whereas before, I was working for Kitty Hawk Kites and one of few.

Having recently taken a position with HQ Kites in Chesapeake, I'm now promoting and selling, among other things, power kites. The '09 product range includes our first water relauncable kite, the NEO.

So here I am learning how to kitesurf for my job.

Saturday was a good day. Gusty 20-30 mph side onshore winds. Mild air and moderate water temps in the 60s. Perfect conditions to be flying my 8m NEO with some friends at the new Kitty Hawk Kites store in Rodanthe. I've figured out how to stay up wind, which is a great feeling of accomplishment, as is getting up and riding for the first time. My board skills need a lot of work. And I learn a little every time I'm in the water. Recently I started popping some small jumps. Going toe side is next on the to-learn list, which is key to progressing with transitions on my turns.

A big shout out to Ted G for the loaner wetsuit.

I'll be snowkiting with this guy, Tom Bourdeau, next month on Lago Bianco and Bernina Pass in Switzerland. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGAb02x6gog

But first, I'll be at the Snow Summit held at famous Skyline Drive.


Time to pack the wetsuit and find my parka.