Go Fly a Kite!

A dragon kite from Costco:       $12

Gas for the road trip:                 $10

Sore belly from laughing:           Priceless

In anticipation of an upcoming event planned to bring together friends, family and kite enthusiasts, as well as a surprising turn in the predicted weather forecast, Kelley and I seized the opportunity to give her newly purchased kite its test run.  Although the wind made for a chilly afternoon along Nova Scotia’s Atlantic coastline, we decided the perfect venue for our adventure would be one of our favorite spots; located less than a half hour’s drive from downtown Halifax, we ventured across the Angus L Macdonald Bridge, through Dartmouth and made our way to Conrad’s Beach.

Although lesser known than its neighbour, Lawrencetown Beach, Conrad’s proved to be a destination for other beach enthusiasts anxious to take in a brief moment of sunshine before the impending fog and rain enveloped the shoreline.  As we made our way closer to the beach as we traveled along Conrad Road we noticed other kites and kite-surfers already there.

We managed to find a parking space very close to the boardwalk that leads to the beach; finding a coveted spot like this already made the day a success in my opinion.  As her dragon kite had only been purchased less than a week ago, Kelley was excited to rip open the box in which it came and introduce it to the windy skies. 

I have to admit that I was impressed with the instructions that were included outlining the assembly of the kite; it was indicated that there was little involved in the assembly and the cartoon drawing of a boy assembling a similar kite proved all that was necessary.

The cool breeze off of the Atlantic provided the perfect effect for Kelley's inaugural launch; within seconds the brightly coloured dragon with its flowing tails ascended to the sky as if by magic and we were both transported back to childhood.  I recalled a story of my dad helping me build a kite from a garbage bag and pop sickle sticks  when I was a kid; I believe it may have been for school or Beavers.  The passage of time has clouded the memory somewhat.

Although she was having a blast flying her kite, Kelley generously offered me the opportunity to take over the reigns.  I certainly had fun but I quickly realized that I am best at observing someone else controlling the kite as my overwhelming fear of heights prohibits me from letting the kite soar to its full potential.   I must admit that the thought of a grown man becoming weak at the knees as the kite soars higher and higher is somewhat absurd, the reality, sadly, is that it freaked me out.

Nonetheless, I handed the controls back to Kelley and she excitedly gave her dragon a fantastic test run.  

The upcoming, kite-flying event is sure to be a stellar time!