The last Sunday of 2019 and a piercing wind is blowing on Anglesey’s Newborough Beach – the sort that knifes through all clothing defences and finds every millimetre of exposed flesh. Brrrr. By lunchtime it is growing dark too, or perhaps day never quite dawned properly. It’s anyway a big change after the entrancing blue of Christmas Day. But we are not put off: Newborough Beach is a favourite winter walk so we trundle through the high dunes to the shore, as ever joining a mass of promenading families and dogs, and face the elements. The wind takes our breath away.
But down above the tide-line there is much activity – lines laid out and out across the sand as paragliding wings are prepared by dive-suited individuals. Much clicking on of harnesses, clapping on of helmets and multi-coloured kite-fluttering. And then they are off, skimming the bay at astonishing speeds, now and then shooting high above the surf – aerial ski-jumping. It is exhilarating to behold – or it is when one can focus through eyes filled with wind-tears. But then that’s one of the things we love about this beach – you just never know what you will see there.
On the other hand I’m rather wondering at the reactions of legendary St. Dwynwen, she whose religious retreat this place was in early Saxon times. Or maybe her spirit is out there embracing it, flying with the wings – engaging in extreme sports, closer to the heavens.
Tish Farrell 
Cor, sooner them than me, looks flippin’ cold!
It was indeed bitter out there. We had a very short walk!
😊😊
Great view.
Thanks, Qasir.
I’m in awe of folk who can brave the freezing temperatures and still do stunts. 😳😅 Great captures, Tish.
Thanks, Sylvia. It was pretty awe-inspiring. And you would never catch me so much as dipping a toe in a cold and windswept sea. But their ‘dive-suit’ kit looked pretty robust and I guess the excitement add a few degrees of warmth.
Also they were probably quite a bit younger than we are. 😅
🙂
Wow!
Just to make you feel better. Today is a bright and not so breezy 28c.
And,no, you are not allowed to reply with ”Ark, Go fly a kite!”
🙂
Am going to hfphff at you though, Ark. Enjoy your bright and breezy in a world gone bonkers 🙂
😝
My goodness…I would be afraid I would end up somewhere I wouldn’t want to be.
I so agree.
Fabulously captured . . not sure however if to say the people doing this are incredible or bonkers!!
Or a bit of both 🙂
Think you maybe right
I have seen this on Hayle beach (in the sun) and they are amazing. You must have to be very fit to manoeuvre those kites.
Yes, it looked quite a tussle at times.
Reblogged this on Hutts New Blogging World.
Cheers, Pete. Happy New Year.
Exhilerating.
Indeed – even for the spectators.
A fairly common sight here too, but with less forbidding skies and waves, Tish 🙂 🙂 Not an easy subject for the camera.
Coooold but beautiful to watch! Neatly captured, Tish.
Thanks so much, Ann-Christine.
You did a great job with the photos, Tish, despite the cold. It’s amazing what people get up to, isn’t it? (The kiteboarding, not the photos.)
janet
It IS amazing, Janet.
You got some great shots Tish. I’ve seen this, in Mexico I think it was. So exciting to watch. But that freezing wind! Brrrrr. You described it perfectly.
Alison
I was much captivated by the ‘wings’ They would look marvellous against a Mexican blue sky.