Another, Tarmo, Was Still Preparing His Gear, Hoping for a Good Session But Noting That Timing Would Be Key in Estonia

Kitesurfers took to the choppy waters off Estonia's coast on Saturday to ride the wind and waves ahead of a powerful storm making landfall, with enthusiasts calling the pre-storm conditions ideal for the sport. At Lohusalu harbor west of Tallinn, one hobbyist, Andrus, was already out at sea when the ERR crew arrived, making jumps several meters high in the rough water. Another, Tarmo, was still preparing his gear, hoping for a good session but noting that timing would be key.

"Let's put it this way: when that rain cloud gets here, the wind will get gusty. If it picks up enough before the rain cloud arrives and gets nice and strong, then you can definitely have a good session. Windy weather is good weather, Tarmo said.

He added that the whole season has been great, with good winds since spring, while fall always brings windy and similarly suitable conditions. Back on shore, Andrus said his pulse had raced a little higher than needed and that he now needed a rest. "The adrenaline was pumping and it's been really cool, he said, adding that he could have jumped higher even as the wind had started to lull.

He recommends kitesurfing to everyone, calling it "a fever you can't get rid of. On safety and avoiding a "kitemare, Andrus warned: If you can no longer hold onto the kite you see up there and it starts lifting you into the air without you doing anything, then it's dangerous. And usually, if there's sand on the beach and that sand starts flying, that's the first sign that you should be on the alert.

Saturday's storm carried a Level 2 warning and later intensified to a level that would have kept even the most intrepid kiteboarders on dry land. Felled branches and trees were reported, and thousands of people were left without power.