As summer approaches, the Outer Banks is an exciting destination for those interested in water sports.

Water sports development and growth tends to be on a niche level. A popular example is kiteboarding.

Chris Moore, kiteboarding operations manager at Kitty Hawk Kites, explained some of the differences between kiteboarding on the East Coast and West Coast.

“What the East Coast offers is a little bit tamer than the West Coast. The West Coast tends to be more advanced kite boarding. Your shorelines look quite a bit different. In the whole Northwest coast of the United States, you are dealing with a rocky type coastline, waves, and colder water. The East Coast tends to have a lot of sanctuaries and bays such as the sound here at Hatteras. So you tend to be a lot more accessible on the East Coast than you are on the West Coast. I think there are a lot more accessible places like the Outer Banks that aren’t all built up with high rise hotels and everything right next to the water. Hatteras is very special, especially for kiteboarding. It is probably the most popular destination spot for kiteboarding because your access to the water is unlimited. We have the Atlantic Ocean with lots of surf riding and wave riding. Then we’ve got the sound which is a flatwater mecca.”

Moore explained how water sports have changed since Kitty Hawk Kites’ beginning in 1974.

“Kiteboarding which is the fastest growing watersport in the world right now, that actually didn’t start until the early 2000s, so it is less than 10 years old.  It is very new, the technology just did not exist prior to that. I moved here in 1999 to start the kiteboarding department for Kitty Hawk Kites. What was kite boarding then versus kite boarding today was way different. In terms of average people getting into the sport, it is way safer and easier than ever before. The equipment that is used for kiteboarding is capable of allowing people to progress easier and safer.”

Moore mentioned the Hatteras Kite Expo as the one of the events that Kitty Hawk Kites sponsors.  The event is the largest gathering on the East Coast that connects kite boarders with kite boarding manufacturers, schools, and instructors. The event was held in Rodanthe and Moore mentioned that water sports in general are still small in terms of professional size.

“Competing for money doesn’t really happen in kiteboarding for example, it has not reached that stature. I am not sure that if it ever will. There are pro riders that do travel around and compete and they are generally sponsored by companies making the gear. They are subsidized, if you will, for traveling expenses, and get free gear, and they live an amazing lifestyle with notoriety. However you are not necessarily making money at competitions.”