Dozens of wind and kite surfers braved the strong wind and high waves on the IJsselmeer near Makkum today. One of those kitesurfers is Drent Eddie Doesburg from Spijkerboor. “When I look at the weather maps and a storm is coming, I immediately get an itch.”
There are many spectators along the dike in Makkum, including a striking number of German visitors, who are visibly enjoying the spectacular scene. Some kite surfers achieved jumps of up to fifteen meters high due to the strong wind, to the great enthusiasm of the public on the dike. “Makkum is a nice, quiet place where we can go about our business. I was at the Zuidlaardermeer yesterday, but that was a bit disappointing, so I thought I would have a blast here today.”
“It may be a hobby that you have to be a little crazy for, but my heart starts beating faster when I drive to the dike,” he says enthusiastically. “You actually want to drive even faster to get there faster, but that is of course not allowed.”
But once he arrived, he could immediately get into the water and fly out again with his kite as quickly as possible. “Some go for the speed, but I definitely go for the highest.” He doesn’t know exactly how high he jumped today, but his smile shows that he enjoyed it. “I think jumping is the most beautiful thing, flying quietly through the air and hanging for as long as possible. I sometimes go up to 14 meters. Some people go much higher, but I enjoy doing it.”