Chalk it up to the ingenuity of water-loving thrill seekers: Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be another heart-pounding, fun way to enjoy the Great Lakes, along comes kiteboarding.
Like surfers with large kites harnessed to them, kiteboarders hop aboard small boards and let the wind skim them along the water’s surface. The board serves as the kiteboarder’s steering mechanism; the colorful kite provides the power. Just find the time and patience it takes to master those elements in the shifting Lake Michigan surf, and you’ll be right in the thick of one of summer’s trendiest outdoor sports.
Traverse City has become a hotbed for kiteboarding culture, thanks to Matt and Keegan Myers, owners of Broneah Kiteboarding. The brothers have championed the sport in Michigan and around the world, showing off their skills by performing jaw-dropping stunts and teaching beginning participants from ages 7 to 70. Broneah offers instruction at one- or two-day kiteboarding camps all summer long, with gear and instruction included. Physical fitness may make the lessons easier, but if simply having a good time amid the beauty of Lake Michigan is your goal, then a willingness to try something new and an affinity for adventure are far more important.
Besides, while the Myers brothers insist that, with close instruction, agile students can work their way toward wave jumping, airborne 360-degree spins and other tricks reminiscent of extreme snowboarding, many are more than happy to just glide their way across a tranquil lake — their kiteboard in an upright position, a serene smile spread across their face.