Moon Launch

A unique recipe of Mediterranean winds and a full moon made the conditions for these spectacular shots of kitesurfers in Tarifa in southern Spain. Photographs and accompanying words by Paul Wood.

There are very few places in the world that get reliable wind which can satisfy kitesurfers day in, day out.

Tarifa is one of those rare places, and every year it draws sports enthusiasts from all over the world to the southern tip of Spain. Some never leave, and have become embedded in the culture of this quiet Spanish coastal town.

Among the unique factors that make Tarifa such a popular kitesurfing destination are its Levante winds, the warm, east to northeast winds that buffet the town with exceptional regularity. Gusts in excess of 40 knots can turn a day of kitesurfing into a technical challenge reserved for the brave or the experienced.

But, another beguiling and unique phenomenon happens at full moon, when the beach at Los Lances floods, creating a perfectly flat, shallow water lagoon. The featured photos were taken at this exceptional location and mostly at sun down.

Kitesurfers are a friendly and accommodating crowd who would spot me lying in the shallows with my camera just clear of the water, and perform jumps and turns wherever I pointed, which allowed me to get these captivating and, at times, surreal shots.