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Adventurous Ryan Hughes is bringing the latest extreme sport craze to the waters of Amwaj - kite-surfing.
The hybrid sport - a mesmerising mixture of kiting and surfing - has taken over the water recreation areas of some of the most popular beaches around the world by storm.
The colourful contraptions and high-flying jumping enthusiasts can now be seen in action from the beaches of Amwaj Islands.
Ryan, 34, is currently running a mobile kite-surfing school with friend Declan Gaynor, 31, a professor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, where they train and help kite-surfers take-off for action.
Kite-surfing surfaced around 1999 and pioneers often suffered injuries, some fatal, until technical and training advancements helped improve the sport's image.
'Declan and I trained in Greece where we received an official international license to train others so we decided to introduce the sport to Bahrain,' explained Ryan.
'Kite-surfing, basically, is strapping yourself to a rather large power kite and a board on your feet. By moving the kite around, you generate power which will lift you up and pull you across the water.
'It is a bit similar to wake-boarding but the only difference is you can jump a lot higher while kite-surfing.
'The attraction for everyone is to see these big jumps and go 'wow' I want to do that - I want to fly like a bird!
'It's become so eye-catching to a lot of the residents of Amwaj, that many actually stop by the beach to watch the surfers.
'We currently have 15 regulars - a mixture of Arabs and foreigners, men and women. Most of our sessions take place at the weekend and we split the classes as it usually takes about eight hours to teach someone how to get on the board and manage the kite at the same time.
'However, the course does not end there because the students need to practice what they have learned. But once a student has reached a level of riding and small jumps, then we can sign them off and award them a certificate which will allow them to surf in any of the official kite-surfing spots around the world.'
Most of the equipment used by participants comes from Skate Shack, his family's business which opened up in Budaiya in 1989.
It began as a skate boarder's haven and evolved into covering an array of extreme sports.
Most kite-surfers start off learning wind-surfing skills and want something more challenging.
Once bitten by the craze they can soon master elaborate tricks to see how high and how long they can jump off the waves. Since the kite is usually pulling upward, it is possible to fly several feet off the surface of the water.
Ryan said: 'You get into kite-surfing for the thrill of it. It's like any other extreme sport. People want to do it for the rush, going fast, jumping high or pulling out a manoeuvre like an awesome flip.
'With the right tools and commitment to the sport then anything is possible. And, we keep everyone together for safety reasons, so if somebody has a problem we are all there to help. There is also someone on the beach at all times so that if someone is getting dragged towards the beach you can run and intercept them.
'This is a sport where really everyone has to stick together. Before starting the course though, I always make sure I find out about a person's background, whether they have done any water sports so that I know what level they are at.'
Classes are BD100 for four hours and include a training DVD and workbook. For more details drop into Skate Shack or call 17697176.
