KEPA KURL ROAD TRIP SOUTH COAST, WA

Born and bred in landlocked Vienna, Austria, Gabi Steindl has a slightly unusual background for the “typical” professional kite surfer. Dedicating her life to the quest to discover new, untouched kitesurfing destinations and virgin waves, she’s been roaming the planet on solo missions ever since leaving the World Tour in 2007. With over 80 countries under her belt and counting, Gabi shares her freeriding adventures in magazine articles, on her socials, as well as in film projects. Adopting Australia as her new home about 15 years ago, the self-proclaimed wave addict is now based in Margaret River in the beautiful Southwest. 

KEPA KURL ROAD TRIP SOUTH COAST, WA

For decades, I jumped on airplanes to the most remote corners of the planet to fulfil my wanderlust. But recently, I've been drawn to exploring my own backyard in Western Australia (WA). With its massive area of 2.6 million km2, WA offers endless adventure and iconic road trips. This is the land of the iconic road trip. 

Late summer is an amazing time for it and so I jam-packed my Toyota Landcruiser with camping gear and a rather considerable amount of kite and surfing equipment, kissed my husband goodbye and hit the road. 

Esperance, an isolated paradise on the Southern Ocean, became my destination. Its white sand beaches and transparent turquoise waves rival the beauty of the South Pacific. The Wudjari people of the Noongar cultural group are the traditional Aboriginal owners of this region. Their name for Esperance is Kepa (water) Kurl (boomerang), meaning ‘where the water lies like a boomerang.’ 

Reuniting with my friend Jaimen Hudson, a talented quadriplegic aerial photographer, was a thrill. Jaimen and I share the same depth connecting to the ocean. We captured breathtaking shots at Twilight Bay, known for its iconic rock formation, and Dempster Head, a granite headland with stunning boulders emerging from the turquoise-blue water. 

Camping in Cape Arid National Park was the highlight of my trip. This biodiverse wilderness, spanning over 280,000ha, is a conservation area for numerous plant and bird species. Driving along the snow-white beach, I felt an exhilarating sense of freedom. Despite the challenges and isolation, I felt at home under the starry sky, surrounded by endless sandy beaches. 

Getting up with the sunrise, feeling the fine, squeaky sand under your toes on your way to a morning dip in the most turquoise blue water, sipping a coffee from the camping stove and waiting for the wind to fill in to go kiting, is living the dream.  

But every dream comes to an end. Eventually, I had to bid farewell to Esperance and Jaimen's family. As I drove back, memories of wild moments and legendary kite sessions filled my mind. I felt blessed for the laughs and good times shared with Jaimen, a dear friend who radiates positive energy. Living in Western Australia is truly magical.