Kiteboarders caught Whidbey Island’s famously strong winds and managed to soar nearly 80 feet above Swan Lake on a gusty day in October.

Thankfully, photographers were on scene to capture the dramatic action.

Kiteboarding, a sport in which a large kite pulls a rider across the water and into the air on a board, is especially popular with windy winter weather approaching.

A group of friends who lives in the greater Seattle area frequently returns to the island for its strong, consistent winds, riding twin tip, carving their way across the water. What makes Whidbey attractive for kiteboarding, according to Martin Anderson, one of the kiteboarders, is the wind that comes west through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, hitting West Beach. Additionally, the flat water on Swan Lake makes a smooth surface for kiteboarding, he explained.

Stewart Sykes, a Seattleite who regularly kiteboards on Whidbey, said he has been active in the sport for six or seven years. What he loves most about the sport, he noted, is the adrenaline rush. Sykes chases the wind wherever it goes, and he says there is no such thing as conditions that are “too windy.”

Even then, Sykes explained, they don’t get cold in the icy Pacific Northwest waters thanks to their 5-millimeter-thick wetsuits with hoods.

“We’re just wind chasers, truly,” Sykes said.

When the forecast is right, everyone piles into a car and heads out together with their kites, he added.

“I like the adrenaline when you jump super high in the air,” Sykes said. “Everything looks small and you’re sort of suspended in the air. It’s amazing.”

Like Sykes, Anderson has been kiteboarding as a hobby for 20 years and often heads to Whidbey when the wind is right. He and Sykes frequently ride together along with a group of kiteboarders they connect with through Facebook.

Anderson described kiteobarding as entering a sensory deprivation tank; when you are riding in 40 knots wind, you can tune out all the other noise in your brain. Though it is an intense core workout, the social sport is friendly and welcoming, he said; anyone can give it a try and learn from others.

No one is too old for the sport, or too busy, at least not in the case of 67-year-old Michael Gelb, a chemistry professor at the University of Washington. West Beach, Double Bluff, Crockett Lake and Windjammer Park are all Gelb’s go-to kiteboarding spots, he said.

Gary Skiff, a wildlife photographer, captured stunning photos and video of the athletes launching into the air on Oct. 19. Though he typically photographs animals, he had always wanted to shoot the group and coordinated with two of the kiteboarders to ensure he could capture their stunts. The challenge of tracking the fast-moving kiteboarders was a difficult but refreshing change, he said.

Even though he plans to retire from professional photography soon, Skiff said he’ll continue to photograph what he loves, including kiteboarders, as a hobby.

After posting his photos on Facebook, followers showered the post with compliments.

“I believe they can fly,” one person wrote.

Hiker Nichol Redfearin, who captured the kiteboarders from more of a distance on her Samsung in front of a double rainbow, also garnered support on Facebook.

“Love how you caught the kite boarders in the rainbow,” someone commented.

Anderson noted the Windy.app and iKitesurf can be downloaded on the app store to check wind conditions. Kiteboarders can track their height through the app WOO Sports. Lessons are available through Urban Surf on Jetty Island by Everett.

Stay up to date about future kiteboarding meetups on or near Whidbey through the Northwest Kiteboarders Facebook page.

(Photo by Gary Skiff) Stewart Sykes soars above the clouds.

(Photo by Nichol Redfearin) A kiteboarder lines up perfectly with a rainbow in the sky over Swan Lake.

(Photo by Nichol Redfearin) Kites float in front of a vibrant rainbow.

(Photo by Nichol Redfearin) A kiteboarder launches into the air superman-style, with onlookers watching in awe.

(Photo by Gary Skiff) Martin Anderson hangs upside down, appearing frozen in time.

(Photo by Gary Skiff) Martin Anderson looks small compared to the vast sky.

(Photo by Gary Skiff) All that is preventing Stewart Sykes from falling out of the air are his feet strapped on the board and his strong grip.

(Photo by Nichol Redfearin) Kiteboarders enjoy a beautiful day on Whidbey Island.