Meet BUOY Team Riders and PeruKite Owners Casey and Scott

Meet BUOY Team Riders Casey Fairhurst and Scott Metcalfe aka “That Kite Couple”, two passionate kitesurf instructors who live and run their own kitesurf school PeruKite in Paracas, Peru.

Originally from Scotland (Casey) and England (Scott), the adventurous couple has traveled together for years and ended up going after their dream of running a kitesurf school. The couple lives an active life often (teaching) kiteboarding, stand up paddling, paragliding or seeking another thrill. They've been part of the BUOY Team Rider team since we launched the floating hats and have been wearing them on and off the water. Get to know more about Casey and Scott by reading the interview below.

How long have you been kiteboarding?
Casey + Scott: We started to learn in January 2014 and have been addicted ever since.

What first interested you in the sport?
Casey: Scott used to land kite with his dad and grandfather when he was younger and since always had an interest for kites, but it wasn’t until our first year traveling together in 2013 while we were working in Tenerife, on our days off, Scott would take me to the beach and we would sit and watch these kitesurfers cruise along the coast and fly around… At first I wasn’t sure, but it looked so beautiful and fun, and Scott was more then eager to try!

Why do you love it so much?
Casey: I’ve never felt anything like it, and nothing compares so far. For me it can be like meditation, being in the moment, but I can either take a gentle cruise and take in the stunning scenery or it can be extreme and I can go big and push myself like I’ve never have before.
Scott: There is nothing else that gives me the same feeling of adrenaline, excitement and freedom at the same time, there really are no limitations to this sport.

What is your favorite place to kiteboard?
Casey + Scott: Laguna Grande in Paracas National Reserve, Peru is the most beautiful spot we have ever rode, but you just can’t beat the miles of mirror flat water and super strong wind that Adam’s Bridge in Sri Lanka offers, it’s just the perfect combination.

What’s your greatest achievement?
Casey: My entire kitesurfing career; from becoming an instructor after having a fear of deep water, to entering and winning competitions, to becoming a team rider then soon after owning a kitesurfing school. The whole experience has been my biggest achievement.
Scott: That would have to be leaving home as a youngster to follow my dreams and making them all become reality and still doing the same 7 years later.

What would you tell someone who is considering learning the sport?
Casey + Scott: Do it!! Our best advice - learn from an experienced and hopefully passionate kitesurfing instructor in a location with decent conditions. Do some research online to get a better understanding of the sport and don’t stop practicing. It can be a bumpy start, but everyone can learn this sport if you commit to it.

How did you two meet?

Casey: By a brilliant coincidence… I was traveling Europe and “fortunately” I lost my passport, so I had to return home to the UK before leaving again and in this short time I met Scott through a friend. He had just finished his career in the army and wanted a change, he asked to join me and we’ve been together ever since. We left abroad to work in bars traveling across Europe.

How did you end up in Peru?
Casey + Scott: Through a business opportunity… So we actually sent a CV to some school in Peru several years ago, but didn’t hear anything back and never considered it again after. We always knew we wanted a school, from where we first learnt in 2014, but after years of traveling and searching, we couldn’t find anywhere that was “perfect”. We stopped looking and decided to keep saving. A few weeks later we received an email saying we fit the profile to become business partners of PeruKite. He found our CV’s from years ago and said for some reason he had to open it. He offered us a deal we could not ignore. It was an easy choice and we are glad we accepted it.

What do you love most about the spot you’re living at?
Casey + Scott: Wind all year and a huge uncrowded flat water bay.

What do you enjoy doing when not out on the water?
Casey + Scott: A bit of everything. We are travelers and adventure seekers… If we’re not in the water kitesurfing, we are looking for our next thrill, which is also why we moved to Paracas. There is surfing, paragliding, sailing, wakeboarding, hiking and more.

Do you have any hobbies?
Casey: Apart from all the activities above… I love photography and making content in my spare time. Scott loves adrenaline in any way he can get it and when he is chilling he likes to hypnotize people for entertainment, but is now studying the therapy side in his spare time.

What does a typical day in your life look like?
Casey + Scott: First, check the wind! Then we plan our day. Since having the school, our mornings are taken up with social media, marketing and emails over a coffee… Or three. Then we spend time with our beautiful Great Dane puppy, take her for big walks and have morning cuddles, which are her favorite! After lunch it’s time to work, we hang out on the beach, teach and ride until the sunset. Then we’re back at camp enjoying the evenings with guests, normally over a beer and a campfire sharing the stoke.

What inspires you?
Casey + Scott: We have always been inspired by Dilsiri Welikala from Kitesurfing Lanka. Not only does he have an amazing kite school and camp, but what he does for the community is truly inspiring. He has helped build schools for children, gave hundreds of people a working opportunity, he has inspired a no plastic movement in Sri Lanka and we are only just touching the surface. He gave us a volunteer opportunity to learn kitesurfing and we are forever grateful. After a few days we knew we wanted to be instructors, most laughed, but Dilsiri only encouraged us and gave us all the tools we needed to make it happen. We hope to be just like him and help in our new community too.

What’s your motto?
Casey: Live every day as if it was your last!
Scott: Go big or go home.

Where would you love to travel to?
Casey + Scott: EVERYWHERE :D Our bucket list is endless!

Any favorite food?
Casey: Ummm good quality chocolate.
Scott: It’s a hard choice between pizza and a good Indian curry!

What are things you can’t live without?
Casey + Scott: Each other! Our passports and the wind!

Any future goals?
Casey + Scott: We have something really exciting in the pipe line. Unfortunately this will have to stay quiet for now, but we have lots of plans, we’ve only just started!

What are your thoughts about BUOY WEAR’s products?
Casey + Scott: Sick designs and top quality products that last. Everything a water lover could need!

What’s your favorite item?
Casey + Scott: Floating hats, they save us day after day from getting sun burnt whilst teaching or riding without losing it in the ocean.

Is there anything you would love to see in BUOY WEAR’s collection?
Casey + Scott: Some BUOY WEAR branded T-shirts, ponchos, water booties and maybe a bucket hat as well.

Casey and Scott wear the Red Floating Hat, Camo Floating Hat and Black Floating Hat in the pictures.

 

Follow That Kite Couple on Instagram and YouTube.

Visit PeruKite at www.perukite.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Visit Paracas Kite Camp at www.paracaskitecamp.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Get even more motivated to follow your dreams (or kiteboard!) by watching this video of Casey and Scott below...