The jetty jump is the story of one of the most iconic moments in Kite Centre Zanzibar’s history (updated May 2026). In 2013, during a photoshoot at Spice Island on Zanzibar’s north coast, our Ruben Versluis sent a kite-powered air over a wooden jetty – clean clearance, perfect timing, captured on video. The clip went semi-viral in the kite community and lives on YouTube as a piece of KCZ heritage. It was a one-off stunt by an experienced rider in controlled conditions. Not a trick on the menu. Not something we coach. Just the story.
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Key takeaways
- What it is. A single kite-powered jump over a wooden jetty at Spice Island, Zanzibar, captured in 2013.
- Who. Ruben Versluis, riding for Kite Centre Zanzibar at the time.
- Where. Spice Island (north coast of Zanzibar), not Paje where our school is.
- Why. Photoshoot stunt. Controlled conditions. Experienced rider. Not a service we offer.
- Should you try it? No – it’s a high-risk move over a fixed wooden structure, only attempted with proper conditions, experienced support, and full awareness of the risk.
How did the jetty jump happen?
Back in 2013, the Kite Centre Zanzibar team was running a photoshoot at Spice Island – one of the more dramatic stretches of coastline on Zanzibar’s north side, with old wooden jetties extending from the beach into the lagoon. The conditions were right that day. Wind clean from the south-east, lagoon flat, tide cooperating.
Ruben Versluis, riding for KCZ at the time, lined up the approach, sent the kite, popped off the water, and floated cleanly over the jetty before landing downwind. One take. Caught on camera. The video lives on YouTube as a thirty-second piece of KCZ memorabilia.
It’s one of those moments that defined the energy of the school in the early years – a small team of riders pushing the kite scene on Zanzibar, capturing the wild side of the sport, having fun.
Is the jetty jump something Kite Centre Zanzibar teaches?
No. The jetty jump is not a service we offer, not a clinic we coach, and not a trick we recommend to students. Why?
- The risk profile is wrong for a paid clinic. Clearing a fixed wooden structure on a kite leaves zero margin for error. Mistiming the pop, a wind drop, a line tangle – any of those turn a clean jump into board-on-wood at speed.
- Our school is at Paje, not Spice Island. The jetty in Ruben’s video is on the north coast. Paje has different geography (no fixed obstacles in the lagoon riding zone), which is part of why it’s such a safe learning beach.
- The progression doesn’t need it. Our students reach Level 4K with consistent jumps, transitions, and freestyle moves through standard IKO-certified lessons. The jetty jump is a stunt, not a milestone.
If you watch the video and think “I want to learn that,” the honest path is: build solid Level 4K riding first, find the right experienced rider to scout the spot with you, and accept that one-shot stunts have one-shot consequences.
What can you actually learn at Kite Centre Zanzibar?
Plenty. Just not the jetty jump.
Our lesson catalogue covers every legitimate progression:
- Beginner to independent. 10-12 hours, Level 3K certified.
- Intermediate technique. Transitions, upwind perfection, first jumps in open water.
- Hydrofoil. Foiling progression on short-mast through full-mast setups.
- Wing foil. Beginner-friendly foiling for anyone.
- Strapless kitesurfing. Surfboard riding for Level 4K riders.
- Self-rescue clinics. The actual essential safety skill.
The Paje lagoon is the safest, most forgiving kite classroom we know – and that’s exactly why we teach there.
Frequently asked questions
Spice Island, on the north coast of Zanzibar. Not at our Paje school. The video was shot during a 2013 photoshoot.
Because it’s a stunt with a fixed-obstacle risk profile, not a progressive skill we’d put students through safely. Our coaching is built around the IKO system and the Paje lagoon’s open-water geography – both designed to minimise risk during learning.
Yes – Ruben’s YouTube channel has more of his older footage, including strapless kite clips from Zanzibar. He’s been riding for KCZ since the early days.
Want to ride Paje the safe way?
If the jetty jump video makes you want to come kite, you’re in the right mindset. Just come for the lagoon, not the stunts. Check our wind conditions guide for when to book and our lesson catalogue for the right progression.
Hakuna Matata – see you on the lagoon!
