Surfing or kitesurfing

I need help deciding. As well as running I'm thinking of taking up either surfing or kitesurfing but can't decide. I live on the coast in Sussex midway between Brighton and Eastbourne. Anyone do either of these in the area ? or any advice or I might just have to start a random vote. Help !!!!

STIG - we live in Eastbourne and one of the guys that works for me is an expert kitesurfer (he gets some sponsorship) - he kites in Seaford a lot when the wind's in the right direction. he has been known to be blown across the road there before now......not one of his finest moments he'll add!

I'll ask him tomorrow and see what he suggests

surfing is cheaper and takes less practice to get on the water - just hire a board and wetsuit and away you go!  (maybe one lesson so u get the general gist.....).  there is only so much you can learn through surfing lessons, its just practice so just go for it and have fun nose diving into the water! 

Kite surfing takes a lot more time - mastering the kite, then moving to the water, mastering the board skills, then putting them together. 

a lot of the balance skills required for kite surfing you can pick up by surfing so if you have never done either i would suggest regular surfing first to get used to similar board movements and then take up kite surfing once regular surfing is mastered!

would also highly recommend wakeboarding - again similar board skills needed and its wicked good fun!! 

I kitesurf and wakeboard. I find that both compliment each other, when there is no wind it is wakeboarding and the opposite if its windy.

It depends what sort of wind conditions are in your area. Kitesurfing you can generally get out and about in less wind (you obviously need a bigger kite to do so) and shallower water as there is nothing bit little fins sticking down.
I would say there is more variation in kitesurfing too (I might be slightly biased) but there is wave riding, trick riding and just plain old out on the water chilling as well as getting something for the land like buggies or landboarding.
As for cost it can be pretty expensive (but i would think windsurfing is too) as a minimum you would probably want 2 kites to cover most wind conditions.
Another thing is that you become slightly sad in that you are constantly monitoring the weather reports praying for decent wind in the right direction! which like this year can become annoying!

doddi

Thanks all for that. So far I think I'd be able to do more kitesurfing than surfing due to all the wind we get but still undecided

Buddha - I wait to hear what your mate says, although I can see myself getting dragged up the road