Bill Mielcke was born in Kealakekua at the Old Kona Hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii in January of 1967. Bill grew up swimming competitively, surfing, sailing various types of crafts and windsurfing. After graduating High School Bill enlisted in the Air Force where he was stationed in Wichita Falls Texas and worked as a Paramedic/Firefighter. While on active duty Bill did a tour in the mountains of Saudi Arabia in support of the Gulf War. After separating from the Air Force Bill returned to Hawaii where he began working for the Four Seasons Resorts. In 99 Bill was introduced to the sport of Kitesurfing while on a Windsurfing vacation on the Island of Maui. I was following some guy kiteboarding on my windsurfer when he jumped off flat water. The next thing I knew he was 20 feet over my head, looking at me while inverted and smiling. I instantly went straight in, loaded up my windsurfing gear, and went straight back to the shop. "Where can I get a kite"? At the time there was a waiting list for 2 line Naish kites. I gladly put my name down and a month later I was the proud owner of a 7m Naish AR3.5 and a 7 Sky Pirate. A year later Bill opened Big Island Kitesurfing on the Big Island of Hawaii and for the next few years instructed numerous people and was instrumental in starting the kiteboarding scene on the Big Island of Hawaii. When I learned to kite there were no schools. I had to figure it out by myself and by watching the Naish video How to Rip. As more and more people got into the sport I realized the need for a school. Kiting is a safe sport if you take the right steps Bill explains but if you don't you could seriously hurt yourself and/or others around you. Bill dissolved Big Island Kitesurfing in 2003 and took his kites on travels. After 8 months in Costa Rica I moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and got into photography and videography . Bill explains that the Outer Banks was a good place to break into the filming because there are so many places to ride, it works on any wind direction, and the place is full of really good riders. Being a kiter and surfer himself, Bill has a keen sense of exactly when to snap the shot or roll the tape.