The day warmed up, and as the sand dried, a small city came to life on the beach. Tourists in wetsuits lined up for surfing lessons. Brightly coloured kites attached to surfboards, waiting to be lugged out into the ocean. Smaller, traditional kites dotted the skyline. Farther down the beach I watched wind-powered sailing cars swoop across the wet sand on a makeshift raceway. What had just a few hours earlier been all English Channel was now a full-blown beach vacation.