All the seemingly exaggerated stories, and fabled myths of kiters getting freakishly lofted and smashing through fences / airlifted to hospital / breaking bones / concussion...etc it all seems to happen to someone else.
You wear a leash, know where your 'safety' is - don't do anything stupid...what can go wrong
If you ride a C kite (like me) and are kiting with friends riding Bow kites, you'd be forgiven for forgetting they don't have the same depower capabilities. Especially on Australia Day, after a couple of quick VB's.
I thought it was pretty cool seeing Moritz torment some mangrove trees, only a few metres from shore at Towra. Gracefully defying both gravity and the 20-25kt NE blowing, slightly cross on-shore over the beach and through the salt bush and lantana that's taken over the reserve.
Simply intending to check it out - not jump the bush, I had to see how the magician does his trick. For my efforts, I was seriously punished.
On the way out of the mangrove area, I did a small pop over some bush, but accidently pulled on my bar at the same time without realising it
At the time I was thinking, okay, a little loft no big deal - the loft didn't let me go (because my kite just went to the other side of the window). I picked up speed and a second or two later some nice grazes on my arm and legs as I got dumped into a lantana bush.
I thought **** - i don't know where my kite is and I'm submerged in ****ing lantana
.
Half a second passes... I must have thought turning the kite back was a good idea, 'cause I did - that's when i got scared.
Being wrenched through a lantana bush up & out to a height of about 10 - 20 feet and catching glimpses of dead tree stumps on one side and bloody dead wood everywhere, begging to impale me - literally flying over it all, for some 30-40 odd metres I pulled my feet up to take the impact of the inevitable crash landing.
Thanks, who ever planted that little fresh sappling that was ready to catch me as my kite smashed into a tree further down wind, and I fell, about 10ft to the ground - through another bloody lantana bush.
I never thought I'd be so happy to wriggle my fingers and toes and very happy to hear the slightly accented voice of Moritz the magician "Are you OK?!" I had no idea which direction it came from. About 10mins later they found me.
I am extremely grateful to Moritz, Anelo and Steve McCormack all who helped in getting my kite down and back to Dolls in one piece.
Moritz and Anelo, who amazingly got my kite down from the tree undamaged, from 20 feet up. Seriously awesome work
Flexifoil Kites and Underground Boards definately deserve a mention here. Flexifoil for making super tough kites - that don't rip when stuck in trees for long periods of time.
Underground Boards for acting as great ladders and footpaths through the lantana - without getting badly scratched!
