When i thought of what was going to happen in 07 i didnt think of the worst things that can and have happened. a week into jan i was rushed to hospital after a work place accident resulting in 2nd degree burns, 2 weeks later having first kite boarding lesson which was cut short due to a encounter with a sting ray at TOWRA PT, botany bar...

..now after i have recovered from a small operation a few weeks ago i have had my first and hopefully last KITEMARE. coming back from ulladulla stopped at seven mile beach for a small session.my intentions were to go to botany for a go but it was on the way flat calm water small but fair cross shore wind. i started at the top of the beach so if anything happened i would end up back on shore if the worst..(and i noticed several kite boarders down the beach)

OK everything was going well i had been practicing my body draggin up and down wind practicing with the kite, i took a break and resumed back to it i was feeling confirdent to try the board.as i was walking the kite to the water i dont know what happened the chicken loop came off but wasnt the safety, no big deal i thought i didnt hook in and place the finger properly i was able to hook back in properly and relaunch.

shortly after it happened again, the chicken loop wasnt to low in the hook in point it was loaded correctly, but i was pulled abruptly then dragged down the beach shaving the skin of my leg, unable to stop only remembering what my instructor had said "your still in danger what do you do" released the safety leash all was good i then had had enough and decied to call it a day, i started to wind up the lines but the wind had now picked up and i couldnt hold it. the kite took off upside down and landed 5 meters out of reach out to sea, i went to retreive it but the wind kept blowing it out, so i swam and swam but was to exhausted. by the time i got back to shore it was moving slowly but down the beach. tyring to run down the beach to the kiters for help didnt avail they must of been riding down wind, i ran for 1/4 of the beach, i sadly had to give up and head back to the car.

after an hour and 40 mins of loosing the kite made the mad dash 15-20mins down the road pulled into a beach access area where i jumped out to see i could see it(last time i saw it i was just out of site atleast 300meters) when i returned to my car a man approached me and asked what happened turns out he saw it and collected it and i couldnt belive it.

could the chicken loop slip off is that possible? should i give up now? im not accident prone as some might think i have never set foot in a hopsital or hurt my self until this year. can someone tell me is the light at the tunnel worth the drama? i thought so but i think im loosing faith

it was to far out to have made it to shore

well its was the furthest thing from my mind, but im trying to stay positive as i enjoy it i was having a blast, im still determined to keep going, but it wasnt easy to see all your kite just float away and nothing you could do, but watch

Mate KDA Keep to the Bays
Don,t kite on your own leave the ocean till your a bit better
I MITE HAVE DEEN ONE OF THE 4 KITERS ON A DOWN WINDDER.
PS
There,s A new Mick on the Bay

you said the wind was cross shore but your kite blew off the beach and out to sea? Stay around other kiters, just go downwind of them so they can help you.

Gerroa or the top end of seven mile beach isn't really ideal for kiting although some do it there, it is ideal for us windsurfers however ;) It's cross off and hella gusty, sure you'll hit beach eventually if something goes wrong but you'll be drifting for about 7 miles. Shoalhaven heads (about 10km drive south, you can just see the white surf club building from Gerroa) is the place where you usually find most of the kiters, it's cross on and the wind is far steadier. Killer rip/shore break at times though :|

quote:

---

Originally posted by realplayer

quote:

---

Originally posted by dustin

if you go out kiting thinking something is going to go wrong it probably will

---

hahah you and your positive thinking, i swear it works but....

---

haha it hell true, it aint all mumbo jumbo, heaps of the top physicists and entrepenurs do it i.e einstine

Hi KDA,
It was probably me, Dark side, Dan and George you saw in the distance and we had a ball. Don't give up, conditions were difficult. CJW and Sinky got it spot on.
Saturday we launched at the Gerroa end before heading off downwind. It was horrendously gusty and cross off as usual. Got to go down a few K's before the wind cleans up but the waves build and its no place to learn. Don't kite alone there's no-one to help or call for emergency services if it turns nasty. With your luck stick to the Bay for a while. No Sharks spotted but plenty of Dolphins and lots of Fish. Can't tell you how many times the shadow of your own kite scares you. Love to see the Shark plane fly slowly by.

KDA,
when you pulled the safety was your kite depowered on one line? if so and you locked that line off the kite shouldnt have powered back up allowing you to either walk up the line and secure your kite or wrap up your lines in up to the kite as you would like in a self rescue. you should have still been connected to your safety with your leash until your kite is secure on the beach(unless your safety line hasnt depowered the kite and you are still being dragged to danger). Im sure this is stuff your instructor taught you, but when learning and trying to process all the new info its easy to forget what you were taught when it goes wrong.
get your kite checked at kitepower and go over self landing and self rescue again, this should prevent you from losing your kite again and break your bad run.
keep at it, its worth it and happy kiting ahead to ya!

That is not probably a spot to learn , I suggest you go to Dolls Point , get your riding skills up and then try it.

I did not try the surf untill about 8 months of kiting in the Bay nice, safe and easy, but now after 19 months of kiting I can not get enough of the surf and doing downwinders, it is truly what I enjoy most now about kitesurfing, I was there on Saturday doing a downwinder with the boys and can only reccommend to every kiteboarder to do this but only when you are ready and feel confiedent.

Big AL and Kev cant wait to do it again another epic downwinder day.

ps: Alan I left some business cards on your windscreen I hope you saw them.

Sounds like you didn't secure your kite on the beach with some sand before winding up your lines. Seeing as you were on your own you should have (after pulling your safety) worked your way towards your kite along your 5th line or your flagging line if you have a bow whilst staying attached to your kite leash. Once at the kite, flip over and secure with plenty sand. Only at this point should you wind up your lines. Always stay attached to the kite with your safety leash until the kite is secure. This way you'll never lose your kite or worse injure someone down the beach.

Having a kite buddy is about more than just safety. It's A LOT more fun, particularly in the early phase as you are discovering new techniques and tricks. Also more convenient for launching, landing, downwinder car swaps, drinking beer after etc etc.

I think you should be able to find a buddy on here, maybe create a new topic with that in the subject and post your mobile #.

cheers
Tim

Thanx SCI,

i was set to give up but have gone too far and spent to much to just give up.but i have been going over what happened over and over, everything was going good until some sort of malfunction with the harness or chicken loop, as said lessons were learnt, and the next step from here i think is perhaps a refresher lesson and to try and find a kite buddy but easier said then done, as i dont know anyone and a bit hesitant to talk to people.