Hi All,

Sorry for the panic! I feel like a true spaz!

I was the culprit,

I had my 18mt Rhino up in light winds(9-12) at Boat Harbour. Left the shore at 2.30pm had one tack out then the kite dropped as the wind turned E NE I was floating in the drink for about an 1hr.I pulled my surefire spreader QR and my Chicken loop and it was caught on one of my lines.I mangaged to loosen my floating chicken loop from the line then proceed to try relaunch. I managed to relaunch when I got to the southern end of Boat Harbour. I body dragged about 50mt into land then my arms had no strength to hold and I let go of the bar(back to the gym workout my Popeye forearms)I was right in the fat part of ocean between Boat Harbour and Wanda(Scary).

My lines had about 5 twists in it, I didnt have the energy to untwist without seeing stars. I could still steer the kite inland so I left the twists in. I was going to pull the safety once I body dragged closer to shore. So the first weak-arm-let-go happened. Then 10minutes after a second relaunch finally eventuated (wind had picked up). I was determined to hold on for dear life, However my weak puny fingers could'nt take it as a gust came thru and I let go.(BTW the lines were so twisted that my bar could go all the way to the kite, Thus kiteloops and many unwanted drinks of salt water, Nothing to nasty but I was a bit freaked) The line snapped after I let go the 2nd time. I didnt know why, Maybe a blessing from God? I did ask him to help me a few times whilst in this dilemma.( I fear being eaten By sharks too if you didnt already know) I was actually hoping to relaunch a 3rd time and make it to shore. Thank the lord Jebus he took me only a heartbeat away from the shore so I was OK.

I was much closer to shore now waves were crashing and I was happy to see the sand. I mangaged to catch a few small waves in and was watching my kite float of to Cronulla.

I was thinking:
1. Should I chase my kite down to Cronulla on foot?
2. Walk back to my buddies at Boat Harbour?

My thoughts:
1.F%$# the kite Ba$T@#D almost killed me!!!
2.Yes they have a car, I dont want to swim anymore.
3. On the walk back: What are these weird blue things washed up on the beach?

Finally I reached my friends. We packed up and headed towards Wanda. We apprached a Surf Lifesaving Tower and asked the pretty young Lifesavers If they had seen a an Orange 18mt Kite Floating around?

They said:
OMG! your the drowned guy? That owns this kite?
I Said:
Drowned? No! I am here! Yes it is my kite!

They Screamed:
Blah blah blah We found the drowned guy...with the kite!!! Into the walky talky!

I thought:
Holy crap! What the hell is going on?

After talking to 6 lifesavers and a Police officer I managed to get my kite back.

Thankyou Wanda SurfClub and Thankyou for the concerned Kiters out there. It is truly great to know there is a great community of Kiters in the big city!

Thanks Mike and Kris (Kiters) who raised the alarm and thanks again the Wanda Surf Club. Thanks to Glen and Adam for keeping their eye out for me.

Sorry again for any unwanted panic. The Police and the Lifesavers were glad that it was a positive outcome.

My lessons are:

1.Dont go out in Crappy light Winds that are not constant
2.Dont Panic(Although Im a shark freek I really didnt have time to scare myself...OK I did a little but I just didnt look down...much)
3.Build Bigger Arms..eat more spinach
4.Join Surf Clubs In my Local area..They Truly do a great job!
5.Always kite with friends!
6.Always wear a Bouyancy vest(IF I didnt have one I would of easily drowned from exhaustion)
7.Those black spots in the ocean arent always sharks!(I dont know really...Im just Deluding myself)
8. Go to Church!

Thanks Drew for your concern!!!!! Im OK!!!

Glad you made it to land Alan and I went out after the kite got picked up by the good people of Wanda surf club. you were in are thought all the time we were out.Hoping it was not a shark hit.

Thanks Kevin! Were you riding the CAUTION kite? I met you at Brighton Once. Thanks for your concern it is really nice we have such a good community here. I honestly didnt think it would cause such a dilemma but is nice to know other fellow kiters are thinking about you.

Im not looking forward to the spagetti I have to untangle with my bar an lines!

Yes I was on the Caution Say hellow next time at Brighton

glad to hear you are OK, and you have now got the kite back

Sounds like a not too pleasant experience

Drew

Hi Uber trust it to be you...I was out with Kev (I was on a red Rhino4 18) occasionally looking in the water to see if a limb floated by thinking this'll put the fear of god into Uber (the well known Selachophobia'ist) wait till he hears about this. Well I'm glad your OK. Did you have your shark shield on? How are we supposed to rescue you next time knowing that you may have a 20K volt zapper dangling around your backside? You should have a warning on your lifejacket "approach with care" otherwise we could light up like a christmas tree!

haha u must of been **** scared. can u post the story??

Kitesurfer's Great White Battle

A KITE surfer was forced fight off a 6 meter Great White more than an hour to safety after losing his kite off a southern Sydney beach yesterday.
A large search and rescue operation was launched at Wanda beach, near Cronulla, about 4pm when a surf kite was found by fishermen 2.5km off the coast.
The search was abandoned after a 29-year old Leichhardt man with massive biceps arrived at Elourea Surf Club to say he was safe and well.
The man said he had been forced to Fight off a 6 meter Great White Shark for 90 minutes in windy conditions after losing his kite when the Great white tried to bite him unmercifully while surfing out to sea off the beach.


Now thats NEWS!!!! Yeah right!

To the Kiter flying the Flysurfer Speed at the weekend........you need to take into consideration that you are not the only kiter on the water.

If another kiter has accidentally crashed into you and they've had to pull all their safety releases......common sense says you should pull your safety to prevent the situation becoming dangerous. The girl who crashed into you had lines caught around her body and you were trying to relaunch with those lines over yours......what were you thinking?

Also, your attitude of telling her she should go upwind instead of ending up in your way is ludicrous as the area you were kiting in is a known newbie spot and we all know it takes time to learn how to get upwind. We were all beginners at one stage and as a more experienced kiter you should be the one responsbile for keeping out of a beginners way.

I was out there all weekend and you clearly have no consideration for anyone but yourself, that is not how the sport is going to progress safely and successfully. Take responsibility for your own actions when kiting instead of finding ways of blaming others.

Kiting may be an individual sport however we need to act like a team, looking out for each other.