My sister who is an Ambulance Officer tells me she was called out to Kurnell last Friday night to search for a kiteboarder (a Qantas Pilot) who was lost after dark. She said 2 rescue helicopters and Water Police were called in for the search. He managed to flag down some fishermen at Towra point and got a lift back. Glad to here you made it out alright mate! Hope they didnt stick you with the bill.

and that post from steve just shows one of the reasons i'm excited about starting kiteboarding.

That's community!

Man thats so good of you steve.

NICE .....very very nice Steve.
No doubt in my mind - kiters are without doubt THE BEST group of ppl to be part of I have EVER come across.
And ur quite right tWp it is another great reason to kite.

It was me. What an embarassing night! Was out in a 20kt WSW breeze having a great time when it swung about 20 degrees to the south. I couldn't lay Kurnell and the wind had lightened so I sailed over to Towra reserve near a boat. Thought I could walk back to the road (which you can't as I tried both sides).

I left my gear on the shore and swam out to the boat and asked them to ring my wife and tell her I'd be late but was on land and OK. The guys in the boat were sticking around and were going to give me lift back if I couldn't get through on foot. The problem arose when they called my wife and told her I was swimming in Botany Bay (had to swim out to talk to them!)

Was walking back from the North side of reserve after being unable to get through to get a lift with these guys when the choppers turned up. My wife had thought I was stuck in the bay and the police had been called. They had to call the ambos because the choppers had been dispatched.

I felt like a real goose that all this had happened because of me and miss communication. The police and ambos were excellent and it is great to know the system works, but I feel like a dick-head for getting them out unnecessarily.

Next time I'll just swim back to Kurnell as my plan B to walk out from Towra was not really an option. Kurnell is tricky at the best of times but an un-forecast wind change can make it more so.

Sorry to have drawn unnecessary attention to Kiting at Kurnell and apologies and thanks again to the Police and Ambos who were excellent.

Hey Paulio
I love your gran too, and hundreds of other wrinklies do too!

Are you going to put bindings on your surfboard?

Seriously, put your own phone number and kitepower's (9529 6894) on your board or bar, then call us or get people like the fishermen to call us, we will come and get you, but there might be beer tax involved.

And I guess we have learned about w and sw winds at Kurnell.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

Buy an Aqua Pac for $38 - 44 stick your mobile in under your wetsuit. Then call Steve direct for his pick up service.

Added bonus you don't loose your phone when the Bas...s break into your car.

I've had one for years, no prolems.

What a bugger other kitesurf shops aren't as close to the water as Steve.

Ian Grose

It's a strange story indeed...

It's about a Qantas pilot who swims to a boat after a sudden windshift takes his kite offcourse.
He asks the fishos in the boat if they can send a mayday to the missus, her name being Miss Communication.

Well, not really a mayday, just asks them to phone the 'trouble & strife' to say he'll be late for dinner.
Anyway, the fishos screw-up the message of course and end up freaking the wife into blind panic.
She dials 000 and all hell breaks loose and the Bay becomes a scene out of a Hollywood action movie.


Question: Can anyone tell me the moral to the story?

Anyone?

PS.[KP's advice is wise of course]

Sydney local now.

Thanks Steve its great to know that you can help out. I hope to never need your services... and yes many good lessons were learned!