Yesteday I ditched my Arc out at Longreef and couldnt get it back up, and had to roll it up and paddle in. I was in the water for about 30-40 mins all up. A windsurfer, and then a clubby on a waveski came over and asked if I was ok, I told them I was fine and thanks for the concern, then, while I was on the beach, a rescue chopper showed up!!? A bloke walking past said that some kitesurfers at Brownwater were freaked out and had called the cops! From the timing, I estimate that I couldnt have been in the water more than 20 mins before it was called. What on earth is going on with kitesurfers?
Is the reason most kiters never venture more than 200m off the beach because they cant swim? Or did someone call in a helicopter so that I wouldnt rip my kite swimming it over the reef?
It's appropriate that we are aware of other kiters, and notice when they are having a bad day, and possibly drop past just to check all is ok if we're unsure, but please, keep the rescue authorities for serious emergencies.
Having to roll up my kite and paddle 400m was an annoyance. It was never going to be a dangerous situation, and it was never anything remotely like an emergency.
I would suggest, to anyone who freaks out when they see someone having to swim in, to relax a little, and wait an see what happens. Give them at least an hour to suffer being a kook, and then see if they are any closer to sorting themselves out.

I thought a 40 minute swim was the minimum initiation requirement for arc-ers?

you can never be soo safe.. i would be thanksful if anything.

If they can clearly see you are alright.. they wont stop you.

Better safe than sorry.....

It wasn't an hour. It was 20 minutes. And in that time a clubbie paddled over to him and asked if he was OK. If I can see the person, and they look OK, I give them longer than 20 minutes before I call the chopper. Goldie says to give the kook an hour before calling the chopper - which I also think is fine. If they seem OK, and aren't far from land, then an hour in the water is unlikely to hurt them.

Back to the longreef thing, how many times have you watched someone swim in for 20 minutes? I've probably had about 8 longer than 20 minute swims back to shore in my kiting life. The only one that was remotely dangerous was in 6C water in northern california, in offshore wind, and the people I was kiting with rode past often to make sure I was OK.

I personally think it's a bit nuts to call the chopper on someone after 20 minutes, when they look fine and appear to be swimming and making progress. I'd feel bad if there was a real emergency somewhere else while the chopper was faffing around with me.

Hey guys give goldie some credit here.....what he did was safely pack up in the water and paddle 400m. It's harder than it looks.

Up until around 2003, the line quality on kites was absolute shyte (the kites were not much better). Seeing someone paddle in after a sudden line snap or the chicken loop breaking was almost an everyday event.....we all did it....no biggie. We kited over to offer help and some times helped bring some gear in etc.

Reading between the lines I would guess that the dudes that called the cops have entered the sport lately (on high quality gear that rarely just snaps) , have probably not seen this before and were trying to help. Shame they didn't kite over to him first to ask but maybe they couldn't ??

Only the cops make the call to get the chopper, in this case unaware of the facts, not the dudes kiting. Feel for ya goldie .....must have been embarrassing but atleast its good to know we are watching out for each other.

i wear a oniell impact vest/pfd and it works great. doesn't show too much and if you do screw up out the back you can relax a little. might be a bit of an issue with a waist harness but you could give it a go

Goldie is some kind of a Man/Fish freak.
What I want to know is why wasn't he flying the nice inflatable relaunchable hybrid kite? You can lead a horse to water......

My first swim in nearly killied me, my bar and lines had snagged on the reef, and I didn't realise for ages, and that was with an inflatable. I really hate to think how heavy a foil filled with water would be, crazy dude

ok kiter789 settle down.
Sorry To Gav and the Fishermans Beach crew if I falsly accused you guys.. (myusernam, who is alex sanz?) I'm pretty sure it was a rescue chopper, it had a winch and all, and it circled right where I had been.

So goldie, correct me if I'm wrong, but basically what you're saying is....

Feel happy that you can complain about people calling a chopper rather than your family demanding why no-one acted.

"pclarky, I didnt get the clubby or the windsurfer to help me, because I didnt need help. I went into the water totally prepared to get myself safely out of any situation that I might have gotten into, I got into a situation, and I got out of it. This is the attitude that anyone doing anything adventurous should have. It is the attitude that all kitesurfers should have. I'm frankly aghast to hear any kitesurfer admit to not being a good swimmer! However I'm realising that the Kitesurfing community includes a lot of people who never expect to be more than 200 m offsore, and fully expect to be helped or rescued when something goes wrong"

There is a lot to be said for personal responsibility - should be more of it.

pclarky, the trouble with taking the lift from the clubby is that it leads clubbies and other authorities (and other kitesurfers) to the perception that kitesurfers need to be helped and/or rescued. Which means kitesurfers are a burden on the authorities, need to be monitored, banned, restricted, licenced and otherwise systemetized. Which is bad for everyone.

tobes yes chopper put it perfectly. and yes I'm sorry, I am a recidivist, and I will never take an arc on a downwinder ever again. i promise.

goldie said...
I will never take an arc on a downwinder ever again. i promise.

I'll hold you to that..........unless you're on ice........no, not the drug, the frozen water.....

Goldie, your post worries me a little. I hope that no-one reads your article and agrees with your strange way of thinking. I hope that if i'm in trouble offshore and am lucky enough to be spotted, that my potential life saver fails to raise the alarm because he believes it would be uncool or make him a "kook" in some way. Be careful what you wish for...