drewpweiner said..timmybuddhadude said..
We called a helicopter out for a nice sth african chap last week in prevally.1.5km km out. Didnt see the signs wind dropped on him(12) he did all the right things released kite loose after rafting' it in offshore wind for a bit..20min before dark as spied with binoculours ...and started to swim back. found by rescue boat with heli aid two hrs after dark. Only a rashie and surfboard.cold too...

Poor bloke, must of been scared sh!tless paddling in the dark in the ocean! That is another reason not to go out that far during sketchy periods like this.
Drewp...

.....its really fine if you are experienced enough to read the signs..or if you are with a group of people who are experienced enough who warn you. I,like many..love going far out...its such a great adventure.But i will know the kite well especially if i fixed it or would have done a few attempts on 300m shore things with it prior etc. There can be so much to see out there round the back of pengos...abrolhos..other islands and reefs etc..and so easy to get in and out. I would never have learnt this however if it wasnt for experienced long term WA etc kiters waggling hands at me to warn me when out there. I have seen many a good kiter non sponsored type warn people prior either 'not to go out..its changing direction and in a lull' in spots such as gero etc. If you dont listen to them you are really taking your life into your own hands..particularly at a new spot .
In this case i did run down and catch this kiter just as he was loaded up at water shore and gave a warning.not that i'm amazing at all and allways learning as all are...but there were dozens of other wsurfers/kiters around..noone went out..kiters because we all had 7's and 9's...

...it didnt feel right
This seems to happen alot to people who visit for a day or two or week. Or need to get their 'day in' no matter what..
I met the wife who came down after. noone could help him... maybe in the first half an hr if we had a fifteen.
When dusk came and we couldnt see him anymore at least we knew he had ditched kite finally to paddle in on board. It really was two hrs after dark+ & V sad to see. Think he's fine though just shocked...
Whatever darren marshell action sports said on that other post about going far out is the way it is and gospel..