Here's a quick post I made to the Wellington Kitesurfing mailing list about my adventures yesterday. To re-iterate, I'm ok, my gear got lightly damaged but nothing unrecoverable and it was a great learning experience.
went out at Seatoun yesterday on my 10m. Wind was dying so I grabbed my big board and went out (lots of people on 12s and a 14 and 16) Things were going pretty well until I hit a lull just beyond the rocks (think it's called Temple rock?) started kiting downwind to keep the speed up, but the board got snagged in the kelp, and I ended up pulled off of it. As I was struggling in the kelp to get my board, one of my lines snagged the small rock that juts out about 20m out of the main formation, so I couldn't relaunch. Drifted to the rock to untangle but the kite slipped in behind the big formation, all 4 lines snagged there.
The bridle snagged on the rocks as well, so I swam toward the rocks, climbed them, untangled all 4 lines, wound the lines then worked on freeing the kite. btw that rock is mostly barnacles and mussels. Not something I'd recommend.
Finally, got everything cleaned up as best I could, hopped in the water and started swimming to shore but could hear the outboard motor of the SLSC boat coming. Thank god, that was going to be a long swim.
I kept the entire kite inflated, but in retrospect, speaking to various people, it would have been wiser to deflate the leading edge and use the struts for floatation.
Once again I'm super thankful for everyone who came over to check on me, help and give me tips! Also thanks again to Brian who called SLSC to fish me out. This just re-affirms my decision never to kite alone. I'd have been right stuffed if i'd been the only one on the beach.
