Thursday+Friday

[bandito]

Bandito i don’t know you but was very worried about you like so many others who stayed on the shore. I had to leave but was calling to get update.
Myself and a couple others were also stuck in water and swam for what it seems eternity!!!, how ever we got in shortly before 5.
It was so heartwarming and reassuring to see David awaiting us on the shore while arranging coast guards and to see Michael paddling around to help people.
Thank you so much to you both. Much love. Also thanks to others who stayed until you were found.
Bandito, it is a very Good Friday. You maybe terrified but so so determined and lucky to be alive. Very very happy for you and your family

by bandito » Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:54 pm
Michael wrote:
Crazy wind shut down, coast guard finally found Benito!

The Coast guard didn't find me.....



actually I made it barely back to shore downwind on 16th . over 2 hours in the water and started shivering after n hour, I thought that was it for me. saw the coast guards lights on me a couple times but they were not seeing me as they were too far. if the wind didn't pick up again , the tide down currents would have made it impossible to make it back to shore as I was way too far. Only the coast guards would had made a chance then that I survive.Thanks for calling them and for that kiter that was looking for me on is bicycle down to the airport. A resident called the search 2 boats party off, thanks Everyone for your concerns n great efforts !!!!!

Man , if I didn't had my 6/5mm wet suit wt hoody + extra fleece under +
mitts, I would have freeze out.

Friday from hell it was.

[bandito]

The wind clocking south isn't that uncommon and isn't that big of a deal for kiters. When that happens there is still plenty of south wind to self rescue back to shore in less than 20 minutes.

The issue that causes coastguard calls is when the wind quickly switches from SE to W and then it's directly off shore.

wind.png

When this happens kiters have these options:
1) Ditch your kite and swim to shore (hard to throw $1000 in to the ocean though)
2) Swim against the wind with your kite leading edge down, I did this in the summer at Jericho in this vlog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YP28xYlQ3E&t=130s and it was hard
3) Deflate your kite and swim in pulling a sea anchor (keep struts inflated for some floatation)

Always dress for the swim, not for the kite.

Glad to hear everybody made it in safe. Yesterday's forecast was pretty off the mark.

I really tought to ditch my kite for a while but im glad I didn't as I was really far out n currents of low tide taking me south n west!!!! I don't think I would have been able to paddle back as I was shivering and I doubt I had the power to paddle forcefully against current n west wind. I can see wt this graph what happen, im glad by 5 its started to body drag me wt kite as a sail down to 16av north side...made it on land by around 6 20 pm.
------------------------------------------
if the wind didn't come back I would have probably need the rescuers to find me or be death before midnight unless water low enough to walk. I'm not telling my girlfriend that one...

[Faceplant]

That’s crazy. Glad you made it back. I saw you heading out around 2:45 when I left. Getting out of the water at 6:20
Brutal graph.

[C36]

Bandito i don’t know you but was very worried about you like so many others who stayed on the shore. I had to leave but was calling to get update.
Myself and a couple others were also stuck in water and swam for what it seems eternity!!!, how ever we got in shortly before 5.
It was so heartwarming and reassuring to see David awaiting us on the shore while arranging coast guards and to see Michael paddling around to help people.
Thank you so much to you both. Much love. Also thanks to others who stayed until you were found.
Bandito, it is a very Good Friday. You maybe terrified but so so determined and lucky to be alive. Very very happy for you and your family

Happy to help. Glad everyone made it in safely.



Hype. I have learned it is always a danger sign when your coworkers say things like, "You must be looking forward to the wind storm tomorrow!?!", thanks to all of the EC wind-bomb hype. Second warning sign was there was no rain in the forecast. Third warning sign was the crank-n-tank rollercoaster graph and I tried to ignore it (these usually lead to frustrating days). But by mid afternoon the graph looked like it had stabilized, although modest. Daylight was burning so it was now of never. Arrived to glassy water and Tsawwassen tombstoned and heard tales of a rigfest kinda day. Perfect. Wind looked to be rebounding so rigged 116/5.3 and got my suit on. Took to the water and rattled my saber and caught a few puffs.

Then it got strange - wind shut off. Luckily I had told myself to stay in close enough that I could walk in if needed. Tippy toe walking until the offshore wind was strong enough to nurse a ride in. Three windsurfers and one kite still out adrift and it was getting close to twilight. Tsawwassen paddled his SUP out and I got on the phone to the Coast Guard to put them on notice. James had already called for Bandito and kept calling back as the windsurfers made it in one at a time.


Peter with binoculars and James kept watch. Rescue boat arrived. A couple of kiters drove out of the city to help with the search. Lubo and I walked the beach up to 3rd and another rode up north. Hovercraft arrived.


They searched. Finally word came back Bandito was in at Beach Grove. All were relieved.

mini-gallery (better for mobile devices)
Slideshow

[bandito]

Bandito i don’t know you but was very worried about you like so many others who stayed on the shore. I had to leave but was calling to get update.
Myself and a couple others were also stuck in water and swam for what it seems eternity!!!, how ever we got in shortly before 5.
It was so heartwarming and reassuring to see David awaiting us on the shore while arranging coast guards and to see Michael paddling around to help people.
Thank you so much to you both. Much love. Also thanks to others who stayed until you were found.
Bandito, it is a very Good Friday. You maybe terrified but so so determined and lucky to be alive. Very very happy for you and your family

Happy to help. Glad everyone made it in safely.



Hype. I have learned it is always a danger sign when your coworkers say things like, "You must be looking forward to the wind storm tomorrow!?!", thanks to all of the EC wind-bomb hype. Second warning sign was there was no rain in the forecast. Third warning sign was the crank-n-tank rollercoaster of graph and tried to ignore it (these usually lead to frustrating days), but mid afternoon the graph looked like it had stabilized, although modest. Daylight was burning so it was now of never. Arrived to glassy water and Tsawwassen tombstoned and tails of rigfest day. Perfect. Wind looked to be rebounding so rigged 116/5.3 and got my suit on. Took to the water and rattled my saber and caught a few puffs. Then it got strange - wind shut off. Luckily I had told myself to stay in close enough that I could walk in if needed. Tippy toe walking until the offshore wind was strong enough to nurse a ride in. Three windsurfers and one kite still out adrift and it was getting close to twilight. Tsawwassen paddled his SUP out and I got on the phone to the Coast Guard to put them on notice. James had already called for Bandito and kept calling back as the windsurfers made it in one at a time.


Peter with binoculars and James kept watch. Rescue boat arrived. A couple of kiters drove out of the city to help with the search. Lubo and I walked the beach up to 3rd and another rode up north. Hovercraft arrived.


They searched. Finally word came back Bandito was in at Beach Grove. All were relieved.

mini-gallery (better for mobile devices)
Slideshow

Thanks to all again for your concerns and efforts!