On the Rocks at Hs. Lordships

[OliverG]

Dave and I went down this morning to try and get the kite out of tree. Climbing was not much of an option as it's pretty high up there and wrapped around some boughs at the top. We tried working the bar and lines this way and that with no success, so we ended up pulling down preloading the lines and cutting them. By pulling down hard and cutting, they sprung back up pretty high with only two short ends of lines hanging down a bit.

A tree professional could likely get it down, but it seems the only other option is a lift bucket. In any event, it's deep in there and the lines are cut, so it's very unlikely it'll go anywhere even in a good wind. Hopefully the owner will get it down, or have somebody get it down, when he can.

[steve]

actually, Trang's bill was just shy of $2mil

[Greg]

I had a few pretty close calls at pt. richmond. Got cut up pretty good by the barnacles on the rocks trying to climb out of the water due to not having enough power to get upwind. I didnt want to have to walk the 5 miles back. So I ended up very carefully walking up the mountain of rocks on the other side of the water way trying to get upwind by walking and then riding back to where I started from. Hard to visualize I know but it was really really stupid! I also ended up walking my kite in the air through someone's wedding which basically made everyone stop talking and just stare as the wierdo with lines attached to him hopped through the ceremony. I had no choice at that point but to continue, there were too many buildings and posts to land the kite.

Anyways, that was my last expedition with Don, who I named deathwish Don after seeing him pull some miraculous stunts off with self launches there.

I call it luck, but didnt walk away without learning a lesson. it is truth we should ALL wear helmets. And truthfully they dont look stupid at all. It is just a decision we all make for ourselves.

Just remember that humans were not designed to fly nor swim. we sometimes assume since our gear was developed by a large company that all the risk is on their hands. Everytime that heli flies in we are proven very wrong.

Yuri-
Thank you for posting this.
THIS is the REALITY of what WE DO.. Things happen that are UNINTENDED... We are kite boarding!

You know- THERE are NO KITING SPOTS in the BAY AREA that dont have rocks..
Alameda has MANY hidden dangers- :shock:
Those grassy banks at Sherman are hiding some UGLY STUFF... :? :?
EVERY Spot in the Bay is SURROUNDED by ROCKS------- #-o #-o #-o

OOP'S!- [-(
just to put a Lid on IT!
L.M.G.

[sloughslut]

Any kite with bridels is tough to get outa trees. C kites you could unhook lines on one side of the bar and puller down. i know a tree that still has some ZH lines hanging in it but ill never tell :-" i hope the guy is alright, i dont like helmets but i always wear one.

[david]

He is my friend Tracy. He is ok with bruises and stitches.

[guidoz]

actually, Trang's bill was just shy of $2mil

is this Trang who is now in Mui Ne, Vietnam? I didn't know he had such a horrible accident... when was that?

[david]

actually, Trang's bill was just shy of $2mil

is this Trang who is now in Mui Ne, Vietnam? I didn't know he had such a horrible accident... when was that?

yes, Greg's and Trangs accidents are why I wear a helmet.

[tanker223]

He was on a 11m REV. He got too close to the rocks and slipped on them while trying to negotiate them (I think trying to retrieve his board). His name isn't really important, because I don't think he needs to be reprimanded/ostracized here. The pier already took care of that. I think we can always learn from others MISTAKES, the obvious ones here being wear a helmet and don't negotiate with rocks while strapped to an airplane wing. I hope he got lucky and is doing ok.
With the 14 Contra guy, we are stuck because all we can do is offer advice on how to ride at Berkeley. Our policing is limited to refusing to launch another kite. But expecting others to respect our advice on the authority of "being a local" will only work with those willing to listen.
As for windsurfers hating us, that is kind of a non-issue. They get mad because we have all the fun in the air and get to do all the crazy sh*t and thus steal all of their girlfriends (or boyfriends....) from them and that makes them jealous because all they can do is go out on their archaic boards and get slightly more of an adrenaline rush than a golfer. Cut 'em some slack, it's tough being stuck on the water like that. :)

Seriously, though. Lets try to be constructive out there with safety, rather than worrying about the few windsurfers who will always hate us. Most of them are good peoples. As for this kiter, I'm not sure we could have done more to prevent this, short of creating a state license program to use the water that involves training and rules on safety equipment and buffer zones.

[d.b.]

Here's to Jason for sacking up and getting the kite down from the tree today. I'm a fan of helping out the community, especially at my local beach. I certainly would not have gone to the length Jason did. Hope the owner of the kite appreciates it as much as the rest of us. Cheers

[robert-g]

I thank Jason too! He could of broken his neck.

Tanker 223. Well put! I hear you laud and clear.
If I don't know you, I won't launch you!

Just kidding. This is some good dialogue,
I hope that peolple read this thread and take a positive and realistic aproach to kiting at point emery.