Just a caution to beware of your gear and other people's gear lying around the beach in this area. usually dont have a problem but yesterday had a weird encounter with someone trying to take/steal my kite from the beach.
I pumped my kite at the beach, threw sand on it to stop it blowing away, went back to my car to gear up and get my board/lines etc...not away for more than 5 min walked back down beach to find a middle aged late 30s/40ish, balding, stocky south african gent (darren from durban if anyone knows him) deflating and rolling up my kite in a hurry.
I walked up asked what he doing....he apologised profusely saying he though someone abandoned their kite on the beach...if its their after dark, fair enough, but i wasnt away for more than 5 min before he decided to snatch it as his own...Anyway, he was nice about it, pumped it back up for me (outta guilt??) anyway didnt get worked up about it as just wasnt in a getting worked up kinda mood, seemed friendly enough...but just didnt seem 'right'.
Anyway, just be careful leaving your **** on the beach down there just in case, and if anyone knows this character, say g'day to him for me ;)
Mish
Well at least he seemed friendly enough about trying to steal your kite.. lol
In my experience, thieves and scammers are usually the people you would least expect..
I think if someone had delayed you a few minutes more for getting back from the carpark, you wouldn't have seen 'darren' or your kite for dust.
Good to warn people though, because after that friendly response 'darren' might try it again.
Mate well done on holding it together and taking the less confrontational path. After all, in the end you got your Kite back. I can unequivocally say if someone was packing up my kite they wouldn't be walking themselves back off the beach. Not proud of that fact by the way, you are obviously a better man with some good self control. Hint...don't touch my farqen kites.
Howzit? Darren from Durban here, as if I was going to give that man my real name.
I like Terminal's idea about delaying the kiter, I will get a boy to help me next time.
Anyway check me in the buy n sell I have a few things for sale, like some kites for as little as 100 rand
Misha you got played by a pro. Worked out that story long in advance. Was probably sh!tting himself the entire time he was so nice and friendly to you, wondering if you'd follow him to car, take photos, report him to cops etc, knowing that his future and possibly freedom depended on whether he could convince you he was a nice guy in the next few minutes. And he pulled it off.
