Reported in Herald Sun, Victoria today.......
A KITE surfer has been rescued by police after getting into difficulty near Brighton last night.
Water Police and the Air Wing frantically searched for the missing 41-year-old with just minutes until sunset, leaving the bay in blackness.
Members of the public called 000 at 4.50pm after seeing the kite surfer go down about 3km from Green Point and not come back up for almost 50 minutes.
Police found a kite floating about 2.5km offshore, but there was no sign of the missing Malvern East man.
He was eventually found attempting to swim to safety, just 300 metres from the shore, at about 5.30pm.
He did not suffer any injuries and did not require any medical treatment.
The man told officers he had decided to ditch his kite and attempt to swim to shore.
Water Police Leading Senior Constable Gary Squires said police were relieved to have located the man safe and well.
All crews knew there were only a few minutes on the clock until it was pitch black out there on the bay, he said.
Leading Sen Const Squires said conditions can change quickly out on the water.
Always remember to let someone know where you are going, stay in contact with someone on shore and dont wait for bad weather to arrive.
And if you are planning to dump any equipment while out on the water, alert police as soon as you arrive back on land, he added.
Glad he is ok.
If you're reading this, you could have used your kite rolled up as a buoyancy aid and paddled to shore, very little wind resistance and reduces risk of drowning due to exhaustion. Ask any kite school for a refresher, cost you $90 for an hour lesson.
Thanks to the guys that rang this in. I am very grateful. Thanks too for the messages from people who have made suggestions etc. I'm not into social media forums etc but have signed up here just so I can say thanks to the people that helped. Very embarrassing incident. There have been lots of incorrect facts reported so I do want to set the record straight. It was late when I set out (4 pm) but a reasonable wind still. Knowing northerlies are flaky I used my 12 metre and headed as hard up wind and a fair way out to try to get more solid wind and get further upwind still. At the farthest point out the wind died totally and kite went to water. Tried re-launching numerous times to no avail. Was probably 2.5 kms out so wrapped my lines, shoved the bar in my footstraps, clipped the board to my safety leash and went to secure the kite for the swim back. In zero wind I let go of the kite to check my lines and Murphy's law struck - a small gust took the kite and it was headed away. I had no intention of abandoning it but to swim after it away from shore at that time would have been stupid so I resigned myself to a long swim back and a purchase of a new kite. Swam slowly in a thick wetsuit and dragging my board and bar probably a bit over 2 kms when I was mortified to see choppers searching for me. Then the coast guard and water police came and asked me to get in. I apologised and said I was more than prepared to swim back as I never go past a point when I can't swim. They insisted I get in which I did. Police were great. I dropped in again today to say thanks and drop a case of beer to them. They asked if I could spread the word to label all kites with your name, licence number and mobile phone so if any of your gear gets found they can quickly contact you to check if you are ok and call off a search. This is the other reason I signed up to post this as it's something good that can come out of it. Out of thanks to the police please do this with your kites and boards etc (I only ever labelled my board)... Thanks again to the good vibes from most in a very embarrassing incident.
To the not so good vibes from suniboy21... I've kited for 7 years and not had a single incident requiring anyone's help until this. Yes - it was a mistake to go out at that time in the northerly. A few facts for you: I always check the forecast and take what I think are reasonable risks. I never go anywhere near as far as I know I can swim. I always tell someone I am going and where. In the 7 years I've kited I have rescued a number of people who got themselves in trouble but didn't make them feel worse by judging them for a mistake or if they were a beginner.
I never expected to be rescued and lost grip of my kite so never wanted to abandon it. I was in no danger and am sorry to have wasted people's time and am thankful to the guys who rang in as they would not have known if I was in big trouble or not. Guess you've not made a mistake in life Suniboy? But if you would like to come out from behind your online cave you can email through seabreeze and I will gladly meet you in person to sort this out as you seem quite worked up by it.
Thanks to everyone else and see you out on the water doing the sport we all love! Sorry to all who spent their time on my mistake!
Glad ya safe man and all is well. What's more they found ya kite, cool.
What's sunniboy going on about can't read any of his comments on this thread?
Thanks eppo - this is the main thread : www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Victoria/Brighton-kiteboarder-in-trouble-late-yesterday/
Select to expand quoteJamesC99 said..
Thanks to the guys that rang this in. I am very grateful. Thanks too for the messages from people who have made suggestions etc. I'm not into social media forums etc but have signed up here just so I can say thanks to the people that helped. Very embarrassing incident. There have been lots of incorrect facts reported so I do want to set the record straight. It was late when I set out (4 pm) but a reasonable wind still. Knowing northerlies are flaky I used my 12 metre and headed as hard up wind and a fair way out to try to get more solid wind and get further upwind still. At the farthest point out the wind died totally and kite went to water. Tried re-launching numerous times to no avail. Was probably 2.5 kms out so wrapped my lines, shoved the bar in my footstraps, clipped the board to my safety leash and went to secure the kite for the swim back. In zero wind I let go of the kite to check my lines and Murphy's law struck - a small gust took the kite and it was headed away. I had no intention of abandoning it but to swim after it away from shore at that time would have been stupid so I resigned myself to a long swim back and a purchase of a new kite. Swam slowly in a thick wetsuit and dragging my board and bar probably a bit over 2 kms when I was mortified to see choppers searching for me. Then the coast guard and water police came and asked me to get in. I apologised and said I was more than prepared to swim back as I never go past a point when I can't swim. They insisted I get in which I did. Police were great. I dropped in again today to say thanks and drop a case of beer to them. They asked if I could spread the word to label all kites with your name, licence number and mobile phone so if any of your gear gets found they can quickly contact you to check if you are ok and call off a search. This is the other reason I signed up to post this as it's something good that can come out of it. Out of thanks to the police please do this with your kites and boards etc (I only ever labelled my board)... Thanks again to the good vibes from most in a very embarrassing incident.
To the not so good vibes from suniboy21... I've kited for 7 years and not had a single incident requiring anyone's help until this. Yes - it was a mistake to go out at that time in the northerly. A few facts for you: I always check the forecast and take what I think are reasonable risks. I never go anywhere near as far as I know I can swim. I always tell someone I am going and where. In the 7 years I've kited I have rescued a number of people who got themselves in trouble but didn't make them feel worse by judging them for a mistake or if they were a beginner.
I never expected to be rescued and lost grip of my kite so never wanted to abandon it. I was in no danger and am sorry to have wasted people's time and am thankful to the guys who rang in as they would not have known if I was in big trouble or not. Guess you've not made a mistake in life Suniboy? But if you would like to come out from behind your online cave you can email through seabreeze and I will gladly meet you in person to sort this out as you seem quite worked up by it.
Thanks to everyone else and see you out on the water doing the sport we all love! Sorry to all who spent their time on my mistake!
Hi James
I'm not interested in the keyboard warrior stuff at all. Glad you are Ok, and all ended well. When I read your report of what happened I immediately thought, how did you end up with your bar and lines, but lose the kite?
During a self rescue scenario like you experienced, you should keep the leash attached to the flagging line, the first step if the wind has dropped is to wind in 20 turns (around the bar) at least of the flagging line, so that you make the flagging line shorter than the other 3 lines by the approximate length of the leading edge of your kite. This keeps the kite flagged, even if the wind picked back up. Then wind the rest of the lines onto the bar and secure with a couple of half hitches when you are at the kite. Never, ever, disconnect the lines.
Even in very light wind you can lay in one side of the kite and hold the tip thats in the air with your bar and direct yourself back to land. If the wind has dropped out completely or turned offshore and you are 2-3klms offshore, stay with the kite, far great chance of rescue and survival.
Many people on these forums seem to want to advise that you should let down your kite if you are becalmed or caught in offshore winds, and then swim in. This is foolish advice often given by folks who have never attempted such a thing.
Once you let your kite down its game over, even if the wind picks back up you are done.
Once the kite is deflated you are now very hard to see, and you have a soggy kite that you in theory are meant to roll up (not easy to do, and oops did you remember to clip off your struts before you launched). If you forgot to clip off all the struts, well its really game over and you will need to swim without the kite.
Best advice is never kite alone, but if you do make sure someone knows when you are expected back and where you actually went out. Hope this helps you and anyone reading?
I think in situations like this it's fair enough for the kitemare victim to invoke the Jerry Springer bogan guest mantra of "You weren't there! You don't know me". Sure, by the sounds of it an error of judgement going out at that time in those conditions but his guess of better wind offshore could just have well have been correct. If no one saw his kite go down he would have been able to wallow in his own, no doubt scolding, self flaggelation for losing his kite when he made it back to shore, which was going to be the case.
I dropped my kite and tripped the fifth line once and had a go at bringing myself back into shore holding onto the wing tips. Was working okay but the current was ripping me sideways pretty quickly and had it not been for a pretty small tide I would have no doubt ended up on some nasty rocks down wind. While this was happening some well intentioned guy cruised up and started telling me how to self rescue properly. I was willing to take on his advice had it not been for me being tangled up in the lines, negating everything he was saying. He took my board in and helped out but was still adament I was doing it wrong.
In short, if you weren't there, in the same current, with the same wind, the same equipment malfunctions its very hard for anyone to pitch in and say.. Dude, what where you thinking, you should have done it this way. Cause really, you have no idea.
Glad you are ok mate!....Personally I would have **** scared if that was me in that situation.....In situations like this everybody is going to have opinion one way or another. Best thing is to take what works for you and leave behind what doesn't and ignore those who use it as a way of boosting there own sense of self importance through judging another's actions. Look for the gold nuggets in the grass from the experience....
Thanks to kitepower and last 2 messages- appreciate some friendly advice and comments!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us James. Good to hear that you got out of it safely with only your pride in tatters 
A couple of my thoughts on this - all of us who kite should really be comfortable swimming 2km. I try to get to the pool twice a week and I've found it helps a lot. Your wetsuit and harness provide a bit of buoyancy which will help a bit on the open water. I get the feeling there are a few of us out there who take this sport on without the requisite fitness. If James had not been a capable swimmer (well it sounds like you are from the recap of the events) and the police had not been called it could have been a different story.
My opinion on Brighton is that it only really works in a solid NWer - if you go out in a true northerly, it's actually slightly off shore, and the land shadow effect generates a real dead spot close to shore which you often have to work to get through. This means you end up doing your session further off shore - which means that the curve of the bay results in the first bit of land directly down wind from you being in Mornington/Safety beach - that's a long body drag! The Fawkner beacon chart for yesterday indicated it was mostly a northerly all day, except for the brief moment when you launched (D'oh).
Good to hear you got home safe and sound though, I think most of us have been caught out in a few questionable moments. I've lost my board on a 30 know SWer there, only to have it pin itself up on the fence of the Brighton Sea Baths, which meant climbing along the fence out to the board, and then climbing back, "sticking" the board to the fence using the strong wind so I could use both hands to hold the rusty bars. Untidy.
This >>>>>>>>>>>>> "all of us who kite should really be comfortable swimming 2km" .Should almost be mandatory.
Seen so many people that kite, that would struggle to kick a football in the park yet still think they can strap themselves to a 12m kite and take off into the open ocean.
IMO being able to swim 2km is a bit excessive. Even surf life savers only need to swim 800m in a certain time. I do agree though if scuba diving and other water sports have a minimum water safety requirement to participate then kiting should as well. I also firmly believe for a sport like kiting there should be some kind of certification program and advancement levels as it is an equipment intensive sport with plenty of inherent risk.
2 km might seem excessive but have a think how fast you go on a kiteboard and how much distance you can cover in a short time. Add to this you are usually sorting things out in swell or waves and a strong breeze 2 km is not unrealistic.
The other bonus of good fitness is that when things turn pear shaped you can keep your head as you're not struggling physically. So when your kite is inside out, and not launching, in a 2 m swell you'll think back to your training and follow the steps.
A 2km swim is not particularly hard to do. The trick is to develop an easy stroke that you can keep up for ages. It's not a race, provided you have a decent wetsuit and don't pass out from hypothermia.
Ultimately the distance is irrelevant. You just don't go out further than you are prepared to swim and in conditions that you are not prepared to deal with.
Select to expand quotekitebt said..
IMO being able to swim 2km is a bit excessive.
For a regular & reasonably quick swimmer, 2km is:
a) A half-hour pool swim
b) Bare minimum workout
Thanks for sharing mate and glad to hear you are safe and sound after a kitemare.
It's definately hard to come on these forums and pose as a target for those who wish to stop on your decisions cause "they know better" but from the rest of us, thanks for sharing and thanks to the guys who have posted some useful tips on self rescue.
Fortunately, I have never had to attempt a self rescue however now that you mention it, my next session will end on a blast upwind and then a self rescue back to shore. Just to make sure I understand what the procedure is.
Thanks mate and safe kiting!
Funny I had never had to self rescue until last season...13 years later!!! I just had a patch of kitemares, one after the other...this one being the final straw...
Luckily there has been some great vids and discussions on here over the years, some great ones last season...and when about the same distance out (nah maybe half actually, but still a bloody long way as the sun is setting...lost wind...shifted from a southerely to south easterley and died in the ass, just enough time for the prick to go in the water...
Funny went through all the procedures mentioned here in my head. Frigged and fragged about a bit, but finally got into the swing of things...did the old safety wrap the length of the wing thingy ...wound them up, sailed the kite in etc (Luckily there was just enough south left unlike the poor fella above)...
and because it was an edge I only ended up 350-450m from my starting position!...I swear I was going upwind in some sections when the wind suddenly swung back around now and then ha ha ha, they pull like bitches even when ya sitting on them....lol! Bloody fingers were sore just holding the damn bridals...
but message is, yeh good idea trialing it before it really happens.
And just to reiterate the request from the police etc. If you do lose your kite and/or board, please advise the local coast guard/police to prevent any unnecessary search and rescue operation. They all carry risk for those involved.
I've had my best and worse winter kiting experiences at the beach in question. Kiting in Victoria this time of year shows a certain level of commitment and we have to take the rough with the smooth this time of year.
I'm glad everyone got home in one piece.
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
...
and because it was an edge I only ended up 350-450m from my starting position!...I swear I was going upwind in some sections when the wind suddenly swung back around now and then ha ha ha, they pull like bitches even when ya sitting on them....lol! Bloody fingers were sore just holding the damn bridals...
but message is, yeh good idea trialing it before it really happens.
It best to wrap the length of bridle round your harness hook a couple of times. It's much more comfortable and reduces the risk of shredding your fingers.
I have never disconnected the bar from the kite in the water. It never really crossed my mind to do it. It can be a pain to manage and there will be some tangling to sort out but it's better than risking dropping the bar and losing it.
I've never done the depower line wrapping thing either. The times I have had to self rescue the wind had disappeared so there was no real wind to deal with. Most times I have thought about self rescue the wind has come back so I was able to relaunch. One one occasion I was wearing a buoyancy vest and it was a nice day so it was quite pleasant to float along waiting for the wind to come back. One feels very "super" emerging powered from the water after a long lull.
With a Sector 60 you can sit in the kite but lean your upper body on the board and use the fins of the board for traction. You can go upwind almost as well as a dinghy in that configuration. It's kind of fun.
