To whom it may concern,
Today between 3.30 - 4.30pm, you lost your kite and I was the kiter who asked you, "Where's your kite, mate!???" when I saw you coming out the water...without a kite
Obviously to say, I could see the look of loss/frustration on your face
when you were walking in (as any sane person would have if they were in your shoes!), and it didn't look like you were about to try and find it yourself?? So I thought, "what the heck - may as well do a downwinder into the middle of the Swan&try and help you out..."
I sailed downwind a km or so & just when I was about to give-up, I finally spotted something in the distance - spinning further&further downwind - and it looked like a kite! It was right in the middle of a yacht race & when I was able to catch up with it, it was powering up & going madly downwind - pretty much on its way to the Kwinana freeway!
Thankfully, there was a powerboat in the area, so I waited for the kite to 'try and settle', grabbed&secured it, and then they helped retrieve it onto their boat.
But instead of trying to cut back upwind (i thought it would take an hour at least) I veered off until I reached Pelican Point where another kiter kindly gave me a lift back up to Melville.
As I did not see you afterward, I don't know if you are aware that your kite (together with bar&lines) were recovered
And I don't know if you possibly already tracked it down yourself???
I have the details of the person to contact in case, as I went to the local yacht club South of Perth around 7-7.30pm&they mentioned that they just heard one of their officials talking about the retrieval of a kite.
so let me know/PM me either way mate!
Cheers!
-your friendly neighbourhood kite-rescuer
Well done "the tank". Should be more people like you. I hope the owner appreciates the effort that you put in.
Tank you are a champion.
Im the guy who was separated from my kite (snapped connection between leash & harness), I remember you asking me the question and you seemed sincerely concerned.
I was actually really concerned about getting my kite back on dry land and after spending the last 30 or so mins swimming to shore I rushed to my car to scope the river. I spotted the kite after driving into Waylen Bay and just as I planned my possible rescue from the jetski area next to the Narrows I the noticed the boat (a race rescue/support boat) heading towards the floundering kite.
I also noticed you heading towards the kite and hanging around the scene. I thought it was a kiter from Pelican.
Anyways, I tracked the power boat back to South Perth Yacht Club, spoke to an official and waited for the boat to return after its duties.
Sooo, I got my kite, bar & lines back intact!!! SO HAPPY!!!...I ended up having a beer with the 2 boat owners as we shared each others' story of the kitemare and rescue. I have sorted them both out accordingly with a carton each.
Tank I am SO grateful for your super human effort. Really impressed!!
I'll PM you and sort you out as well.
Now I'll lick my wounds (of embarrassment) and untangle my birds nest, a small price to pay.
Cheers bud, chat soon, really sorry for the inconvenience!
Great work fellas...what a nice story to read....take that Janet
Reminder that crap happens and for you all the check and test your leashes.....happy kiting. Too windy for my old bones....recon Lano rocked today.
What a pleasant way to wake-up to some kind words this morning!
Mate, I am so glad that you got it all sorted out!
And I am sure you will excuse a bloke for a good sleep-in after yesterday's ordeal
After a nice lil' 2-3 hour downwind session in conditions that were recorded gusting to over 30knots on the river...with my 10m
...I was also quite knackered to say the least! Obviously to mention I'd be waking up with my arms&legs hurting all over
but all's good&worthwhile
Mate, if I had know you had just swam in from the middle of the Swan, and that, after a 2 hour session... I'd have forgiven you for 'not looking as though you were about to go search for your kite!!' ha, sorry mate
But I am glad you managed to sort it out all in the end with those skippers/officials - they seemed like jolly nice fellas when I was shouting at them which lines to grab
(I don't know if you know, but at first they were gonna try grab it with a kind of hook-on-a-pole? I think it would've shredded/punctured your kite!)
Anyway, glad there were no further dramas, and that no one got hurt in the end...and we saved a couple hundred dollars worth of kite, bar&lines!
Good on ya mate!
-your satisfied, content, and 'happy-you're-all-good&safe' kitesurfer friend
