I found myself caught in a severe squall just a few hours ago whilst kiting off Bay 14 at Rosebud.
After struggling to release the safety (and failing) I was forced to remove the harness completely and lost my grip on the leash. By this point however, I was pretty relieved to get back to the beach, retrieving my board on the way.
The kite is a 12m Naish Cult in blue and green. In fact it's this one: www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Kitesurfing/Kites/~b8sdm/2009-Naish-Cult-12-metre.aspx?search=O80BVJ6L6jMU%252fZ4FR6cySw5y6I0WiI%252bG
The kite was last seen heading west toward Safety Beach / Mount Martha. I notified the coast guard at Safety Beach but lost sight of it as I drove back up point nepean..
If anyone comes across it I'd obviously appreciate a call 0400 019 166.
Cheers Russell
Hey Russell, Leigh and I drove home along the esplanade at 3-30 and had a look but couldn't see it, even went up Bruce Rd Mt Martha to have a look out across the bay but no luck. The wind at 3pm was blowing on shore at Safety Beach, so i would have thought that it would come in somewhere along the coast there.
Good luck, lets us know if it turns up
Thanks to both of you for taking the time. Fingers crossed it'll appear as predicted. Obviously, I'll let you know if it turns up.. thanks again.
Cheers Russell
Kite was spotted about 1.5km off Mount Martha at about 6:30pm this evening. I got a call an hour later from the Sea Police to say that VMR Mornington had just gone out and picked it up..
I went down to the pier at Mornington this evening just as they were bringing the boat in. Kite was still inflated and no apparent damage. The lines are a bit of a mess (job for tomorrow) and the harness was still in tow.
Big thanks to everyone involved. I'm completely staggered that the VMR crew put to sea at dusk to pull my kite from the bay. Hats off guy's, donation on the way.
