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Was kiting under the bridge a couple of weeks back and heard a loud noise. Thought for sure a line had broken and put my hand on the safety and looked up and everything was fine. Saw the seagull kind of flying along funny and realize what happened. I guess they just can't see our lines....

John

LOL i have never collided with a seagull but i have had a few of those coots fly under my board or bump my bar and lines down low.

thats pretty funny

Well we're recreating, the birds, marine mammals, etc are trying to balance their energy needs with food to keep them going. I feel sad when I interrupt their flight patterns, much more when I hit them.
Cormorants, pelicans try to stay close to water on their way out the GG bridge, hate to see oblivious kiters/windsurfers sail into them, making them fly high, especially in higher winds that make them fly back quarter mile to get back on track. I've seen them do it time and time again with us cutting them off. The ill and malnourished ones won't make it to their feeding grounds Bodega to Point Reyes.
If you see a flock, turn around allow them to pass.

I have had ducks hit my line at 3rd AVE.

mmmm.....duck soup.....

I often bark at seals under the Gate to make sure they know I'm coming. I'd hate to slice one of those sea dogs with my fins. Birds can be an issue too - I had a near miss with a cormorant the other day. Besides, talking to seals is fun!

rowboat wrote:I often bark at seals under the Gate to make sure they know I'm coming. I'd hate to slice one of those sea dogs with my fins. Birds can be an issue too - I had a near miss with a cormorant the other day. Besides, talking to seals is fun!

I don't think you have to worry about hitting a seal.. i think you have to worry more about them hitting you. I have had them lunge out of the water at me and try to bite me. Even if they are playing and just brushed you, getting hit by a 400+lb animal would really hurt you and your board more than them.

I've had geese draft off my kite flying in formation.

I've had a seal massage my arm with his mouth. Could have been a her. I'm not sure because it freaked me out.

A friend of mine was barfed on by a whale.

Nature is beautiful.