F*@k'n Fish Lures = Missing Board

[Yoda]

I went for my first launch and session at 3rd Ave today. The winds could of been better, but with 3+ kites out, plus more kiters arriving, it was looking like it was a good time to go for it. I did the launch with no problem and even stayed up wind on my first tack in and out. On my second tack back out I ended up a little down wind, so I worked that for a few minutes. As I got more down-wind I found I was overpowered and the gusty winds and rough surf was getting to much for me, so I headed back in.

I was heading toward the second beach near the parking lot with no problems, until I hit the wind shadow - BAD. I even had my kite high, but the winds were more offshore and blocked by the golfball screen. My kite fell to the water. I started to work at relaunching the kite, but for the couple of minutes that I was trying to turn the kite over to relaunch, one front line, one back line and my fifth line all got caught on a :-x DAMN Fish Lure submurged in the water, but was floating high enough to catch my lines. Thankfully it wasn't my foot of leg! Fish lures aren't supposed to float. This lure was 6 inches long with 3 tri-proged hooks.

I had no choice but to do a self rescue. I started to wrap my lines (with the lure still attached - no choice) and a small gust caugt the kite and fliped it over. I ended up getting the lure snaged on my wetsuit. I was forced to ditch my board to insure I didn't get filleted by the lure. As I worked the lure free the kite rolled and flip and pulled me away from my board. At this time I'm trying not to cut myself while still realing the rest of my lines in I had lost site of my board. I got my lines realed and was safely to my kite for a self rescue. I still had to take care due to the fish hook still on my bar, but I manged with no problems. I was hoping the board would be washing ashore, so I started to focus on swiming in. Thank you to the awesome girl who came to help me get safely out of the water... I owe her a beer!

I ended up walking all the way up to the bridge to look for my board, but with no luck :( . When I came back some of the locals said that with the more offshore winds combined with the tide going out, they said it would be hard to find, but it eventually could wash back up.

Please be on the look out for a fairly new CrazyFly Carbon 132 board with red bindings and red sidewalls. It has a GEKO graphic logo. Unfortunately I do not have my contact info written on my board in case I lost it - Dup! (new life lesson learned!!!). It does have an OZONE sticker on the tail, a BERN sticker on the tip, and a red ULTRA NECTAR sticker on the base. I will pay a reward for its return.

In the mean time, I'm broke and I need a new board - what should I do? :(
And yes, I know my signature does indicate that I work for Crazy Fly, but I'm just trying to help them out with sales here in Nor CA. I still have to pay to get a new one and they still are not cheap even at my price.

[windhorny]

Yeah, fishers suck, especially when they are not eating what they catch. Which brings up a topic of high debate...
Today, as I walked down the beach helping my girl, I watched a fisherman cast his line INTENTIALLY right as a kiter was struggling to come in. 10 seconds later Tianna gets right in the other guys lines, no snag from the hook luckily. I gave the guy some nasty looks and told him what a nice job he did sarcastically. But seriously, kiters or not, why does the park let them fish when they leave bottles, take up the whole width of the beach, leave syringes and hooks everywhere, pose snagging threats for kids adults and anyone near them when the fish they catch will make them sck anyways. It is some kind of delicasy to have batray fin soup? Whats with all the fin less rays? I have a feeling the park is getting a bunch of anonymous calls very soon. Not to mention I got all tangled up in some fisher's lines the other day myself. Carry a knife and dont hesitate to cut them! I have picked up countless amounts of large hooks at Alameda near the SHOWERS! Not many needles but when they pump up their worms to make them look bigger at night, they leave them sometimes. Once is enough. All I know is that if this keeps up, some signs will magically appear that read in Chinese, Spanish and Filipino " Fishers will be Arrested."