Tragedy at Ocean Beach

[Greg]

I'm feeling hopeful for this young man!! I think he may have made it!!!!!!
Lets keep our spirits UP!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What I carry is a folding pocket knife. Mine is made for fishing and has a hook knife on one side and a blade on the other, it is attached to me with a short wrist lease (attached).
Currently I pack my knife in my sleeve (thus requiring both hands to pull out). I can open it with one hand (but that's the only hand I can use it with due to the short wrist leash).
My solution is not perfect but very effective- (close at hand, cuts really well- downside is it requires both hands)

God-Speed,
L.M.G.

[Greg]

correction:
Dive knife, made by Saecko Dive (Titanium blade, never rusts)

[funmilton]

I believe our South African friend Russell keeps his dive knife on his calf. He had a near death experience at 3rd several years ago.

It would be nice to have a clear report/update on the rider at OB yesterday. Let's hope for the best.

[ino]

Hopefully he will be fine, Our prayers are with our friend

[Blackbird]

http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=19958

[litewavedave]

It sounds like a miracle that he was revived at the hospital. My hopes and prayers are with you, kiting brother. I hope he did not become anoxic while unconscious....cold water helps in this regard, but no Oxy to the brain is a bad thing...pray for no anoxia.

I was there the day before, Saturday, and conditions are definitely serious. With the holey onshore wind and pounding, munching surf, when you are riding down the line on a beam reach, it is OK, but if you do an off-the-lip or ride towards shore(down-wind) to outrun the wave, your lines will go slack unless you loop the kite. or turn it hard. Even the best rider out there Saturday, Paolo, dropped his kite this way.

I wonder if this is how the accident occurred on Sunday. If you're zooming down a wave face and your kite drops in front of you, you go directly into a nest of lines.

[NCKite_Ryder]

I would like to know if this man survived this kitemare. After reading all the posts and looking at other sources it seems as if some believe he is alive and other stories believe the opposite. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for this man and hope for the best.

I had bagged OB after looking at the censors that day. It was gusting HEAVY, Third Ave was blowing over 50 and I think OB over 40. I thought the censors had an error until realizing it was just freaking pounding. No shame in bagging it and "living to kite another day". I know this is boarder-line inappropriate to say in this post but its literally what I tell myself and friends when I am in a situation over my head. And have bagged several sessions in my 5 year career, feeling guilty about them sometimes but after hearing stories like this its totally justified.

This sport is dangerous and we need to look out for each other. I do want to give a shout-out to all the EXPERT and GUTSY kiters out there who do rescue people in trouble. I find it difficult to jeopardize my own life to help out a fellow kiter, especially at a place like OB on a Nuclear day. If you do go down in the impact zone at OB best case scenario is to ditch your kite and swim in, unless the beach is crowded with kids of course. Usually the kite will slowly drift in and another kiter will realize what is going on and go secure your kite, and they will be more likely to pull you in cause they do not have to worry about getting in your tangled mess.

I will be attending the Safety Day for sure. Kite Safely....

my .02

[jla]

I hate to tell you this Dave, but when Paolo borrowed your 12m demo kite the other day, we all knew it was coming back wet. He dunks his kites like cookies. :)

[jla]

it would be good to get the real story from someone if possible. Mainly because there are a lot of concerned kiters who really do hope and pray that this guy is alright. The newspaper articles are stating as fact things we know are definitely not true. This poor guy was not conscious when he left in the ambulance so we are hoping that somehow the paramedics were able to revive him on their way to the hospital. His friends upon returning to their car had heard the worst and were packing up his gear. I am now wondering if perhaps there were two kiting accidents. The info by the park service and the sfgate just does not jive with what we heard from the lifeguards and his friends.

[chicagoian]

The official story is as follows:
This is from my viewpoint as I was one of the 2 kiters who were involved in pulling him out. My bro Mike G was the other and he is a emergency room nurse who was the real hero, along with the lifeguards who did great.
Sorry for the delay in posting this.
I didnt want to post anything without checking with his family first. I just left the hospital and they asked me to post this so everyone knows what happened, whats happening and how to avoid it happening again.
His name is Scott
He's from Tahoe.
He's been riding just over a year.
It was his first time riding OB. If you were there, you know the conditions were as extreme as it gets there.
He was on a 9 Cabrinah crossbow 1st generation. Weight maybe 190?
I saw him crash his kite as he was heading out. I was on an inward tack and saw he was in trouble. I rode to shore and waved the lifeguards who were beside their truck with the binoculars. They started racing towards the shore.
Mike was riding past him at this point trying to keep an eye on him on his inward tack. I started to tack back out to keep an eye on him and waved at him to let him know we were keeping an eye on him. I passed Mike, he riding in, me riding out.
Scott's kite had ripped in half by the time I got up wind enough to decide what to do. A coast guard helicopter flew overhead so I decided to head back in to work with the lifeguards. Flew to shore and landed my kite. I told the lifeguards to get the helicopter back and drop a line. they were throwing on their suits and getting boards off the truck. (fast, they really did a great job)
Mike came in and I grabbed his kite. By this time unfortunately Scott was underwater and the kite was still anchored to him. We couldn't see him, and the kite was not moving.
The lifeguards hit the water with their boards and grabbed him very quickly. He was still attached to his kite and his lines were wrapped around his right ankle.
I ran to him in the water and Mike ran to the kite. I got his safety release unhooked and we pulled him to shore where Mike took charge and started CPR.
The lifeguards hooked Scott up to a defibrulator (spelling?) to jump start his heart and the machine apparently reads his vital signs (this is not a technical briefing) and he had no pulse. So Mike kept the CPR going. The lifeguards assisted with the CPR as well. Mike was really handling the tough scene like a pro.
The ambulance arrived and Scott was taken away. When he was there was no heart beat and no pulse as far as we knew.
After packing up our gear and decompressing for a bit we went to the hospital where they had actually gotten a heart beat and pulse.
His 2 friends who drove down with him Rado and Matt were shaken up and we helped them as best we could filling them in on what had happened. Mike arranged for them to crash at his place.
the family was called in and as of this afternoon he his parents and brother and friends at with him at the hospital. He is in a coma and has swelling on his brain.
His prognosis is not great. I am an optimist and would never want to be counted out if I were in his shoes. He's going to have to fight and thats really what I want him to do.
His family is with him and they are trying to stay positive as they know he's a fighter.
I personally don't really want to second guess any of his kiting decisions as hindsight is 20/20. Clearly he should have hit the safety release. Of course he was trying to relaunch it, and there wasn't a safety leash on him when we pulled him out.
These are the obvious points which raise technical questions for kite safety and we can debate carrying a knife or riding with or without a leash elsewhere. The forum has tons of great safety tips all over it.
My purpose in writing this is to fill you guys (and girls) in on what happened so that we can keep Scott in our thoughts and bring hope and support to his family and friends. They need it.
They also know that we are all pulling for him and really appreciate the kind words.
My love and sincere admiration goes to my friend Mike G who really deserves all the credit in the world for helping Scott get this far. I'm proud to call him my friend.
The lifeguard team at OB were super efficient and deserve our thanks for keeping an eye on us.
I will be keeping in touch with the family over these next few crucial days and will post as I have new updates.
send me a pm if you have any other questions.
Best
ian/chicago guy/drummer/kiter