Coast Guard urges kite-surfing safety

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Tony Soprano
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Coast Guard urges kite-surfing safety

Post by Tony Soprano » Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:50 pm

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Coast Guard urges kite-surfing safety
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 06/08/2018 05:47 PM EDT
News Release
U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest
Contact: 11th District Public Affairs
Office: (510) 437-3325
After Hours: (510) 772-8865
11th District online newsroom

Coast Guard urges kite-surfing safety

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard is reminding kite surfers Friday to operate with caution over the weekend after Coast Guard crews, Coast Guard Auxiliary crews and two good Samaritans conducted four rescues last weekend near Crissy Field.

Coast Guard responders attributed last week's distress calls to a combination of weather changes and inexperience, and are reminding kite surfers that low winds can result in becoming stranded.

Kite surfers should have a method for calling for help, such as a handheld waterproof marine VHF radio. They should also check the forecast before going out to find out when windspeed will be optimal.

"If a person is new to the sport, we recommend they go out with a more experienced buddy while they learn their limits," said Lt. Cmdr. Krysia Pohl, a marine safety specialist at Coast Guard Sector San Francisco. "Kite surfing can be challenging and we've seen a few situations lately where it seems like people have underestimated the difficulty. Kite surfers should always go out with a buddy or at least have someone who’s tracking them from shore. No one should ever leave the beach without telling someone."

The first of last weekend's rescues took place Saturday around 5 p.m., when a kite surfer lost his board and was stranded near Angel Island. Following a Coast Guard urgent marine information broadcast, a good Samaritan found and assisted the kite surfer.

On Sunday, the crew of Coast Guard Auxiliary boat Silver Charm and the ferry Oski assisted two downed kite surfers in separate cases between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Then around 5:30 p.m., Coast Guard watchstanders received a report of another downed kite surfer who appeared to be unconscious near Crissy Field. The Silver Charm crew arrived on scene and pulled the kite surfer out of the water. Two crew members from Coast Guard Station Golden Gate embarked on the Silver Charm and conducted CPR and administered an AED while the vessel transited to shore. The crew members reportedly revived the person before transferring him to emergency medical services personnel waiting on shore. The man was taken to San Francisco General Hospital in critical condition.

The Coast Guard recommends all kite surfers wear a life jacket and a helmet, carry a hand-held radio while in the water and never leave the beach without telling someone on shore and then reporting back after they have returned. Additionally, the Coast Guard recommends that kite surfers mark their equipment with name and contact information in the event they get separated from their equipment.


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