Finders Keepers
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:38 pm
Finders Keepers
Iím an experienced kiter with 2 years of kiting mostly in the Devils Playground (Crissy Field, SF,CA) and 4 years total kiting... Wednesday night (4/26/06) I got out and was enjoying a nice session out under the Golden Gate Bridge. I started to start the trek back to the Crissy Field when my release popped on my harness and I became unhooked. Luckily I had two hands on my bar and spent the next 5 minutes wrestling a totally powered up kite. It was like riding a wild bronco trying to break free. I managed to get my arm over the bar and get my fixed line hooked in so I could pull the de-power strap. I was then able to get the kite to rest on the water in the edge of the wind window. I worked my chicken loop back in the harness and was able to get the kite back to 12 oíclock and under control. I was worked but the kite was flying! I didnít want to be just a swimmer in this type of current.
During my rodeo ride my board had floated out well past the gate and well out of site. The swells get large at this point and ebb was about 4 knots (4-5mph) out to sea. The board was well out my reach. I decided to go out to sea under the bridge and away from the south tower where there was solid wind towards Baker beach. I noticed a little lake boat about 100-200 yards out about were my board might be. By this time two other kiters realized my situation and began combing the area looking for the board. That little lake boat made a few turns and I could see someone retrieving something from the water. ëO - Thank God my boardí I was what I was thinking. The swells were even worse now and I could only see the little boat on the up swells but they were now moving towards me and the bridge. I could be back on land in 10 minutes I was thinking when I get the board back. But to my amazement the boat steered far-away from me.. I began yelling ìWait ñ I need my board ñ Hey!!î as I watched the boat slip past the south tower toward Richardsonís bay..
By now the two kites came back as expected with empty hands. One rider pointed to the South Tower and Fort Point. With all the excitement I didnít see a container ship 15 minutes out so I needed to get out of this shipping channel ASAP.. I started skipping on the water as much as I could - thinking I could move faster out of the water then in it. In a few minutes I was out the channel and passing the red buoy that guards the south tower. Out of exhaustion I found myself just body dragging and at one point I was body surfing those swells that form by the red buoy. The water was flowing out of the bay so fast that I needed to really work the kite or Iíd be loosing ground and moving out to sea.
I was felling lucky today - not because the waterproof cell phone I normally take with me was safely stored in my car but because there was wind on this side of the bridge. Other times of the year the wind gets fluky and dies after a point but today the wind was steady and clean. I was just behind the old Fort Point brick building and my kite looked very close to the height of the metal work the construction crewís setup. I knew this place develops natural wind-tunnels and that was my biggest fear. The last thing I want was to get launched into or over the concrete wall! I was out in the water as far as I could be and still keeping stable footing. I felt my best shot was the sand just before the wall and I dropped the kite fast.. ARG!! I Missed judge the distance and the kited ended half on the wall and the other half next to some scrap metal. Bang ñ I snapped off my safety and climbed the wall.. Rats ñ a 12 inch rip in the main panel of the kite - but Iím on land with the kite down what a small price to pay.
I guess I was astonished by the fact that someone would knowingly grab my ëlife ringí or in this case my board and run off with it leaving me to work it out. Itíll be hard to forget the 4 people on that little boat that watched me tea-bagging in the swells yelling ëHelp! ñ I need my board!í.
I believe in developing good Karma by ëpaying it forwardí knowing some day I will be returned the favor when I need it most. Others on the other hand believe in Finders Keepers.
-BMK
Iím an experienced kiter with 2 years of kiting mostly in the Devils Playground (Crissy Field, SF,CA) and 4 years total kiting... Wednesday night (4/26/06) I got out and was enjoying a nice session out under the Golden Gate Bridge. I started to start the trek back to the Crissy Field when my release popped on my harness and I became unhooked. Luckily I had two hands on my bar and spent the next 5 minutes wrestling a totally powered up kite. It was like riding a wild bronco trying to break free. I managed to get my arm over the bar and get my fixed line hooked in so I could pull the de-power strap. I was then able to get the kite to rest on the water in the edge of the wind window. I worked my chicken loop back in the harness and was able to get the kite back to 12 oíclock and under control. I was worked but the kite was flying! I didnít want to be just a swimmer in this type of current.
During my rodeo ride my board had floated out well past the gate and well out of site. The swells get large at this point and ebb was about 4 knots (4-5mph) out to sea. The board was well out my reach. I decided to go out to sea under the bridge and away from the south tower where there was solid wind towards Baker beach. I noticed a little lake boat about 100-200 yards out about were my board might be. By this time two other kiters realized my situation and began combing the area looking for the board. That little lake boat made a few turns and I could see someone retrieving something from the water. ëO - Thank God my boardí I was what I was thinking. The swells were even worse now and I could only see the little boat on the up swells but they were now moving towards me and the bridge. I could be back on land in 10 minutes I was thinking when I get the board back. But to my amazement the boat steered far-away from me.. I began yelling ìWait ñ I need my board ñ Hey!!î as I watched the boat slip past the south tower toward Richardsonís bay..
By now the two kites came back as expected with empty hands. One rider pointed to the South Tower and Fort Point. With all the excitement I didnít see a container ship 15 minutes out so I needed to get out of this shipping channel ASAP.. I started skipping on the water as much as I could - thinking I could move faster out of the water then in it. In a few minutes I was out the channel and passing the red buoy that guards the south tower. Out of exhaustion I found myself just body dragging and at one point I was body surfing those swells that form by the red buoy. The water was flowing out of the bay so fast that I needed to really work the kite or Iíd be loosing ground and moving out to sea.
I was felling lucky today - not because the waterproof cell phone I normally take with me was safely stored in my car but because there was wind on this side of the bridge. Other times of the year the wind gets fluky and dies after a point but today the wind was steady and clean. I was just behind the old Fort Point brick building and my kite looked very close to the height of the metal work the construction crewís setup. I knew this place develops natural wind-tunnels and that was my biggest fear. The last thing I want was to get launched into or over the concrete wall! I was out in the water as far as I could be and still keeping stable footing. I felt my best shot was the sand just before the wall and I dropped the kite fast.. ARG!! I Missed judge the distance and the kited ended half on the wall and the other half next to some scrap metal. Bang ñ I snapped off my safety and climbed the wall.. Rats ñ a 12 inch rip in the main panel of the kite - but Iím on land with the kite down what a small price to pay.
I guess I was astonished by the fact that someone would knowingly grab my ëlife ringí or in this case my board and run off with it leaving me to work it out. Itíll be hard to forget the 4 people on that little boat that watched me tea-bagging in the swells yelling ëHelp! ñ I need my board!í.
I believe in developing good Karma by ëpaying it forwardí knowing some day I will be returned the favor when I need it most. Others on the other hand believe in Finders Keepers.
-BMK