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Last week, 2.9 knot flood, drag racing with Mark and another up to Golden Gate bridge from Crissy. Pt Blunt, Angel Island west wind average 35 mph, for me, too much work but OK I'm here...depowered my 12 m a bit.

Then a red and white ferry coming downwind, OK big wake, caught it, eye level with tourists on top deck, they whooped and howled, felt good...

OK, Mark really ahead now after jump, so thinking tactics, knowing inside North tower, the current bends and you can really motor upwind, but remembering n tower shadow and then blasting/gusty wind...shit I can do that, just hucked and landed a great jump...

Hit the n tower wind shadow, kite luffs, I sink, then, can't remember the total thing, but a blast I haven't felt since Tomales on a 3.2 windsurfer hits me, 1st thought, OK this is what lofting is all about, think kite looped with me as the bottom of the pendulum and back looped me into the water on my left back chest wall, haven't been reminded of how hard the water is for a long time...

1st thought, this is not the time to lose consciousness. Got kite back up, retrieved my board and op'd got back to Crissy side. Thought, OK I'm a sight with booties, gloves, helmet, maybe an impact vest is needed to complete the look.

So I kept a straight back, for 2 days and ibuprofen, then I coughed...felt the rib move at fracture site, fell to floor with broken bone pain...

Anyhow, just a reminder, I knew, but over confidence got me, inside the North Tower on blasting days, the Swirling Dervish is there and to be dealt with, beware...


"At sea once more we had to pass the Sirens, whose sweet singing lures sailors to their doom. I had stopped up the ears of my crew with wax, and I alone listened while lashed to the mast, powerless to steer toward shipwreck".

What happend dude?! Did you start a jump going into the wind shadow?

What about the prognosis? What damage did you do to yourself?

No jump, just overpowered going into North tower wind shadow, kite lufts and then the blast of wind caught kite in power zone and lifted kite up and lofted me.
3 ribs, 2 greenstick and one completely broken.
Usually takes a month to heal well. Was hurting with every breath, now only when I laugh! Should be back on the water in a week, thanks.
The wind gets accelerated between the North tower and the Marin landed buttress, mellow days, it's OK, blasting days it's brutal.

That was an epic stream of inspiration

Ray -

Hope you get better soon! Them suckers hurt....10 years ago I was out at crissy, went for a jump, sheeted in - and at the lip of the wave, the mast breaks, and I pull the boom into my ribs....breaking 2...Fllight the next day for an annual vacation to Maui...the ribs will start to heal overnight, then you kinda re break them again as you get up in the morning. Is that what happens? You should know....

bob

Yes, every cough, laugh, bend seemed to reinjure the ribs, but with ibuprofen, caught a very good sesh at Stinson yesterday, where were you? Good wind and nice south swell. I'm on the mend.
Seems July is the month with most injuries. Number of days/times on the water seems to catch up.
Me, Zeev, Killahertz, talked to Vangelis of live2kite, he's having an MRI on his knee today. Be careful out there.

We pulled into rio friday for the start of a week vacation. Feeling pretty sore now after kiting a few sessions each day since....Came back home to pick up full wetsuits, as I am hoping to pull the family out to the coast for a couple days.

Heading back to the Delta to drive the fam west....hope for a few days of swell...I have been lucky this year - the last two have been worse.....big slice in my foot to start last year, and ribs the year before...

bob