close call

Rico · Since 13 Mar 2005 1219 Posts Vancouver Photographer

Way to go

LP · Since 05 Apr 2007 115 Posts HR Stoked

Great idea, I'm in too! Lemme know how much you need...

airtimekite · Since 10 Aug 2005 28 Posts 13th and Wasco

Aaron,

Let us know what kite you have and we'll set you up with a new l.e. bladder.

The rest of you can save your cash for that '08 kite you've got your eye on.

AIRTIME kite, Inc.

tango · Since 16 Aug 2007 1 Posts New Member

...it was me Sad

and it wasn't fun - should have gone in earlier as the wind was dropping and i was on a 7metre - lines had already crossed, but knew that if only i could get it up - would be able to kite back regardless - unfortunately the shorter lines put more tension on the kite...loop de loop...saw the barge in the distance and tried to relaunch several times...but when it got closer released the bar and yes, tried like crazy to wrap up the already tensioned lines...i was yelling help (brilliant...) and just thought good - no lines around me and please let the kite carry on parallel to the big silent giant that was passing me (yes, about 20 feet to my left). All that was written was pretty well bang on (tho' wasn't wearing a life vest).
Scary and exhausting are not understatements - learning the hard way...whew...
More than anything - KUDOS to Aaron (you're amazing - what a tackle in mid air) and to Justin & Heather (talk about being on the ball), yeah, to the barge too - I was wondering why he stopped after passing me...and to my friends Bill and Phil for being there to untangle my lines, and one more guy (forgot his name who tried to help launch me out there)...feel like i'm writing an acadamy award speech...for my life...ha ha.
The camradery in this sport is amazing - NOW...REGARDING AARON'S BLADDER. Can someone please email me his address and the bill so that I WILL BE PAYING FOR IT - to say this is the least i can do is also an understatement - thanks!

Denise

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Aug 16, 07 9:23 am **Re: New L.E. bladder at no charge**

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1726 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

YngvaiMalmsteve · Since 16 Aug 2007 5 Posts Kook

Reading this thread makes me proud to be a kiter. I don't think you'll find any other sport where people are so willing to help each other out, and even sacrifice their own expensive gear in the process.

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

Airnsails · Since 22 Jun 2005 104 Posts Hood River, OR Stoked

Wow- what a thread. It's so cool to see the support of our local community. The best part of having "close calls" is learning from each others mistakes.

Here is what happened and how I learned from it.

When you see a downed kiter, ride by to see if they are OK. A simple thumbs up sign will do.

When you see a downed kite with a barge coming, stay close to the rider and prepare to get them out of there. If need be, have them ditch the kite and tow them out of the barges path. Denise AKA downed rider tried to wrap up her lines for a self rescue before the barge got there and neglected to wrap one side longer than the other which caused the kite to death spiral. There was never enough time to pull this off anyways. There comes a point when your life or someone else's life is going downhill fast, that the value of your gear means nothing. When in doubt. Ditch it.

Denise still could have gotten away from her kite as she was being pulled had she yanked the quick release on the suicide leash but the shit had already hit the fan and when in survival mode, logical thinking isn't always there. Know where your quick release are and know how to use them. You cant always see them and in this case I would have pulled it for her but she was moving too fast and it was under the water.

At one point, I almost ditched my board to hold onto her but I could tell she was going to hold onto me with her life and and therefor put both of us in danger. With my kite still flying, hers spiraling and her holding onto to me, there would have been a good chance the already bad situation would have gotten worse.

Carry a line knife. I was riding with a new harness and didn't realize I didn't have a knife until I actually needed it. This was the first time in ten years I needed one and it would have killed the power of the kite in a matter of seconds. Denise did not have a knife either, nor do I think she could have reached it unless it was attached in the front near the spreader bar.

When I finally decided the only thing to do was catch her kite, I should have thought been ready to depower my kite but when I caught the kite, it hit me so hard, the last thing I was thinking about was where my kite was in the wind window. As a consequence I got lifted 8 feet into the air while flying backward still holding onto Denise's kite with her attached to. Finally my kite crashed into the water at full power and and began to deflate. I realized my kite was losing air and ready to deflate, so I hit my release and watched it head down the river. The last thing you want to do is be attached to a half inflated kite. They usually jelly fish, invert, go into a bowtie and next thing you know, you are in Denise's death spiral too.

I swam to Denise with her kite and thew her onto the LE for flotation. She was in bad shape but more scared than anything. I asked her name, she knew it, which was a good sign and she was breathing fast but still breathing. Soon one kiter showed up and asked how he could help and I sent him for a jet ski. The next rider stuck around which was reassuring. and the next rider went to go retrieve my kite.

Somehow the ski was up to the white salmon bridge in what seemed like a minute. Nice job! Denise was taken to shore and then they came back for me. As I pulled to shore another kiter yelled they found my board and I could see my rescued kite on shore.

When I got to shore Denise was so thankful and she gave me a hug like we had know each other for years. Meanwhile the guys next to me was undoing the nastiest mess of lines I had ever seen. I thought," poor guy", then realized he was undoing my lines. How cool is he?

An hour later I returned to the parking lot with my kite, board, lines untangled and was met by Denise with an Ice cold German beer that I happily accepted.

The coolest part of the whole thing is watching how helpful everyone in this sport is. It makes me stoked to be a kiter.

On another note, Many of you offered to chip in for a new bladder. Airtime even offered to replace it. Those guys Rock and it was cool to see the rest of you ready to donate!!!. Denise even called to see how she could help and it turns out she is the nicest lady. The good news is, the only thing that happened to my kite was that a tube that connects my LE to my struts popped off, so it was no big deal.

In an earlier thread someone suggested to donate that money to fix my bladder to KITES FOR CANCER and I second that idea. Sometimes it takes a crazy event to realize how lucky you are and that there are people out there that need your help whether they have cancer or are being pulled toward a barge with spiraling kite, yelling HELP, HELP. I'll never forget that night.

pacifichigh · Since 11 May 2005 1004 Posts ATX Texan

Good on ya Aaron

Diggy · Since 25 Nov 2006 342 Posts Gorge to Coast Obsessed

Kudos to Aaron and the whole community!

AWSOME!!!!!

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1726 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

boardrider · Since 05 Apr 2006 1034 Posts Ventura, CA XTreme Poster