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Originally Posted by jmayot
My deepest thoughts for Scott and his family.
A very similar accident (luckier outcome) happened to me in HMB Tursday PM.
I want to share this and hope it will prevent more injuries.
Kite line wrapped around my right ankle, and I can tell you that I did have a knife but could have never been able to use it. Here is what happened.
Went out kiting with two buddies. 25-30kt winds and big swell, 4pm.
Rigged my 7m, we launch each other and head out in the surf. I had a hard time to pass the break, waves kept crashing in front of me. I finally catch up with my friends and we ride a couple tacks not far from each other. I am just downwind of them. Seconds later, trying to go over a large wave, I fall and get thrown out by the wave. Kite lines get slack and I fall in one line, the kite crashes and prepares to relaunch. We're about 150 yards form shore. At the same time I feel one line wrapped around my ankle. I pull the quick release, a quarter second later, the same wave that kicked me out hits my kite and my entire body gets pulled underwater. pulled by my ankle. I spend about 20 seconds underwater, pulled by the ankle.
Enough time to think about the knife in my harness pocket. Enough time to realize it would be impossible to reach my foot with such a pull. Just impossible.
Terrible feeling, hopeless, brutal and out of reach.
After the third wave, I am completely out of breath, the kite line let go. Miracle. Grabbed the bar and used the shredded kite and waves to pull me back to shore.
My two buddies did not have time to see what happened, they just saw the kite down but what was happening at the same time was underwater and happened fast. 2 minutes maximum.
We have been riding together for years and this is the first serious accident. All the other times we kited in surf, there was no tangle. Just a kite down. Not this time.
I can ensure all of you that even with a kite knife, it was impossible for me to reach the line attached to my foot with the waves pulling the kite and so much tension in the kite line, out of reach.
Picture of my ankle that was still double size yesterday.
There is a great danger with kite lines. If they wrap around your body and your kite gets pulled in the waves, it is almost impossible to do anything.
What kind of safety to avoid such accident?
Summary of the situation:
- kiting in ok conditions (strong wind, small kite)
- had a knife in my harness pocket, accessible but impossible to do anything being pulled so hard underwater
- pulled the QR when the wave threw me out, did not prevent anything
- had two friends nearby, they did not see anything happen, too fast.
- 8 year kiter in the bay area with countless sessions in the surf.
--> kite line wrapped around my ankle. What to do?
Any input please let me know. To me this is one of the most dangerous situation in kitesurfing and despite reading so many safety forums/articles, it did happen to me.
I wish Scott was as lucky as I was Thursday.
All of my thoughts Scott.
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