[ricki]

Too funny, I just launched the identical 5 m Wipika early the year before. It tumbled in some wind shadow from low dunes and rolled downwind, then about a 45 mph squall gust hit, ouch! I got dragged at high speed over about 125 ft. of sand and then about drowned as things went offshore with it pulling me underwater. Set the damn thing free with difficulty and then sprinted a 1/4 mile down the beach to catch it. Talk about a cardio workout! Fine sand kicked up at speed is hard to breath, they don't tell you that. It was a normal summer squall too. It all worked out though but the lesson escaped me. Accidentally went out into 50 to 60 mph hurricane related squall winds 7 months later with a 9.5 m kite, it didn't work out all that well. Maybe I could carry paint balloons and do some artwork on the house next time. Hope we get squall free fairly even winds. Some guys are up for riding in squalls, not me, finally paid attention to that last "4x4 blow to my beanie." That and all the other guys that have been killed and crippled in storm winds. Good luck out there.