[ricki]

The wind came back after quitting time yesterday so I changed my mind and headed out. I made it out about an hour before sunset and kept on riding into the evening. It was relaxing and with a couple of board changes stayed powered up most of the time. There was about a half a moon west of the zenith but despite that there was enough light to tack and boost the odd jump on rising gusts against waves. It was a fun mellow session.

I don't recommend kiteboarding at night. Usually, I don't talk about it much either to try to avoid conveying the wrong idea. Still something hit me last night which prompted me to put this up.

People have said in the past, you're "Safety Rick" (sigh), what are you doing out at night?! Working a regular full time job at times it is the only way to get some quality wind time in. Beyond that I've been comfortable at night on, in and under the ocean for almost 40 years, at least around here. That could easily change with location btw. Risks and conditions will vary. I believe I know many of the hazards, reasonable cautions and accept that accidents and death could follow, as in daylight for that matter.

To my knowledge, no kiter has ever been killed by a shark or by riding at night except in cases of hypothermia.

Here is the ironic part, people fear, rightfully so perhaps, the night and what it may hide. I am not criticizing that choice at all, but another set of less logical choices that follow.

At the same time they blow off wearing simple protections like helmets and impact vests and doing proper weather planning at times. DOZENS of people have been killed through traumatic brain injury & stormy weather, drowning has taken riders too, and likely hundreds have been injured but survived. Why obsess about the dark, lurking denizens and choose to IGNORE far greater proven hazards and mitigating precautions?

What are the odds?