Major Hazzard at BS Skyway

[bryanleighty]

I know this has been gone over before .. but I have not been out there at low tide until today to get a good look at whats left of the sunken boat just off the beach at BS Skyway. The boat is pretty much gone as far as the eyes can see .. the edges that were there before are pretty much covered by oyster shells ..
its still an 8 x 8 area of solid steel .. now covered with a bunch of body eating shells..

BUT...
just north of it is a protruding mound of DEATH and DOOM that looks like a kings crown shooting up into the sky. This thing is gnarly and will kill you if you land on it. I cannot stress enough how absolutely dangerous this hazzard is.

everyone please be careful!!

-B

[A-Bomb]

Thanks Bryan.

I've seen that mentioned on here before, but can't remember where it's located. Where is this stuff in relation to the little mangrove chunk out there?

Thanks,
Adam

Eagle did a thorough write-up of BS and other spots here.

http://www.fksa.org/showthread.php?t=1662

It's about 70 yards to the SE of the mangrove island. There is another one in deeper water about 150 yards NE of the same island. You will see a halo around it.

[bryanleighty]

ya.. my post was just to remind of this hazard.. Eagles info is stuff that every local rider should go over carefully.. just that I know that many dont know about it cuz i see tons of guys out there jumping and getting worked near it..

backside has enough kite munching obstacles.. hate to see someone get pulled through that wreckage.

it should be visible again tomorrow for those that go to BS skyway early.

No doubt that reminders are good. The thing is, in Eagle's write-up he says it's not a good spot for new riders. I agree with him. Thing is, it has become a beginner magnet.
About 2 years ago that thing hurt someone real bad.

[bryanleighty]

yep..

It's said a number of times per season but we cant be everyone's mommy.

Yesterday saw a number of riders cruising near the hazard in super gusty conditions..

[A-Bomb]

Thanks for the reminder. I think I read that on Eagle's sight a while back, but it's hard to remember where some of these hazards are if you've never seen them for yourself. Good info!

I rode over one of those two hazards within the last several months, maybe it was the "Crown of Satan" as described by Scott. I was hauling ass on my 118 cm board when I felt my board hit an anvil. I thought the boat carcass was gone, and the Crown of Satan might be a new addition, who knows.

Luckily, the way I struck whatever it was, I didn't load up on it, just tore the board a bit of a new a**hole as I rocketed off of it. Scott is right. If somebodys bails onto that crap, they are going to get worked. If you don't break your neck, maybe you'll get lucky and only cut your face really bad. Or maybe you'll luck out and only need IV antibiotics after the 40 stitches in your ass.

New riders have that and 100 other hazards to worry about at Backside. Newbies should not ride there. If you are a newby and you say, "whatever," that's fine, but don't be shocked when you lose gear, get cut, put your kite in the trees, get dragged into a car, or worse. Then, you'll understand.

The problems for kiters at Backside don't become evident when everything is working according to plan. It's when shit goes wrong that all of the hazards at Backside start to limit your options and you realize that you are screwed.

If you can't ride upwind at will, relaunch easily, and you have not had a really bad kitemare yet, do us all a favor and stay away from that spot. You don't know the power of the Backside.

Imagine being dragged across the rocks, through the fence and dropped into the middle of 275 when an approaching storm kicks it from 13 to 30. Hope it never happens.

More realistic? Ok, dragged into a channel marker or across the oyster bar on your face. Yikes.

[bryanleighty]

couple months ago guy from east florida coastline got lofted off beach and thru a few steel fences and ended up hundreds of yards away in the middle of a street.

serious stuff happens a few times a year..
we've had a couple very close calls and a few brushes with loft to car carnage..

one guy got dragged thru the boat wreckage last spring and ended up very hurt.