Escape From Glass Window Bridge - A Kiting Sea Story

[RickI]

Most of the time things seem to workout and with some interesting shots coming out of the effort. Some fairly recent kite photos from various areas. It keeps me riding more often than otherwise trying to capture new shots.


The wreck of the tanker Guidesman on the iron windward shore of Klein Curacao. Really love riding and spending time on this bizarre barren island. This trip I did a circumnavigation of the island each day capturing more photos.

I just came across this old video I shot going around to the rack on the Windward side of KC in 2011. Despite the old GoPro gear I like how it turned out. It is a beautiful island!




Being forced to land at the small beach at Tulum by fading winds and low rock cliffs at sunset.



There is a video that goes with this one as well. This was more of a lark and tour of Tulum, inadvertently after hours, whoops. They had moved the exit since my last visit in daylight resulting in some confusion during my "escape."



Porkfish Rocks off Hog Island in some strong wind for a change last month. I've been skunked for wind here quite a few times.



Running with some nice swells in high wind on the way back from the Hog Cay Lighthouse to Cabbage Beach off Nassau, Bahamas. Checkout the clear water despite the waves.


Running over some hidden sharks from where I was standing recently off Pompano Beach. They showed up later in images from the kite camera.


A good sized popup wave day for Pompano Beach. Too good in fact to be inside the break. I was in the process of shooting out of Dodge in this shot.


The old Bahia Honda bridge. Watchout for falling steel, strong tidal rips and frisky hammerheads. The later can be surprisingly fast!


Ft. Jefferson

and still others over the years.

[knyfe]

Btw what crazy board do you ride in your storry? Looks like one of my very first TTs from 15 years ago !-)

Miss riding Pompano - had an annual "conference" there for many years. G

[RickI]

A custom shape from Lloyd of waterboards based in Pompano Beach . It was both an unusual shape and construction, it worked very well for me. http://fksa.org/showthread.php?p=48592

[andylc]

Awesome pictures. Where exactly is the GoPro in the pictures that show the wingtips of the kite?

[RickI]

Awesome pictures. Where exactly is the GoPro in the pictures that show the wingtips of the kite?

That is the Skord Mount which is attached to the central batten. It pivots and stays aimed at the Kiter.
http://www.skordmount.com/

[RickI]

A photo from yesterday along with a view of the Skord Mount below which was used to shoot it.



Here is a shot from the second, "Back Camera" I mount on the kite for other perspectives also from yesterday.




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[mbs]

Rick, That was a good read and thanks for putting that together.

I've been reading your posts since I started kiting in 03. Your posts heightened my safety consciousness from the beginning. Luckily I've never had anything go horribly bad and you have played a role in keeping me safe on the water.

I also enjoy long round winder trips. I take pleasure from the "sailing" aspect of Kiting. For me being out there and covering long distance is relaxing, while other more aggressive riders might find it boring.

I always try to consider the what if scenarios. What if the wind died, kite hit the water and couldn't relaunch? What if a line broke? What if a bladder busted? Etc. Always the obvious thing to consider is what is downwind of you (or down current) if you had to get back to shore without kite power, and how long would it take to do it. Obviously you calculated your risk, but its surprising to me that you would have such a high threshold to accept such a dangerous lee shore.

Another thing I've learned from close calls over the years. I don't ride my normal twintip for long trips. The board that I use for sailing long distances is 168cm x 41cm. Its an old jimmy Lewis that I bought from someone in Maui back in 2004, and the board was a few years old already then. I think it's hand shaped, from before he started designing for LF and later his production line. It's got a nice rocker and round outline, sort of similar to the big version of the OR Mako. It is great in chop and high seas, and offers some insurance for lightening wind although I can hold it down in any wind. Had you more board under your feet you probably would have avoided that pickle.

As a guy who is also unwilling to let go of a favorite old board, I feel your pain on loosing your baby.

Live and learn. I'm glad you made it out to tell the tale!

[Bille]

Rick, That was a good read and thanks for putting that together.

I've been reading your posts since I started kiting in 03. Your posts heightened my safety consciousness from the beginning. Luckily I've never had anything go horribly bad and you have played a role in keeping me safe on the water.
...

What he said ; you helped me out a Lot also , (i also started in 03) !!

A lot of people probably considered Rick a low-risk taker, because of
all the safety stuff he posts ; they now realize he Has bin there and done
that, so when he makes a post about kiting safety, it's from actual first-hand
knowledge , and not from something he read somewhere.

Way to go Rick !!!

Bille

[RickI]

Thanks guys for your input and I am glad that swapping some ideas over the years has helped. It has certainly helped me, sometimes after the fact but even better before hand. After having done the run twice, the only way I would do it again would be with a good chase boat. There is a lot that could go wrong and relying on not only being close enough to the small plateau area to get to it and even being able to pull off a save are far from certain. Climbing out in other isolated areas "may" be possible but it would be a bad time to find out that, nope, you can't survive getting out there. I seem to recall trying to a degree to line a boat up in 2014 without much luck. Still with persistence and enough cash working in advance of the trip, I suspect one could be found on Harbour Island.

There are a lot of shots, history and a few videos in the write up worth looking at of this remarkable place in the Bahamas: viewtopic.php?f=131&t=2396065&p=972389#p972389

This video in particular is intriguing about including some local islanders running the bridge in a car the midst of a rage. It has a surreal aspect to it amidst the waves crashing into the car. "Usually" the police have the road chained off when waves threaten, just not always as in this case. Click the link to access the video: https://www.facebook.com/robert.mccrae. ... 653403606/

[mbs]

I came across this story of recent drowning in Bahamas. The drowning had nothing to do w kiting but i remembered reading Ricks description of this place - is the same spot where rick had his near death experience.

http://m.tribune242.com/news/2018/mar/0 ... tes=mobile