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Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

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JayTC
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Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby JayTC » Fri Jul 10, 2020 7:46 pm

Hello,

Just thought I would share my bad experience in Tarifa.
After few years kitesuring at Valdevaqueros, we wanted a change and went to Los Lances.

It was a long time that I did not have such a mess with my kite, I ended up in the water self-rescuing and having my board going to hell.
But I was not worried as we had diligently bought our rescues voucher.

But actually, we learned today that there are two companies for rescues at Los Lances:
- Tarifa Rescue https://www.tarifarescue.com/ - Apparently have 2 boats
-Sea Rescue https://www.searescue.es/ - Apparently have 1 boat - but nowhere to be found

Bad on us we took the second one, Sea Rescue, not knowing better.
I spent 40min in the water waiting for them to come. In the meantime the two boats of Tarifa Rescue came to see me.
Bad thing, they don't do the rescue if you have the other company card. Since I was not injured and hope to have my "team" come for the rescue I was not more stressed than that.

But in the finally I ended up with a nice swim and loosing my board (the brand new one of course) :o
Talking on the beach it's apparently not the first time.

So yea, if you go to Tarifa, definitely avoid Sea Rescue.
Go for the other one Tarifa Rescue.

Btw, if you have found a Atmos cruising on your tack, :bye:
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Toby
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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby Toby » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:15 pm

Couldn’t you just pay them for that rescue?

Might have been cheaper than a new board ...

PS: I don’t recommend kiting in Tarifa in Levante.
Gusty crap.

Rather go east to the spots there.

JayTC
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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby JayTC » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:25 pm

Toby wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:15 pm
Couldn’t you just pay them for that rescue?

Might have been cheaper than a new board ...

PS: I don’t recommend kiting in Tarifa in Levante.
Gusty crap.

Rather go east to the spots there.
They told me they were going to call the other one. But never came :x always the same crap, you feel that you will be fine the first 15min, and then you are in the ...
When the first one came back I told him I was paying for the board. But they didn't find it.But it was at the end, so I guess it was already long gone

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Toby
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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby Toby » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:32 pm

Sorry to hear.

You should contact the official kite organization in Spain or Tarifa.

If they leave you there without help (both companies), that is denial of rescue of someone in need.

People can drown swimming back. I almost did.

This is very serious and should be reported to officials.
I would even go to the Police and file a report.

Don’t let them get away with this. You might save a life of someone who won’t make it back like you did.

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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby richy-c » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:42 pm

Toby wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:15 pm
Couldn’t you just pay them for that rescue?

Might have been cheaper than a new board ...

PS: I don’t recommend kiting in Tarifa in Levante.
Gusty crap.

Rather go east to the spots there.
Not always. If Levante Is blowing with a bit more south (usually the last few days it blows) it can be lovely at Valdevaqueros. Wouldn't recommend Los Lances though.

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Toby
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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby Toby » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:47 pm

Side offshore or offshore that is.

Anything on and side shore is fine

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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby dice » Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:50 pm

40 mins in water? Don't you drift away from shore then? Or onto shore?
I don't know the currents in Tarifa, but here we barely stay in place for more than a couple seconds before drifting off to wherever the current is going to.

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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby Trent hink » Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:02 pm

I have heard of these services, but I have never been to this place.

To me this all seems weird.

I would never venture out onto the water with an expectation to rely on anyone other than myself.

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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby andylc » Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:08 pm

I too would hate to go out without the expectation that if it goes tits up I’m most likely to be able to get back on my own.
However if you pay for a service and then go out expecting that you are covered, it’s a pretty big deal if it doesn’t. I’m interested as to how these services work when it comes to needing a rescue - are they supposed to just be scouring the waters and noticing people in trouble? If so what happens when someone needs rescuing who hasn’t paid???

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Toby
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Re: Tarifa Rescue - Don't make the same mistake

Postby Toby » Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:20 pm

Many years ago a girl drifted in the Ocean while sun was setting...

She paid for a rescue service. She dropped her kite and no one watched after her from that rescue service...
At sunset she was reported missing and they started the search and luckily found her...

So much for trusting a rescue service. I wouldn’t .
Always know your plan B.
And if your plan B is swimming in colder water (sub 30C), Just don’t go out.

I almost drowned after swimming 5 min in 18C water about 50m from shore with offshore winds..luckily they took me in with a boat.
If not, good bye (higher chance to be rescued with a tube kite, therefore no foul kites for me).

Tarifa is overrated anyway. Much better places available!


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