Jimmy Lewis's Kitemare

[JL]

Jimmy Lewis your intrepid weatherman would like to share todays coast guard free session:After reading my own forecast (thundershowers) I decided damn the torpedoes & launched my 16 @ I-View. S.E. wind 4-12 knots was o.k...The fun began when the kite fell out of the sky. As I struggled to relaunch I noted the wind was increasing but turning west. In desperation I let go of the bar & swam to it, this allowed the kite to relaunch in the gusty westerly. I cruised to the sand bar( N. of the outfall ) and let the bar go, with the kite streaming off my wrist leash. After dragging the kite toward the beach for a while I had a brilliant idea(NOT!) I would pick up the bar and wind up my lines. Just as I completed my second turn on the bar a lovely west gust drags me back out to sea and of course I couldn't get the turns off my bar and let it go..No' not me!! I've got a knot so that the kite is dragging me toward James Island....NOW the fun begins!! I release my wrist leash and swim back to the sand bar, walk to the beach & watch my kite cruise in a much improved northerly track toward Cordova spit..O.K. I say, time for a hike...I walk to the spit (you know it, the one opposite James Island at the narrow spot.) Did I mention the flood current? As I near the spit I realize my kite is caught on a crab pot !! I wait 30 minutes but nothing changes so I walk back to the parking lot, picking up my board on the way..I flag down a central saanich constabulary and let him know that if the rescue coordination centre is called no one is attached to the kite..( I hate it when those sea kings come my way)......I drive home and load up my sea kayak, drive through the indigenous peoples ruins and launch at the treatment plant, paddle out to the crab pot and assess situation...It looks like about a 4 knot current is streaming my kite North. I release one side (2 lines) at the kite before I realize I need a knife. I paddle back to the van and grab some line, 2 knives and some short stuff to make tethers for my knives so I don't loose them {with slip knots at the kayak in case I get fouled}. I cut the remaining 2 lines at the kite,paddle to the crab pot, free my bar, wrap up my lines, secure it to kayak and paddle back to the kite.....I fix a short line to one end of the kite and paddle for about 30 minutes.......I've lost ground and drifted a good distance away from the spit....Hmmmmm.....I paddle back to the kite, release the leading edge valve,roll up and tie one end, roll it up from the other end, tie a line around it, close the valve (no water) and sling the whole soggy mess over my shoulder onto the deck of the kayak behind me and secure it with a slip knot to the deck...A lovely paddle into the wind and against the current and I'm back at the van..A brief stop at the C. Saanich police station to report my success and home for dinner!! how was your day?................my biggest mistake today was trying to wind up my lines without walking back to the beach securing my wrist line and deflating the kite etc...alternatly I could have pulled my wrist line until I was back at the bar and wound that line back to my wrist, thus effectively keeping kite asymmetrically depowered and avoiding a lot of hassle!! Jim

[t rock]

Thanks for posting that amusing story JL. Especially what you could have done in the beginning to right the episode. Lesson to all.

[Bobson]

Hey Jimmy Martian, I am off work tomorrow...can you give me a prediction for tomorrow...?? Oh YA, nice Kitemare!! If we can all learn from your mistakes IV will be a safer place to sail. I've got a buddy with the Central Saanich 6'ers and he asks me if I know you. You're famous with them. Gotta like it!!!!

[Trevor]

You sure you weren't going after Mr. Lee's crabs?

[JL]

I wouldn't do that to Mr. Lee, but I would appreciate a catch and release policy!!! Jim