I had a similar experience with a crab trap buoy grabbing my lines and trying to relaunch the kite while I was winding them up. Once I reached the buoy, I removed my leash and attached it to the buoy to keep me from going further offshore while I pulled the kite towards me and wrapped the lines.(VERY difficult with a 15m C kite) Wind has shifted offshore, so I was forced to use the "Upwind/offshore" method to swim in about a mile, which was not easy.
(I am sure many tourists have pics of me kissing the sand on that day!)
I think the problem with self rescues in our area is that we have tons of flat shallow water to ride and many new kiters were not taught this. Once they venture into the Gulf is where the problems begin because they have not dealt with waves, current, and hundreds of crab traps, markers, poles, etc.
I practice self rescue every day with my students on many brands of bridled kites, I have found the grab handles on the wingtips to be totally useless on all of them. One must learn where to hold the upper bridle to effectively fill the sail with wind, all kites are different.
My other kitemare occurred in a deep water channel with onshore wind and strong outgoing tide. The downed kite pulled me forward and the strong current pulled my legs out behind me, rendering me helpless to relaunch. Beacuse I had a vest on, and was not kiting alone, I did not drown myself or lose my kite.
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