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Old 10-04-2012, 06:44 AM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Falk Weltzien is recovering at home and outwardly looks good. There can be serious internal problems that come with a lightning strike which hopefully he will be spared. You can see an interview with him at home at the link below:

http://www.news4jax.com/news/Man-rea...z/-/index.html


I just spoke with Eddie Toy of First Coast Kiteboarding & SUP, http://www.firstcoastsup.com/ , in northeast Florida. Eddie is a long time kiter and PASA instructor and has helped me with information on other kiting accidents over the years. He was doing a downwinder riding northward up the coast towards Vilano Beach. They had started about 12 miles south and ended up landing about 5 miles south of Vilano around 5 pm the time of the accident. Eddie tells me there was a cold front moving through that day with a moderate squall line. Considering this last point he was on the fence about going kiting but eventually decided to head out. Winds were side onshore around 18 to 25 mph. The cloud line was moving from inland offshore to the northeast. There was a low cloud ceiling but he could make out an anvil from a cumulonimbus cloud to the north. He said initially the clouds inland weren't much to look at on radar or to the naked eye but developed in height and apparent strength as they moved closer to the ocean. There was another cell to the south with an open area over Eddie and presumably Vilano Beach to the north. Once on the beach Eddie saw a lightning strike on shore to the north and suspects this may have been the one that figured in this accident.


From: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/ligh...tg_basics.html
From what Eddie described this bolt was one trailing the storm cloud.


I also spoke with Brian at Ocean Extreme Kites in St. Augustine. He indicated that local kiters have shown their concern and sent their regards to Falk. I understand he may be a very new arrival in the area within the last month.

Hope you fully recovery quickly Falk!
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Last edited by ricki; 10-04-2012 at 10:34 AM.
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