Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-O
A little advice for what it is worth.....more and more folks seem to be using the backside of East Beach.....and walking kites through the mangroves. There can be some nasty updrafts coming off the mangroves and very gusty conditions. It might seem harmless, but when things go wrong it can get really ugly fast. Very risky IMO. Walk your gear already inflated and lines attached through the cut at the roundabout and launch on the other side. Even at high tide, you can wade out a bit a have a much better launch and avoid the risks of you or your kite in the mangroves. I saw one guy eat it last week in the mangroves, and another kite land in the mangroves on a landing. No one got hurt, but again this sport is all about minimizing the risks. I tried walking through once, and although nothing happened, I felt it was risky.
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Wait a sec. Guys are walking through that one small opening in the mangroves to get to the other side of EB on North wind?!
Really bad idea.
I assumed you guys were launching on the "normal" side and then riding upwind, that's what I do on North out there. Although driving all the way to EB to launch that way (when you can launch BS SW and ride over there in one tack) doesn't make sense to me... but to each his own.
What does it take, 3 minutes to ride upwind around the mangroves if you don't walk through?
I would take the 3 minutes and play it safe.
I can guarantee someone will get worked out there doing that walking through, if it continues. It's just a matter of time.
I did that ONCE like 6 years ago... there's a reason I never did it again (C kite or not). Now I know why you guys are saying it's sketchy. Lmao.