Dunedin Causway Disaster-9/29/07

[KITEBUM]

Around 4:00pm on Saturday-9/29/07 I went to the Dunedin Causway to check the wind, now knowing that it was blowing 8mph to 20mpn with a squall line coming I didn't take my gear. I got out of my truck and saw two guys help another launch, with difficulty. The wind was side on-on shore (NE) and they were on the northern side of the cauway (power lines). The flyer got up and rode along the shoreline for about 30 yards then came off the water and kicked off his board. He was standing in the water while his helper ran down to him. Then a gust hit and the rider was under the power line with the kite passed them, line over the power lines, the full squall line hit (check ikitesurf, it gusted close to 40mph) causing the rider to be pull up to power lines. There was a bright spark and the rider fell to the ground. At first the rider was unconcious but then was revived. Paramedics arrived and took him away, I don't know the condiotion of the rider as of right now. All I can say is that the location was horrible for any rider let alone while winds were gusting so high and a squall line coming. I have been riding 10 years and I had no intentions of riding there knowing what the conditions were. I feel partly responsible, very guilty, and am quite upset with myself, since I didn't say or yell out anything to the rider like, don't ride here, the guys helping him should have probably said something too. I hope the rider is doing ok and I also hope my fellow kitters don't do what I did and speak up when others are in bad conditions or locations. This was a horrifying day for everybody that witnessed this. Sorry I had to send this message out.

[kite-4-life]

Please kite safely...

Hope this guy is ok. Wonder if it was this guy:
http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=1790&highlight=dunedin

I wonder who else got whacked today. The gust at the skyway was 15 to 40.

I am sure someone must have gotten it.

[Unimog Bob]

Doesn't look good!
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2...fing+accident+

[BigR]

Some guy named "Kenny" was just featured on action news as the guy who went into the powerlines, condition was life threatening

witness said the wind was really weird

[KITEBUM]

I've seen bad kitting accidents before but this was by far the worst and most horrifying. Made me aware of what can happen when you aren't paying attention. Still wish I would have said something, yea I know it sounds stupid to put blame on myself when I just got there and didn't know anything about any of the riders but I am all to aware of riding conditions and locations. Trust me I'll speak up next time and take part in preventing things like this. Just horrible,can't get it out of my head.

[BigR]

Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating a kite-surfing accident late Saturday afternoon that seriously hurt 16-year-old Christopher Bryan Kenny of Clearwater.
The teen was kite-surfing near St. Joseph Sound when a gust of wind blew the kite into power lines on the north side of the Dunedin Causeway.
Witnesses told deputies that they saw an electric arc after Kenny fell about 20-30 feet to the ground. He was conscious while people in the area rendered aid.
The injuries are considered very serious. Kenny was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa.

[BigR]

http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/lo...6-af4f6fc84817

You can't blame yourself... it was his choice to rig and launch there without considering the changing conditions.

Sounds like he's going to survive fortunately... but not without a hell of a lot of discomfort and huge medical bills. Hopefully he'll recover quickly.

Is that 4 injuries already this year due to the massive gusts? The season hasn't even started yet! It's going to be an ugly season.

[Wolfie]

Truly horrible. I will say a prayer for him.
I saw the line coming on Doppler, then saw the 40Knt gusts at Skyway. I wanted to call Skyway to warn everyone. I need to collect everyone's telephone numbers. Did anyone get whacked at Skyway? I heard there was a close call at lassing.