Just wanted to share my bad kiting experience. I've been kiting for about 5 years and generally I am carefully to stay within the boundaries of my expertise. The photo is the result of a late afternoon session off Toms. Launched off wave, crashed kite in impact zone, got caught inside, wore wave on head, almost relaunched kite but not quite, wave hits kite!
I am dragged underwater like a rag doll, time slows down.... Still being dragged..... And still more....start to realise that I am in deep ****! OK reach for quick release... Pop... Slight slown down but still being dragged...head comes to surface...reach down an I am able to unhook....then unclip and throw the bar. Kite now on reef, lines tangled on rocks, kite starting to shred.
I swim to the bar and attempt to swim toward the kite expecting that I might somehow save the situation(yea right) I start to get tangled in the lines..really tangled... Ditch the bar again and try to free lines from my harness and feet..not really working...waves crashing over me...starting to panic a little when finally I am clear.
Now I begin to climb on the reef and save myself, once I am on top I manage to free the kite lines and it sort of blows on to the beach. I drag it clear and look for my board. Realising that i have just blown a grand $$$$ I briefly consider diving back in to swim out and save the board and decide that maybe I best not risk it.
Fortunately the board is being washed toward the shore. It eventually arrives. I am now in a position to assess the damage. Kite? Completely rooted! Board safe. Kiter? Alive, toe missing large chunk of flesh, cuts, bruises, and embarrassed. I roll up what is left of the kite, (amazingly it is still inflated), and drag my sorry arse back to the car. What a major f- up!
Point of the story.
I was impressed that in the heat of the moment I was able to initiate the quick release. This was because I practise it almost every time I set up. Know your kites safety system and practise using it.
Always kite within your means and allow plenty of room for error. Looking back I was an idiot to kite there. Although I rarely crash the kite, once I did I was always going to be in big trouble, and quickly.
Finally, I was kiting alone so no one came to my aid at any stage. Don't kite alone and always help out other kiters if they are in trouble.
I hope my tale of woe reminds you all of the importance of safe kiting.
I start 2 weeks of holidays tomorrow. No kite to go kiting, toe too sore to walk anyway. Breeze is blowing beautifully and forecast is excellent! What a hard lesson to learn.
If only I.........&!^%#& )&*!#! 
not 
I feel for you mate ... I think we all know the feeling ... it's how it happens so fast, is what amazes me ... one minute yr kiting 'confidently' and then boom !
Mental fatique more than physical, I think is the culprit most of the time ...
... get healed, re-kitted and back out there asap.
Hey Jamie,
kite looks repairable. Suggest you see Neil at Hold the Line in Wembley. Not sure if he has closed yet for Christmas
Good news is the kite will be easily fixed. I tore mine on 2 panals that bad and Neil fixed it good as new. Also at toms!! A little shallow there mate! I think your lucky you didn't smash your find off before lining up for your jump!!
ahhhhh. thats the risk we take for fun sometimes. I kite in plenty of lacations that have very little room for error. haven't wrecked a kite in a while. But i've been damn close!.... where's some wood to touch?
Nice work Gecko, but definitley looks repairable. I shredded by brand new 9m worse than that 2 years ago, had it stitched up and been using it fine ever since, and with a couple of further stitch-ups
gotta be careful when solo, but they're the best sessions i've had. Might be an idea to carry a line-blade in case you get seriously tangled in sketchy conditions
As said above, that kite doesn't look like it's ready for the bin.
Thanks for sharing the story Gecko, I lived it with you.
It's a reminder of how quickly things can turn from exhilarating fun to terrifying in this sport.
The bit where the kite nearly launches, and get hits by the wave, I see two parallel universes, one where the kite launches, one where it doesn't. Big difference in the result.
You'll be back in the water soon mate.
That kite will fly like new once repaired. I did a least twice the damage to my new 11m edge earlier this year and Moti has the thing flying just like new. Looks a little different but still works great ....don't bin it, it is savable.
must admit i was expecting a tree story when i looked at the photos ...first before reading the post. main thing is..... your ok.
... good message, know know know ya boat, well it should be know know know ya kite (doesn't sound as good, anyway...).
I had a similar situation on holidays in Vietnam with out the kite damage you got and even though your familiar with your gear most of us don't practice safety and even further, punch out upside down under pressure of drowning. Hard to practice that but you should try something.
I got rolled in the white water and after being rag dolled, kite had so much pressure, getting to punch out took way longer than I expected to activate and took me what felt forever to go for it and the pressure to ease so I could get some air. I came within seconds from taking a breathe of water and luckily I took in air instead.
I reckon a quick reminder just before you go out will shorten you reaction time and might make it safer for you. I think even a quick mental reminder is good too. I used to do that when I was learning.
Glad your safe and your kite is way fixable, you got out of it pretty easy really!
cheers,
Robbie 
Neil at Hold the Line is your man - the guy's a magician!
Hope the body heals quick too. You'll be out there again soon 
thanks for sharing,
if its the Toms i'm thinking of at north beach, i go through their on a downwinder. the inside is hellish for rocks. no surfers there yesterday, they would of pissed themselves. the guy with the red hat and no teeth usually yells (gums) abuse if you get anymore than 2 waves.
Man that is a scary story.. really. Makes me realise even more how dangerous this sport can be. Thanks for sharing. I think we can all learn from these kind of things, I know I can.. I'm glad u are ok mate. And as you said: save someone if you can. The person will be ever so grateful. And it might actually save someone's life
wow. you did well to get out relatively unscathed, well done!
think i might invest in one of those little line knives like the Mystic Warrior harness has just to cover my ass. . . .
Nasty, what worries me is if the lines get tangled on a shallow bomie and you get wrapped around your lines. The 'being dragged underwater thing' is also worrying as it happens about 3 seconds after the wave goes over you.
The thought of this experience ocurrs to me a lot at Lano.
Kite looks good as. I've done worse and Niel at Hold the lines repaired with no dramas at a bargain price.
Hi Gecko,
It reads like you were hooked in and kite leashed suicide?
Lines worry me the most - they can slice you like a knife or drag you in a way even with a knife you cant reach to get free.
Luckily its just panels to repair.
Its a pity kites cost so much as it makes the decision to play safe and leave it more difficult.
Glad you made it - could have been much worse.
I learnt a good thing from an experienced kiter which has served me well a few times.
If it's an emergency, or if in doubt, pull the safety for sure.
If the kite has crashed and looks like its going to get hit by a wave, unhook it and hang on to the bar.
If the wave gets hold of it and pulls it really hard, let it go or risk the kite being ripped.
Start swimming in, the kite is attached to you by the leash, pulling through the flag line. You may get a shot at relaunch and the chicken loop is still intact. Mostly thought at this stage, it's a race to the shore to stop the kite being shredded in the shore break.
Leave the board, it will get washed/blown in.
Sometimes, surprisingly, the wave will leave the kite relatively unhindered.
Now, with the bar in your hands, you have a shot at relaunch if the wind gets into the kite.
Once the safety is pulled, the bar moves away quickly and, even if you can catch up with it (unlikely) the chicken loop reboot can be difficult, if not impossible under pressure in the surf.
There have been a few times when it's seemed to me that the lines must be tangled and the kite is full of water, but somehow that beautiful thing rolls over onto its side and launches just in time to clear the impending wave.
That is a great feeling.
Thanks for sharing the story. The photo of Louis Tapper's feet is for real. It happened to me a couple of years ago. Ditched my kite, swam in with it, on the shore I realised my right leg was wound up (just like Louis was later). The action of kicking can wrap loose lines right around multiple times. I got to the kite and grabbed then spent 30 minutes unwrapping and untangling the lines.
If you do a self rescue and wrap the lines around the bar before you swim in it greatly reduces the risk of this happening.
But if you are on a reef or somewhere where you can't wrap the lines, its best to keep well away from them, as you did eventually. Well done.
) taught me self rescue.
Here's a link for self rescue drill kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/progression/self-rescue
^Nice one Peter, I picked up a great tip there,
"If you lose your board after a stack and are having trouble finding it, pull on some power to get lifted out of the water then have a look around for it. If you are looking for a buddy's lost board, do a jump to have a look around from above. Its much easier to spot a board with a bit of height."
Funny scenario, you tell your mate you will look for his board then he sees you boosting all over the place.
Your mate-"Hey, I thought you were helping me????
"
You, in the air -"I am mate !!
"
