That 'one last run' will get you every time, and luckily for local kiter Malcolm Muller, when he was on that last run and his kite deflated, it wasn't his last ever! Watching your kite fall helplessly into the water, a pile of nylon and lines, is heartbreaking at the best of times. For it to happen just before sunset in Mandurah, where the wind blows offshore from the launch spot, well, that's the stuff nightmares are made of.

Malcom endured that nightmare on Sunday evening however, and lived to tell the tale of a long and cold night on a sandbar in Peel Inlet. Using his deflated kite to keep the wind off him, he stood in the shallow water waiting for daybreak, when he walked to the nearest houses and asked for help. A local man walking his dog drove him back to his car, and all was well.

After noticing his car still at the beach as they packed up, Malcom's mates raised the alarm, sparking a search effort that lasted the night by air. With his deflated kite, there was no sign of Malcom, hidden among the muddy surroundings of Mandurah, and he was forced to stay put until daybreak, "I just stood there for about six hours. I thought I was going to get hypothermia," he said. "It was the longest night of my life. At 3.30am I started to shiver."

The traumatic experience for Malcom might serve as a timely reminder for you this summer, always check your gear thoroughly, and keep an eye on your mates when kiting in an offshore location.

If you think a search effort us underway for you, or you have to ditch a kite and swim back home, call the WA Water Police on 9442 8600 to let them know you're ok. It just might save a rescue being launched!

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