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Rolled down to the beach,(1010am) checked wind SSE 26-33, built bug, choose a 1.4 beamer and looked a bit closer at the beach..... omg half the kelp bed had washed up, still there's plenty of uncluttered sand left.

off up to the caravan park, pretty rapid but nothing that clever, try to get back down the beach, err.. who put that damn seaweed there, in the lower wind bits the 1.4 wasn't playing upwind that well (gybe, kelp, gybe, kelp and gybe...) 1min up, 15 back down hmmm.... change kite methinks.

out comes the 2m flow, launch and thats more like it. Up and down we go... that bits clear... down turn... S>>L>>I>>D>>E round back down to the vilage... think I saw a clear path thru the kelp.

Right this time with gusto... sine wave kite, I WANT 40mph....
Here we go, wow that gust was stronger 32, 35.... KELP forward is now side ways (YEE HA)......... slowing down (BUMMER)...ahha....
sand
power back up to 34 lookup from speedo and SPLASH that was deeper than it should have been, wall of water goes up and most goes down my neck, NOT nice. not getting it this run (should i give up, my grip's starting to give...NAH!!!!)
I'll just bring it down for a rest.... why is it not stting nicely??? (flap, flutter) has the wind picked up?? well maybe a little i think.

here come a bit more downturn slideing, another attempt to power thru kelp, its just not happening. left arm burning... yeah give in

OK spike handles, park bug on spike... walk up to a flapping flow and then

RUN after a free flying flow, wtf,
right.. handles, brakes on, why is it pulling so hard?? where's my spike, better question.... where's my buggy, trundling up the beach on its own???

christ will you just sit and behave.....(flap flap flap) where is that spike....
will you stop disapearing up the beach (trundle....>>>)
OK ENOUGH
Puddle, drown kite wrap it up, chase buggy, Easy, Yeah?

NO,

forgot the thing had been done with seal'n'glide, more flapping, water running off it like a duck... right!!!
up, down leading edge first.. drag backwards and YEY its still.....
quick wind up of lines, stuff strange dry/wet kite in bag....

where's that bug?? 200yrd up the damn beach and stuck in kelp(it does have its uses)

"I'm sure this #@$%*&£ thing was lighter when it came to the beach" type monolog as bug gets pulled back to the car

Just out of idle curiosity, wind meter.... 38-47.. now that explains a lot.
I'm soaked thru, should be cold (but that last 20mins has just warmed me up.)
Should be brassed off, but grinning like a loon.
Still didn't find the spike...

Guess this is more than part of the reason we all do it.
Cos even tho things got bothersome, it was FUN!!!!!

Seal 'n' Glide brilliant but it don't let you do the OH SH!T pack up very easy.


Take it Easy, Yeah!?
Iain

Haha, one of those days indeed Iain, at least the rest of us can have a good giggle at your misfortune :

Stu

flyinchef wrote:

OK spike handles, park bug on spike... walk up to a flapping flow and then

RUN after a free flying flow, wtf,


That's when you're supposed to stomp on the lines, before the handles pass you at warp speed. Select ONE brake line and carefully reel it in like a struggling fish. Don't let your grip slip either, kiteline friction burns are nasty.

Come to think of it, I've done the line stomp for an Irish racer at one of our Luce Celtic Challenge days, when I was marshalling. His kite was going for the sea a LOT faster than he was, so I stopped his handles going any further. Didn't quite manage to save the kite from a soaking unfortunately but at least it didn't end up on the Isle of Man. (it definately didn't have any seal n glide on it)

Anne wrote:
[quote]flyinchef wrote:

OK spike handles, park bug on spike... walk up to a flapping flow and then

RUN after a free flying flow, wtf,


kiteline friction burns are nasty.

quote]

Yeah, got one on my neck a couple of summers back, my lovely daughter remembered to "shout mind your head dad"after her 2.5 had tried to decappitate me. Bless her she was only just learning

It's been so long since I have been out on the buggy even a day like this sounds like a good day out