sunday 29/02/04 murawhai beach,20-25 kts cross on (ssw) looks all good, out for around 45 minites when my portside rear line let go, i was about 100 mtrs off shore. for the next 20 min i was fighting for my life, true, when the line broke the remaining part sprung back and wraped itself around and around my harness hook, the kite still doin its best to fly, u gotta laugh when that happens, was also tryin to drag my ase through the breakers, unfortunitly for me backwards and mostly under the water. i think i had the rudder thing goin on, anyway i tried to pull the pin and kiss it goodbye but na, it had wired me into the harness and would not give it up, in a moment of clarity i knew if i didnt get that thing off me it was gonna drown my butt, so i started to undo my harness, while sinking, getting bombed by the breakers and fighting the rip, at one stage i managed to touch the bottom (only just) then i was ripped back into the impact zone, this went on for twenty minites!, i finaly got out of said harness but it had used all my energy, i was done, when the surf rescue lads pulled me out of the water into the rubber ducky only my arm was above water (they told me that i didnt have any idea).

am i greatful ? u bet ,to the guys at surf rescue a massive thanks.
am i lucky ? yeah to b breathing.
was i wearing a bouancy aid ?no, only my wettie.
am i going to wear a bouancy aid now ? YES I AM...
the message here is , wear the safety gear,its not going to help you when its sitting in the car.
am i an idiot ?, YES ! :oops:

And a parachute knife

sounds like a real old-fashioned minties moment to me. good to hear you're still alive!

Yo Jonny!! Good to hear you made it out alive! How quick can things go wrong! Scary shit...

You were lucky the surf life-saving boys were around, I've never seen them patrolling there before. Your story just inspired me to get one of those little hook knife thingys, so if things get critical I can cut my arm off and save my kite,

Keep on the wild west styles!

Cheers Bro

johnienz, glad to hear you're ok, scary stuff.
So does anybody know where paprachute knives can be purchased??

Bayswater Windsports has them on the shelf.

Or check out www.bayswaterwindsports.co.nz and look under Accessories under Kitesports in the main menu on the left hand side.

I always carry a knife on the water... had a kite stall and the lines loop around my neck as it dropped forward! .. ... only luck saved my neck that time.... but the knife is standard equipment now!!! You can get a double ended net cutting safety knife from DiveHQ.... about 40 bucks I think.... Play safe!

Good to hear you're still breathing Johnie. take it easy bro.

glad your ok johnnie!