This is a big thank you to Scotty from Gold Coast Lifeguards, Currumbin:

After having a top turn gone wrong and getting caught in the massive whitewash I immediately tried to eject my kite as it also got caught in the same wave. My index and middle finger got caught in between the QR and IDS lines and I was bleeding all over the place before I finally released it.

I guess that in hindsight I shouldn't have gone out at the end of the afternoon as all the other kiters were coming home :) - it is always when you think 'I'll just go in for a last one' when Murphy strikes eheh.

All good, I've released the kite .. at this stage seen going offshore twisting and turning like a mad mother-in-law after realising she's stuck with you .. and I've retrieved my board slowly making way towards the shoreline swimming against the outgoing tide but making progress. I had one more look at my kite and say my goodbyes, cursing myself for being stupid and re-enforcing my feelings towards Murphy, I looked around and thought: ****e these waves are a lot bigger when you're not being pulled by a kite, wow.

10 minutes into the swim I heard "Mate, do you want a ride?" I thought it was the lifeguard I had seen in the far distance North going away from me. Nope, it was Scotty from Currumbin. They had been keeping an eye on me from about 700m away, as I was already half way up Palm Beach, and he came to get me. I replied "Choice Mate" and hop I went onto the slide with my board. Then he says.. "Shall we go and get your kite?" I thought I was dreaming.. and off we went.

Now, if you're bored by RAK's, aka Random Acts of Kindness, move on to another post. This is a simple demonstration of how some people are just the sheeze..

We got to the kite and the lines were all over the place so it took a while to tuen the kite over and for me to release them from the kite so we wouldn;t get them tangled on the jetski. While I was doing this - on the slide, holding onto the board with my legs, kite with left arm and lines with bleeding fingers.. Scotty is rolling the mess on the bar and my GoPro line mount, a serious birds nest.

I am almost finished releasing the kite when I look up and went "MOVE SCOTTY, massive wave !!!". We had a massive wave 5 meters away bearing on us already breaking.. He had to take off and save the Jetski in a hurry. I was fine being tumbled around in the wave but lost my kite obviously. It was taken by the wave towards shore this time.

I came up a little after and saw the kite almost ashore, Scotty coming back for me and I counted my stars lucky because he was ok and everything was going to be ok. I get a ride back to shore, my board is already there.

Using Scotty's words later, with a smile on his face.. Man that was big, we were lucky. Massive 6 foot white wash on that one. I almost didn't make it, there was white wash all over me I thought I was going for a tumble with it. Me in retrospect - definitely shouldn't have been there :) ...

It's not over.. :) .. I got to shore, dropped the board and harness and ran to my kite on the white wash. I pick it up only to realise the wave ripped my briddle and bar, lines and Gopro were nowhere to be seen.

Oh well, lesson learned and at least I am ok minus 2 fingers with massive dark grey bruises under the fingernails and middle finger still bleeding - possibly will lose that nail :(..

I walked back to my board and harness about 200m and see Scotty still hanging around in the shallows .. I go over to say thanks yet again and shake his hand, ask his name, all that jazz. He says "Do you want a ride back?" I go .. What? You're serious? Yeah man, hop on.. but you have to wrap up your kite.

Ran ashore, deflated leading edge, rolled, wrapped harness around it. Got on the slide and .. man, what a ride.. The freakin waves were massive and we were getting air on most of the ones he couldn't avoid after the impressive climb up. We're talking a ride from the Palm Beach Surf Club to Currumbin. I was in the back feeling like it was the most fun I'd had all day :) ridding this massive Wave Roller Coaster instead of what it would have been a long walk of shame and a swim across the Alley with all the gear to get to my car.

Lessons for the day:

1 - The Gold Coast Lifeguards rock :).. Scotty in particular, read the end..
2 - Know the area like the back of your hand before you go out in big surf, specially when slightly off-shore..
3 - be prepared to say goodbye to gear instead of getting into further trouble by trying to to save and complicating your situation..
4 - If its rough and you see the locals going home - don't be stupid (insert 'like me')

The finish is I went back to the beach after packing to say a proper thanks to Scotty and ask where I could deliver some beer to.. the bugger wouldn't accept it or tell me where "it's part of our job Mate, not a problem at all.."

He then asked me for my name and number and radioed to the other lifeguards in case my bar and cam washed further North. By the time I got to Palm Beach and took a walk to try and find the bar all the Lifeguards knew about it.

This is what I call 'ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY"..

If this didn't deserve publishing in our forum what does ?? Now I am ready to be beaten up by all the red thumbs coming my way.

PS: If you find my bar washed up somewhere or know who happens to have it - there's whatever you drink coming your way - PM me

I must say, that's fantastic. Perfect Aussie beach story!!

May I suggest something?? If he won't take the beer, donate $100 to his Surf Club and make sure the club knows why you are donating the money.

Have my first lesson tomorrow, hope to get help as half as good as thtis if I need it!!

haha nice work V... glad everything is OK... hope you find the bar, if for nothing else that GoPro would have some great pics on it!!

cheers,

Manny

p.s. Great work Scotty!

Greenmount maybe

Sir V said...

I tried that one.. apparently they are part of the Goldie state thing.. but I heard he works at Greenworth, Greensomething beach/area... someone help?

Sir V said...

I tried that one.. apparently they are part of the Goldie state thing.. but I heard he works at Greenworth, Greensomething beach/area... someone help?

Good that you've survived, with almost all your flesh intact mate, and most of your gear.
Curious to hear how and why you think your hand got mashed.

As for compensating Scotty, just make a donation to any of the local clubs or to SLS Australia using this link.
http://www.sls.com.au/give

The conditions were clearly beyond your capabilities and you should not have been out there !

You put others at risk by your actions. !!

Learn how to judge the situation and only go out in conditions you are prepared to swim in,
far too many kiters are oblivious to ocean conditions, rips, sweeps have no water experience and when the $hit hits the fan and they no longer have the kite to get them out of trouble others have to risk their safety to effect a rescue.

If you are going to kite in decent sized surf plan an exit route in case you have to swim in without your kite. This means knowing where the rips are and where they will most likely take you and where you best chance of making it ashore is.

lotofwind said...

He did everything right,
ditched the kite,swimming in,didnt need a rescue but a good bloke helped him out.

No matter how experienced you are, if you miss judge a turn and your kite gets smashed, not much you can do.
He did the right thing to say good bye to his kite and swim in.

Big up's to Scotty,,,he was probly loving hooning around on the jetski in the big waves.

fair enough.....

I am just commenting based on his account

Ie : " in hindsight I shouldn't have gone out "
" these waves are a lot bigger when your not being pulled by your kite, wow."
" 10 min into the swim "
" kite was going offshore twisting and turning"

I'm not really having a go at Sir V he acknowledges his errors and seems to have a pretty good handle on what should be done, just should not have gone out.

I guess i am more taking aim at kiters in general who think they are invincible in trying conditions,
Currumbin and Caloundra in particular can be very dangerous places to kite or surf in a big swell on an outgoing tide, you can very easily find yourself in no- mans land being pushed out by the tide flowing out the mouth and buffeted back in by the large surf ...
result : you go nowhere

Hey Sir V, great story and glad you made it out OK.
In regards to your finger injury, i had to ditch my Switchblade as a beginner once and as i pulled the quick release the pin smashed my finger up as it was under so much pressure.
Hit so hard it burst through my skin and left a nasty wound and bruise.

Nice - that was my brother in law that came to help you out. And he's now read this thread, so the word is out how appreciative you are of the GC Lifeguards so that's all good. :)

Hey V, The Kurnell crew will undoubtably be discussing your adventures for weeks to come. We miss your exploits back here.

Same Same

Got crunched at Currumbin a while back 2009 and had similar experience - Palmy life saver (champion) picked me up on the jet ski helped me roll up my kite and took me for a nice ride thru some big sets to get me back to my starting point at Currumbin. Since then whenever I see the lifesavers at the shopping centres looking for donations in go as many gold coins as I have... They are a very tolerant bunch on the Gold Coast and have all beach users interests at heart!

hats off to all Lifesavers all over OZ!