shem
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| posted on 30-11-2007 at 19:26 |
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Sat the 1st of December, whos out then?
Im gonna get on it at the usual Aberdovey massive spot at about 8.30. Theres a few others heading for the same time as well. Any others
coming down?
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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mNeil
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| posted on 30-11-2007 at 20:39 |
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not out this week Shem ; things to do.
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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Dandine
A Force-of-Nature *  
Member #: 2742 Posts 231
Registered: 29-10-2006 Member Is Offline Mood: Work is for losers
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| posted on 30-11-2007 at 21:34 |
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Sorry, no show. fitting my 19" screen and xbox into the van. It's looking mint now.
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chris
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 79 Posts 402
Registered: 28-11-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: i thought the winter/spring wa
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| posted on 30-11-2007 at 22:07 |
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shem ill see you on the water. sounding windy now.
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shem
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 00:04 |
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Wind meter just hit 44 knots! and theres North in it so its probably under reading. I recon all the crews staying away this weekend cos
them is scared, hehe.
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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shem
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 00:26 |
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48knots now, according to the beaufort scale:-Seldom experienced inlland, trees uprooted; considerable structural damage occurs.
Oo er!!
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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Spooker
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 932 Posts 624
Registered: 24-8-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: rattle dem bones
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 08:53 |
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That'll be 7m weather then
on me way - see y'all later
You know INSTINCTively when you're living on the EDGE...
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chris
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 79 Posts 402
Registered: 28-11-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: i thought the winter/spring wa
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 08:57 |
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yep last night at around 10:30 a squal came in and boy was it windy. sounding ok now. it looks as if the swell is only gonna come in
later and tomorrow.
see you on the water.
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Fart Boy
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 1459 Posts 408
Registered: 24-8-2005 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 17:57 |
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Well I'm gaining some points this weekend plus I don't have a kite small enough.
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jon d hat
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 1437 Posts 410
Registered: 11-8-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Not long to go..Morocco again!
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 21:13 |
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I drove up on Friday night and the road through the valleys was like a river..my winscreen wipers couldn't cope even on the highest
setting. Pareked at Ynyslas golfcourse carpark and the spray was landing on the dunes. Wind and rain hitting the van sounded like I was
being pelted with rocks. I went rount to the disabled parking by the estury and was blown over trying to put my silver screens on. Wind
must have been 50kts+ when the squals came through.
Sat morning was well gusty so after about 20 mins, decided to leave it to settle till after high tide. In all, 9 kitesurfers pumped up
but only 7 of us went out. The reason for this was that Dave got lofted and broke his arm in two places..would have been much worse but
for his helmet and some quick thinking by a few of the massif. Loxly decided to pack down after seing the carnage.
Best Wishes Dave..hope you get back on the water soon.
The rest of us donned gimp suits and most of us had an excellent sail...It was pretty big though 
When you're close to the EDGE....Trust your INSTINCT....!
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chris
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 79 Posts 402
Registered: 28-11-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: i thought the winter/spring wa
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 22:21 |
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best wishes to dave. my wife did the same thing a few years ago.
epic day. maybe too mental for tomorrow
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mNeil
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 23:12 |
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not good new there Jon; which Dave? whoever, sorry to hear the bad news and get well soon.
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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jon d hat
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 1437 Posts 410
Registered: 11-8-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Not long to go..Morocco again!
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| posted on 1-12-2007 at 23:33 |
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Cant remember his second name but he drives a blue Galaxy and flies Cabrinha Switchblades, usually comes up with Col and John from PKS.
Im sure Spooks will provide us with a comprehensive overview of todays events..once he gets his creative juices flowing.
When you're close to the EDGE....Trust your INSTINCT....!
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Loxley
A Force-of-Nature ** 
Member #: 1919 Posts 382
Registered: 26-5-2006 Member Is Offline Mood: all I need is everything...
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 08:12 |
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I have to admit i didnt feel comfortable going out in those conditions with 'borrowed' kites.
I was really looking forward to having a go with the waroos i had been lent for the weekend. But having never flown them before and
although the smallest was a 9m I didnt relish the idea of taking them home in a bad condition.
Also, as the gate padlock has been changed and no one had the new keys, I wasnt able to get the van into the carpark.
I felt a bit cheeky asking Debs to sit out on the road while i spent time on the water and although she was happy to come and stand and
watch for the morning, I thought it was pushing the bounds of 'pay back' that was likely to be expected ! LOL
We drove down to the estuary mouth and parked on the hard standing for lunch, then had a walk over the dunes.
In between the hail storms it did seem to calm down quite a bit so wish i had gone out.
There were 2-3 people in the estuary on the dyfi side who seemed to be having a great session on the flat.
See you all again in a few weeks, hopefully by then we will have keys to the gate again and will be able to park by the beach.
Mark
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Spooker
A Force-of-Nature ***
Member #: 932 Posts 624
Registered: 24-8-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: rattle dem bones
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 10:42 |
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As Jon’s account was a little brief – permit me to fill in the gaps….
When I arrived at the beach the scene was well gnarly. Massively gusty winds – 7 to 30 knots in one brief period – it was
nearly bang onshore and the tide was in. There were maybe 5 or 6 kites lying on a thin strip of sand, everyone laying out lines and
going to launch in an attempt to get off the beach before it disappeared completely. AJ was standing surveying the chaos and asked what
I thought. I said I thought that this was an accident waiting to happen – prophetic words as it turned out.
Darren and I think Chris were out and then Jon d Hat was off out to join them. Within 10 minutes he was back on the beach.
“It’s the worst f***ing wind I’ve ever sailed in – its f****** ****, I’d rather be b****** ** *********
than out in this ****” – or (deleted) expletives to that effect. Roughly translated Jon believed that the conditions were a
little less than perfect for him.
Then things started to go wrong. Loxley went to launch Woosh, a gust knocked the kite out of his hand and it bulleted straight through
the window to come to rest bouncing threateningly on the dunes directly downwind of the hapless Woosh, if that kite caught the
wind….. I only saw that out of the corner of my eye, what held my attention was Woosh himself.
He remained frozen - bent slightly forwards in a Johnny Wilkinson style crouch, his eyes bulging as big as saucers, his bar thrown onto
the sand, as far as possible, as if he was trying to distance himself from the reality that he was still attached by 4 lengths of
300kg-proven Dyneema to his impending doom.
Thankfully the kite remained partially in the lee of the shingle bank, and Loxley managed to retrieve it without further drama. Woosh
had already decided that he’d had enough excitement and decided to sit this one out while he counted his blessings.
Then I launched Dave, which involved stepping over and round (oops – and on!) various kites and lines. No sooner than I had
released him and turned away I heard a shout, and turning I saw Dave suspended in mid-air, his kite diving though the power zone. I can
only describe his flight as cross between a very clumsy superman and a goony bird coming into land (sorry Dave). He hit the shingle
bank hard, scattering some sizeable stones a good few yards.
Everything seemed to stop for a split second, then the Massif sprung into action. Jon d Hat leaped onto Dave to prevent him being
dragged further and released him from the kite. Loxley bounding over the dunes like a spring lamb on speed secured the kite. We
gathered round as Dave, clearly stunned, lay motionless. Jon told him to lie still, he spoke and said that he could feel all his
fingers and toes. Trying to reassure him I remarked that both his feet were pointing in the same direction – which was surely a
good sign? We slowly got him sitting up and AJ inspected him – he seemed to know what he was doing – though he was a bit
vague about his medical background.
After a few minutes Dave found his feet, and we got him back to his car. I put the kettle on and we managed to get him out of his
wetsuit. He was complaining about a very sore elbow, but we all agreed that he wasn’t in enough pain for a break it was just
badly bruised. Larry added his own sage-like advice “if you’d broken it laddie you’d be on the floor in tears right
now”. Encouraged by the care the Massif had shown and our collective and obvious knowledge on the effects of impact injuries,
Dave was buoyed up, and after a cup of tea and some pain killers said he felt well enough to drive home.
Imagine my surprise then later in the evening when a cheerful Dave called, and announced he was in Telford hospital about to be treated
for a double break to his arm! The man is a rock!
SO, on a more serious note, no matter how experienced you are –and Dave has been flying kites longer than almost all of us, and
how well you know your own beach, you can still get spanked – especially in conditions like yesterday, so a salutary lesson for
us all. A speedy recovery to Dave, and he passes his thanks on to everyone, especially Jon d Hat, Loxley and AJ
You know INSTINCTively when you're living on the EDGE...
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chris
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 79 Posts 402
Registered: 28-11-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: i thought the winter/spring wa
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 13:15 |
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just had an amazing session in the estuary with mike. plenty of waist to head high waves perfectly setup to catch then hack back up
wind. wasn't as windy as forecast and the sun popped out. yet again the surfboard was the business. happy to relax with a cuppa and
starwars on the telly.
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shem
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 14:00 |
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Beautifull words spooks! At least I dont feel like a opiker for only staying on the water an hour now on sat morning.
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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col123
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 14:15 |
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glad i'm at home with the lurgy, sounded a bit mental.
for those that don't know Dave is Dave stratton, the guy that designed the flexifoil mountain boards, usually comes up with wife annie,
and flys crossbows..
one of those days to miss i think
To Infirmary and beyond..
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Fart Boy
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 1459 Posts 408
Registered: 24-8-2005 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 17:08 |
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Think I made the right choice and now have a tidy garage to boot.
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Dandine
A Force-of-Nature *
Member #: 2742 Posts 231
Registered: 29-10-2006 Member Is Offline Mood: Work is for losers
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| posted on 2-12-2007 at 17:26 |
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My best to dave. Glad I stayed at home, would have not want to damage my new edge!!!!
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