Today I did a bad choice/decision over NOT trying to retrieve someone board while his kite crash in the water and I feel extremely bad and ashamed about it. I made that decision due to my non existent skill, knowledge and experience with board retrieving, the wind dropping and the fact that this happened in that weird zone @ Cook where I crash my kite and could not re launch it this week (Sun,Mon and Wed).

But approximately 5-6 minutes after the crash the wind started to pick up and it was obvious that I could have retrieve or at least try to retrieve the board without putting myself in danger of crashing my kite, but I chikened out.

Anyway, we all do mistakes and grow from them. I would like to grow from this one, this is why I get some Rescue/Retrieving board questions:

1: When someone crashes their kite in the water, and you can get their board, you wait that the kite is re launch before bringing the board back to them. But what if their kite doesn’t re launch, and what if the wind drops down and you are not sure if it will continue to drop, what is the best thing you can do?
My guess would be to bring the board back to shore, wait for the wind to pick up a little bit more and bring the board back to them if they re launch their kite? Is that right or wrong?

2: If you have to “tow” someone because their kite doesn’t re launch, should the person that get “towed “stay hook to the crash kite or he/she should secure the lines, deflate the kite, hold their gear and then get "towed"?

I guess there are too many questions and factor to each scenario in order to get a “best answer“. And in some case there might be 2-3 different options that are as good as each other.

I will certainly practice riding with a board in my hand this week end at Nitinat, and if I find it too hard or I am not able to do it I’ll try the leash to retrieve a board if it happens again for real (thanks Dwayne, I never thought of that).

I'll make sure that I gain practice and knowledge about helping others in the water so this doesn't happen anymore.
Learning every day... And sorry again to have chikened out.

If you are not confident riding with a board in your hand then I would not . If you think your kite may crash because of lack of wind, then go to shore and tell someone. You came to shore and notified us that you could not get the board. We all watched and saw that the rider was safe, trying to relaunch the kite, and drifting to shore. It is great that you want to help, but if you think helping will put you in a bad situation then its not really helping is it? I have towed and been towed. The only time I think that applies is if someone has lost the kite, or the kite is unlaunchable (blown leading edge, ect.) and it is a long way to shore. I have drifted/swam into clover point many times. Sometimes someone grabs my board and brings it to shore, but usually I either hang onto it and paddle it in with me, or wait for it to drift in. A few walks of shame are good for the character
If I saw the rider was in trouble, my actions would be different. Probably tell them top ditch the kite and start towing, or get someone else with more experience to do so. Next step would be coast guard.
I witnessed the whole thing and you did no wrong Ian, so dont feel bad.
When you feel confident riding with a board in your hand drop it downwind of them if it looks like they will get the kite relaunched, and ride it to shore if it looks like they will not.

I agree with Marty.

Sounds like you didn't chicken out, you just realized you probably weren't ready to try riding with an extra board. Recognizing that and not potentially getting in over your head, along with doing what you could by telling others, really is helping!

I'd say you've got the right idea going to maybe practice riding with another board. It's nice to be able to help and return the favours we've all had done for us at one time or another!

Fortunately Paul found his own board after it drifted in. We looked for about an hour before he spotted it. Paul dropped his kite quite far out and it took a long time to get it back up. I was watching from my house and realized he would probably need help landing his kite once he got back to the beach. When I got down there, he was at the toe of the rip-rap trying to get up the beach to a safer spot to self land - not the best position to be in. Here's what went through my head:
- is he ok
- his kite is bow-tied and likely not going to be re-launchable
- he's far out and if no other kites come to his assistance, 911 will likely be called
- if he doesn't re-launch or self-rescue he's drifting into Clover Point (rock) in onshore wind (bye bye kite and potentially Paul if things go sideways)
- his board must be 'lost'

Props to Teabag for keeping an eye on him and likely preventing the 911 call. The fact that Teabag came back to the beach to inform people that would be better able to assist Paul demonstrates the most important skill to have when kiting or learning to kite. Common sense. Unfortunately, his efforts were wasted, as from what I saw nobody bothered to help look for his board from the water (don't bother using lousy wind to defend your actions) or the land. That board was way too far out to assume it would comeback to it's owner.

Common sense. It makes up for a lot of years of learning the hard way. Cook St. has more hazards than most places I have ever kited. We've got a cliff that eats kites - especially when the wind is too onshore, too west or a little north. We've got a terrible launch with logs and rocks to snag lines or split your head on if things go wrong. We've got tons of reefs and kelp. We've got a very limited strip of beach to launch/land. We've got lots of beginners and we've got spectators and other beach users that aren't aware of the dangers of kiting (especially what we need to have safe launches or landings). Too many needless accidents are happening, and it's only a matter of time before something more serious occurs. The last thing we need is a group of kiters that isn't watching out for each other or the general public or one that doesn't recognize different people have different abilities and needs.

If you know Paul and the challenges he has overcome and still faces, you should really think about what happened last night.

I don't kite, but I thought Superdaves comments are well-said and apply to all of us that use the beach.