lost and found

On Sunday Rob thought he would end his holiday with a kitesurfing experience.  Little did he know at the time that his outing would lead to a much bigger adventure than just holding on to a kite and balancing on a board!  We sent him off ahead and promised to catch up within the hour.  As we approached the part of the river that is densely populated by kites and big squalls of wind blowing over the water we could see Rob in the distance doing quite well.  By the time we had parked our car and bought the obligatory ice creams from the passing "Mr Wimpy" softserve van, he had disappeared.  We walked up and down the beach looking out for his bright green kite but couldn't spot it.  About half an hour later we saw Rob swimming to shore without his kite.  He had crashed the kite quite far from land and it had flipped over in the wind.  When he tried to turn the kite back over a widget on the bridal (bare with me if you know anything about kites or surfing at this point) jammed and the kite was set at full power.  He hung on for as long as possible and until the feeling of being pulled underwater while hanging on to a fairly heavy board lost the fun element.  He realised, thankfully, that his life was worth more than the $1000 kite even though this is not the time in our lives to be making those kind of repeat purchases without sucking in air through our teeth.  Rob dutifully remembered the teachings from his one and only lesson and released the emergency switch and let the kite go.  He then paddled on his board to shore, ran the few hundred metres up the beach and swam back out to try to recover the kite which was still blowing at full speed in the same direction as his efforts.  After a few hundred metres of swimming he realised that the kite was doing better than his high school freestyle and he abandoned the mission.

This is about where we arrived on the scene and split into two groups plus dog and cars and drove over the bridge into the city and along the shore on the opposite side searching for his beloved kite.  We trawled the various kitesurfing and windsurfing hangouts to no avail.  We stared out on the same river from different vantage points hoping to catch a glimpse of the bright fabric.  Hugo, Griet and I headed home at sunset feeling quite sick and upset and were met at home soon after by the rest of the search and rescue volunteers, Rob, Adam and Russell.  Dinner was a quiet affair and we went to bed tossing and turning - Rob over what he could have done differently; me searching in my dreams for the kite.  By morning we had made peace with our loss and as a last recovery effort placed an ad in the local paper.

By midday at work Rob had spread the word and was advised to post an ad on the Sea Breeze website under "lost and found".  He went online and low and behold the Water Police had already picked it up and were looking for the owner!  The system really works here.  A yachtsman had picked up the floating kite a few kilometres down stream and had called the Water Police who had picked it up on a patrol boat.  I then went over to Fremantle today and collected it.  The very friendly and efficient policeman asked my name and within seconds his computer had told him virtually everything about me.  You really have to watch out for Big Brother here!  We left, happy and satisfied with the kite in perfect condition bar the tangled lines and each of the boys had a big sticker on his chest declaring that he is a Water Policeman.  I requested the details of the yachtsman to thank him and within five minutes of driving away Sgt Veal had called me with his details after checking with him that he was comfortable that his number be given out to us.  What amazing service!  And all that fretting for nothing.  Everyone here has such respect for each other's property that your chances of losing anything are quite remote.  Phew, and I am $1000 closer to purchasing my SUP Board (that's my next sport).

As for Rob, he is so relieved and will definitely write his name on the sail now.  He is considering doing the veterans iron man after his Olympic efforts on Sunday if his body ever recovers.  We have been told to keep the Water Police' number on hand and to call them immediately if something like this were to happen again.  A boat is sent out to rescue the kite immediately - a free service to the community.