There I was. Thought I was going to die.

a reply to: Phage

Okay, well then...Japan.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

More likely just another contribution to the trash patch.

a reply to: Phage

Have you ever seen the area I'm talking about?

What is that area? I was there for a couple weeks and it looked like it was always rough in that same area. It's definitely 10-12 miles off shore.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Sprecklesville? Near the airport?

When the trades get more easterly the windline moves offshore there (and the Makena convergence moves toward Kihei).

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Night Star

It was. But not as scary as some days at Pipeline.
My teenage frontal lobe was not fully developed back then. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Pipeline? Did you surf back in the day too?

Excellent story about handgliding I can fully relate to the experience having had a similar one on a paraglider, I had got caught in a Venturi between two slopes and a gully I got blown to the face of a very steep hill and landed while going backwards in a bit of a lull. I immediately collapsed the wing only for it to violently try to re-inflate again, luckily a line had snagged in the rock scree and I was able to take the pressure off from the other side of the wing while disconnecting myself from the harness.

Those few moments with my heart beating in my mouth and my hands desperately fumbling the clips of my harness felt like a lifetime. I knew had the wing re-inflated I would get dragged and bounced about like a rag doll possibly with a fatal impact.

Free flying is one of the most satisfying activity’s you can ever do but also one of the most dangerous when things go wrong.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I remember one time standing on the beach in Maui looking out across the water. I kept thinking I was seeing something at the very limits of the horizon (and limits of my vision). I would strain to see, but I couldn't tell for sure if what I was seeing was just some kind of a mirage with the surf or what. Then the sun kind of went behind the clouds and I could see a whole bunch of tiny, tiny, specks way TF out there. They were wind surfers! And, they must have been out there at about 12 miles or so. I couldn't believe people were crazy enough to go out that far.

At 6 ft elevation the horizon is at 3 miles. At 12 miles there's a hidden height of about 50 ft.......

a reply to: Trueman

'82 was a great year. But St. Helens. She blew her top in '80.

a reply to: TheMostHigh

Duly noted, and that sounds about right. So thanks for that, but these guys were quite a bit further out than 3 miles. However, to your point, you couldn't see them all the time, only periodically when they would pop up above the horizon. And they were just tiny specs. You couldn't make out a person, only the sails (which I would estimate at 12+ feet). So add that to coming off the top of a big swell or wave and you've got 8-9 miles probably.

So yes, perhaps not 12 miles (I use an average of 12 just as a rule of thumb). In any case, they were WAY TF out there!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Too late you proved Flat Earth.

a reply to: TheMostHigh

Nah, just really tall basketball-wind-surfers...on stilts...off 100' waves.

(I'll give you a star though, cuz your new. Welcome!)

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses
Oh that's right. Sometimes I forget that I'm in the other timeline.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Stilts?

a reply to: Phage

Wow, that's really cool. I wish I could do that, but that's probably another lifetime.

Imagine some broke down old cowboy trying to do that! Probably be good for a laugh...until someone got hurt.

a reply to: Phage

Did you feel scared?

Was this written as prompted by the ATS monthly short story theme or more of a fond reminiscing?

Either way, made me realize that nobody could ever get me to partake of this activity.

S+F

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

Very scared. But calm as well. No panic. Panic is bad.


Just a good, true, story that some friends were there to see happen and to tell others.


I had a few bad experiences in the air so I got very picky about choosing to fly or not. "It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than to be in the air wishing you were on the ground." I was pretty much self taught, that's a bad idea.

Been more scared surfing more times. But still, calm. Panic is bad.

A very cool story.

Flying is thrilling and fun. The diversity in vehicles is all the difference in the world.
Glad that there are so many instances of happy e....... err, finales.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses
Panic is bad.

One of the very first lessons I learned as a boy. My father was a big Douglas Adams fan; "Don't Panic" was written in big, friendly letters on the cover of Hitchhikers Guide, which was always around the house somewhere.

I was pretty much self taught, that's a bad idea.

I see your reasoning for saying so. In other pursuits, the self-taught practitioner often has an edge. I'm talking about keyboardists, producers. Accidentally flying into the convergence is not like accidentally playing minor seven flat five instead of major seven.