Great Lake in Tassie highlands has been conquered for the first time (we know of) - in midwinter no less!
Air temperature 6-8 degrees, water temperature 2 degrees, elevation 1000m. We were hoping to go snowkiting, but the snow had melted - and we all know how warm snow-melt is.
The launch was off craggy rocks down a 4wd track.
I wore two wetties - a total of 8mm of rubber was girding my loins.
Wilson is the one who deserves the respect. Just the one 5-4 wettie with a hole in the leg, and no booties. He could only kite for 3 minutes before he had to come in to warm his feet up.
A sweet 15-22kn breeze, a little gusty. The only really awful moment was getting that cold water up my sinuses when I ballsed up a jump. Instant icecream headache - aaargh!!!!
A memorable session was made even more special in the pub afterwards. Charles Wooley of 60 minutes fame started telling us about the two lunatics he saw out on the water with a "big parachute thing", and how cold they must have been.
Major stoke from that session. Still smiling
no evidence??
Would love to see that video.
I remember a Christmas swim in Ireland. Instant hyperventilation.
so... did hypothermia set in?
you can tell its setting in when you start to crash the kite and are riding like a gupta all of a sudden. your shaking and find it really hard to un zip your wet suit. plus you are stupid as well. you find it hard to make seamingly easy dicisions.
that happened to me in the wellington harbour once. wasn't as cold as yous temps 9-10 deg water temp and air temp with associated wind chip. i had a 3/4 wettie and no booties gloves or hoody... i lasted and hour before it all went pear shaped. i pulled pin and it took me 2 hours in the car with the heater on full blast to warm back up.
. well done guys.
AAAH 26 degrees, now that would be nice. Bring on summer.
. well done guys.
...ha, its official, we've just had our coldest month ever, every night went below 20 degrees every night this month, brrrrrrrr, told you it was cold here!!
Visiting the UK from QLD at the moment and have the chance to kite a place called Ainsdale beach near Liverpool. When I saw the double skin wetsuits, gloves, booties, balaclavas and even some dry suits I thought "you've gotta be kidding me." And this is supposed to be summer! 9 degrees when I arrived and even colder at the "beach". I guess I'm spoilt by the QLD conditions. Gotta take your hat off to the local instructor though, goes out in all weather, must be mad.
