This Kitesurfer?

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

No.

Fair enough, neither did I.
Do you consider anyone who did drive in Ireland yesterday as irresponsible and selfish?
Driving at the best of times is a very risky activity. These risks are magnified by poor weather.

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Obviously, it’s my call and if anything happens it’s on me. Wouldn’t be looking for any RNLI or Coast Guard rescue.

Not sure who should foot the bill really, until the state puts in provisions to deal, more strictly, with reckless behaviour and alcohol related injuries then we’ll be paying, B.

Unfortunately it's not your call who goes to rescue you, the emergency services have a duty of care to anybody in trouble. You could, of course, refuse any help when it comes and continue to drown at your leisure.

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

We are getting off the point here, I’m afraid.

What we have here is emergency services occupied by an incident despite numerous warnings of impending extreme weather.

An incident which directly contravened the ‘stay high stay dry’ advice.

Hope the person is ok, but maybe some more balanced thinking might have been more appropriate.

How is it off point?
Putting yourself at risk in any way puts pressure on rescue services at a time when they are likely to be busy.
How is an experienced kitesurfer going out in reasonable conditions more reckless than driving to the shops yesterday?

BrownFinger wrote: »

Looking back at wexford harbour wind chart for yesterday the average wind speed was 10 knots,
Don't believe everything the forecasters say.

As a resident I can confirm that the wind speed in my local area of Wexford yesterday was way in excess of 10 knots. I don't know over what period they assess the average, by late evening the wind had dropped significantly but during daylight hours the wind was quite strong'

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

I speak for me not others. As I said someone that goes out in a weather warning has a disregard for their own safety that's fine but that same disregard threatens the safety of others needlessly and in my opinion makes them selfish a**holes that need to face some form of sanction.

It’s a wind based sport and it was windy.
You don’t know the sport , so aren’t in a position to comment.

BrownFinger wrote: »

@The beer revolu

The folks getting upset haven't a clue so let them off.

I know but I can't help it.
The uninformed, kneejerk condemnation is so loud, popular and annoying.

ted1 wrote: »

It was only 25 knots at the lake. The kite surfer has won both the Irish and British national titles.
The previous week the weather didn’t have a name and was blown 35 knots and no one cared

It was also only a yellow warning= Yellow Not unusual weather. Localised danger.

Fair enough then inform authorities (e.g local S&R centre, coastguard, local RNLI station, etc) that he is going out so that he doesn't need a rescue.

Although the authorities might say well then what happens if you really did get in trouble for some reason.
How do we know whether you really need help?
I presume he wouldn't be carrying a flare with him in the event he really needs help?

The problem some eejits fail to notice is what message this sends.

1. other surfers see this guy out there and think what the hell it isn't bad so I will go out, except these other people may not have national titles, may not have the ability and experience of the first guy out there.
Then they get in trouble.

(fair enough it wasn't bad at all yesterday where he was but as sure as hell this will happen when it is questionable conditions for less experienced people)

2. some people in the general public see this guy out there and have listened to all the warnings and then inform the authorities who launch a rescue or at least and go and see.

And one of the reasons members of general public raise alarms is they actually do see eejits out in questionable conditions.

It also has a lot to do the way authorities are warning about going near the water.
And that is because we have seen eejits standing near breakwaters, on exposed piers, even jumping in for a swim in bad storm conditions ?

nthclare wrote: »

I tell you what, come December when there's a nice swell we'll ramp it up and hit Riley's on the bogue...

Well settle at 5ft swell, westerly and a North East moderate breeze....

I'll meet you out back and you'll see how a bodyboard can shredd...

No jet ski.... we'll paddle into the wave's....

You could do extreme stuff on a tricycle. It would still be a tricycle, though.

I'm from Wexford and it was windier earlier in the week than it was yesterday,no mention of whether the conditions yesterday had anything to do with him getting into trouble,he could have gotten tangled in the lines from the kite or anything.
Had he been doing it up on the Mayo coast then we'd have said he was stupid but conditions in Wexford were far from stormy.

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

There are some people who will always get a thrill from living on the edge. Generally they are very self centred and don't mind putting others at risk to save them.

Emergency service personal have been badly injured and in some cases died trying to save these idiots.

They'll probably be out there again in a few weeks doing the same thing, boasting to their friends about it.

Yeah.
Those feckin hill walkers!

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

I wouldn't consider hill walking living on the edge provided you follow designated pathways.

Jumping in the sea right before, during, or just after a storm is a different matter.

I regularly hear of hill walkers being rescued - often by helicopter.