They obviously have an on-going search operation in Stratford Connecticut to find a kitesurfer that was reported missing yesterday -- saw it on the local tv news this morning.
Anyone know anything? As far as I could find, the wind was very strong and offshore yesterday.
Missing kitesurfer in Connecticut!?
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eastcoastkite
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His name is Stoil Popow. I was not there, but here is what I know:
- the wind was nice, the weather was warm for mid-January, and everyone was having a good time
- a squall came in quickly. Winds went from easy to 25-40mph offshore very quickly
Apparantly Stoil was only 20 feet offshore and everyone was yelling at him to come in. He dropped his kite, but didn't want to lose it, so he started wrapping up the lines. While doing that, he was very quickly blown offshore -- apparantly very far out.
My understanding this morning is that the Coast Guard found his kite and board. The rescue seems to have started in the late afternoon/early evening, so it was already getting dark.
I know Stoil, as I've snowkited with him very often for the last two winters. He is very smart, and a very accomplished kiter. He was certainly wearing his drysuit.
Let's all hope for a miracle here. He has a wife and two small children.
Just a note on the conditions: My house is probably 70 miles or so from that beach, and yesterday afternoon I left to go to the store. I looked at the sky, and saw a line of dark clouds approaching. I said to myself that this is what RickI would tell us is the time to drop our kites and wait out the coming storm. About 20 minutes later I walked into a store, with essentially no wind outside. I was in the store for less than 10 minutes, and when I walked out the wind blew the door open, there were dust "swirlies" through the parking lot, and the wind was at least 25mph. The front came is very, very quickly and very violently.
Out of respect to Stoil, let's all please hope our best for him and his family and refrain from analysing what might have gone wrong until we have all the facts. What I have written above is not first hand, but should be reliable.
Seth
- the wind was nice, the weather was warm for mid-January, and everyone was having a good time
- a squall came in quickly. Winds went from easy to 25-40mph offshore very quickly
Apparantly Stoil was only 20 feet offshore and everyone was yelling at him to come in. He dropped his kite, but didn't want to lose it, so he started wrapping up the lines. While doing that, he was very quickly blown offshore -- apparantly very far out.
My understanding this morning is that the Coast Guard found his kite and board. The rescue seems to have started in the late afternoon/early evening, so it was already getting dark.
I know Stoil, as I've snowkited with him very often for the last two winters. He is very smart, and a very accomplished kiter. He was certainly wearing his drysuit.
Let's all hope for a miracle here. He has a wife and two small children.
Just a note on the conditions: My house is probably 70 miles or so from that beach, and yesterday afternoon I left to go to the store. I looked at the sky, and saw a line of dark clouds approaching. I said to myself that this is what RickI would tell us is the time to drop our kites and wait out the coming storm. About 20 minutes later I walked into a store, with essentially no wind outside. I was in the store for less than 10 minutes, and when I walked out the wind blew the door open, there were dust "swirlies" through the parking lot, and the wind was at least 25mph. The front came is very, very quickly and very violently.
Out of respect to Stoil, let's all please hope our best for him and his family and refrain from analysing what might have gone wrong until we have all the facts. What I have written above is not first hand, but should be reliable.
Seth
this is from the people who called the police and the coast guard:
after strong southerlies in bridgeport CT all day, the wind switched suddendly from the NW without the usual frontal passage/rains warning signs.
As you can see from the graph the gusts were quite intense.
One kiter was seeing drifting off shore while holding on to his kite, a call was immediately placed at 911 asking for a rescue at sea.
Minutes later the kiter apparently got separeted from the kite, at that point he was a good mile out (currents from a local river make this area rather difficul even in a non windy day).
When the first rescue boat arrived only the kite was found.
After an all night search by the coast guard including several vessels and an helicopter the kiter is unfortunately still missing.
It's early I think to say much here. Until more details are known let's just be respectful of this tragedy as we cannot but feel very sad for the missing kiter and his family.
enzo
after strong southerlies in bridgeport CT all day, the wind switched suddendly from the NW without the usual frontal passage/rains warning signs.
As you can see from the graph the gusts were quite intense.
One kiter was seeing drifting off shore while holding on to his kite, a call was immediately placed at 911 asking for a rescue at sea.
Minutes later the kiter apparently got separeted from the kite, at that point he was a good mile out (currents from a local river make this area rather difficul even in a non windy day).
When the first rescue boat arrived only the kite was found.
After an all night search by the coast guard including several vessels and an helicopter the kiter is unfortunately still missing.
It's early I think to say much here. Until more details are known let's just be respectful of this tragedy as we cannot but feel very sad for the missing kiter and his family.
enzo
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eastcoastkite
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ctkiteboarding
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gipseysurfer
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here's a recent update from one of the local papers:
http://www.connpost.com/news/ci_3426897
the article along with the tv url mentions a search for a windsurfer but it was in fact the kiter mentioned on this thread. i am amazed the coast guard was able to get within reach of this guy on such short notice and in such extreme conditions.
hoping for a miracle.
barry
http://www.connpost.com/news/ci_3426897
the article along with the tv url mentions a search for a windsurfer but it was in fact the kiter mentioned on this thread. i am amazed the coast guard was able to get within reach of this guy on such short notice and in such extreme conditions.
hoping for a miracle.
barry
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ctkiteboarding
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