On the top of that you haven't done anything worth mentioning either and you can't even keep your mouth shot. A lot of little man exist because of internet these days. Trying to come on top by ridiculing everyone around doesn't work beyond high school.

Hahahaha. Your comment proves my point. The spirit has changed.
With a chute that failed to open, the guy was very lucky to survive (did he?) and the purpose of the boat would have been to pick up the pieces.
I'm not quite sure which foolish act you are pointing at.

I don't know why you see the fact several vessels and helis were kept busy as a negative thing. If I had the chance to be involved in a rescue mission, I'd be delighted.

Besides, for once, warships did something worthwhile.

Could be osmosis - the cells of living organisms in contact with the hypotonic solution (sea water) for a long time are larger.

No prob don't sweat it, you didn't hurt my feelings and I'd even cross Lake Michigan with you if it worked out (but i am no way ready for it now) and would split the bill and buy you dinner. I just wouldn't be willing to force others into being our first line of safety if things weren't working out as hoped for.

In an oil-subsidized nation you could cross 100 miles for low bucks; Venezuelan gas prices could get you across that distance for less than a six pack of a nice Two Hearted Ale from your area.

In the Red Sea I think you'd be looking at maybe a 1-2 gallons per hour, 8-16 miles per gallon and maybe a buck or two a gallon, meaning a cheap trip across for a blowup chase boat and less than double that for a PWC.

In Lake Michigan you have to deal with a very very difficult body of water in addition to tough climate and very expensive gas.

The chute actually started to open as you might observe. The boat is part of what one would call preparation. On bridge day if happens that people do not make it to shore but land in the water. The boat is there to help. You still don't seem to get the point about being prepared for the most like scenario.

The most likely scenario is that the guys make it to shore. So you probably meant the most likely of the bad scenarios.
If the chute didn't fail, then it's the guy's fail by not realising the ground was getting near, the worst possible scenario. I understand preparedness in this particular case, as the guy knowing when to pull the chute.

What the FEK enhell are you dorks talkkin about?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
i thought this story was over on sunday? morning? and just today
the rest of the world (all my other facebook chums) started referring the story about a polish lost kiter who was fending off sharks?

doubleyoutee-eff? is the sharks part here in kiteforum? i sure as hell an not going to look farther back more than 5 pages ago here for the shark part? does the red sea even have skum-bag-dick-sharks anyway?

Please, please tell me that you're trolling. Or do you make prank 911/999 calls "because it gives firefighters something to do"?

Anyway, it occurs to me that the clear evidence that this trip suffered from an absence of planning is this:
1. You can get beer in Egypt;
2. You can't get beer in Saudi Arabia;
3. With this in mind, on which side of the Red Sea should you end a 200km session across shark-infested waters?

Gas prices from Nov last year when I was in El Gouna => USD1.37/Gallon. I hope I convert it correctly. 1 Liter cost 2 Egyptian pounds. 5.5 Egyptian pounds is = 1 USD.

A couple of friends rent a 30 ft. boat ( inflatable with hard plastic bottom, I don't know how it is called. It was RIB type I believe ) with twin mercs ~ 250 BHP each for a total of 300 USD for the whole day.. with a captain.

I just wanted to put some numbers to the chase boat idea. I believe that it would not be that expensive. I'd say a couple of thousand bucks and a friend on a boat would do the job.

Nevertheless, I believe that Jan's idea was to cross by himself. That is why he did not have a chase boat follow him.

Back in 1984 I think things were looked at differently and there was more of an acceptance of risk. Arnaud did do some impressive lone crossings successfully, such as sailing 750 nautical miles in 11 days and 10 nights between two Pacific islands. In the end his risk taking cost him his life and he died about 6 months after his daughter was born. His legendary status was helped by being married to the beautiful Jenna de Rosnay who once held the windsurf speed world record.
The key thing is to succeed. If Janek had been lucky with the wind and had made it, people would have said well done. If you fail, better to do it quietly and be rescued by your own team.

Arnaud with his wife and daughter.