It takes about an hour to get hypothermia in 55F naked, with a 5/3 it's about 6 or so hours, but it depends on how you react. Hypothermia is opportunistic. It's what gets you when everything else goes wrong.

My deepest sympathies to Dante and his friends and family. Such a tragic accident at such a young age.

I've only had a problem with kelp once and up until now I thought it was just a nuisance. I was on a twin tip and cutting across the edge of a kelp bed at Nicholas Cyn, when the kelp caught my board and stopped it cold. Of course, I kept right on going and did a nice little face plant into the middle of the kelp bed. It was a very windy day and somehow I was able to keep the kite in the air, but the bar was now under the water and I couldn't lift it up. Because it was windy though, the kite began pulling hard and it actually lifted the bar up from under water - covered in kelp (you couldn't even see the bar).

Anyway, the kite started pulling me out of the kelp bed but I couldn't break free. I had to break/cut most all of the kelp from the bar and from my harness before I was released. There was still a lot of kelp stuck to me though and I removed as much as I could after I body dragged back back to the edge of the kelp bed to get my board. I just thought to myself, lesson learned, I'm not going to ride over a kelp bed again (to avoid the inconvenience, not because of any perceived danger).

After reading about Dante, I will never try to ride through one again, and if for some reason my board ends up in one, I will avoid body dragging to get it. I had no idea kelp beds were that great of a hazard. Now I know. RIP Dante.

When I was 20 I took the LA County Lifeguard swim test. 1000m ocean swim in March. Water temp was about 55 degrees. No wetsuits allowed - speedos only. I was 6'2" - 165 lbs. About 5% body fat. I completed the swim in just under 20 minutes - very slow - because I was shivering uncontrollably after about 10 minutes. I lost all strength and coordination. I had trouble swimming straight and seeing where I was going. The rescue boat almost pulled me a couple of times. I was hypothermic in much less than an hour and nearly worthless after 20 minutes in that water. It took over an hour of blankets, coffee, hot shower, and hot lifeguard truck with heater on full blast to stop shivering.

-Scott

My sincere regrets go out to Dante's family and friends.

I understand Dante had just arrived from Dubai the day before. Near shore water temperatures over there reportedly drop down to the high 60 to 70 F range at the coldest time of year. He was from the Philippines which I understand have slightly warmer water temperature lows than in Dubai. Water temperature was reported at 55 F off Malibu. Dante was a trim and fit individual from the photographs with minimal excess body fat. Coping in the air kiting with your exposure clothing, shorty in the case, may have little bearing on how it does once you have been immersed for a while. With time, things become worse.

We may never know exactly what went wrong in this tragic accident but it seems hypothermia may have played an important role. It has contributed to several other kiting fatalities over the years in various parts of the world. While it steals your core body heat it takes your progressively dulls your perception and ability to think through and act to resolve problems. It also progressively deadens your physical ability as lots of colder water kiters have experienced.

When we go kiting, we need to wear appropriate exposure clothing to be able to manage in the water for an extended period, how long is up for grabs. Beyond that, no one likes to be cold when they are trying to have fun. Choosing too light or damaged exposure clothing has led to severe accidents in the past.

Just saw a post on the Dubai Kite Forum - it looks as if he was one of theirs, and was in LA visiting his parents. That might explain the choice of wetsuit - over here, you don't need more than a shorty. He was probably just trying to make the best of the gear he had - something that everyone who's kited overpowered because "I'm here, and this is the smallest thing I've got" (probably most of us) can identify with.

Well here we go again...

Sure we're all real sorry, but was it an accident? I don't think one could rightly call it so.

really? was it really an accident? doesn't seem accidental to me?

but whatever,

the conflict here as always is betwixt the Devil (being properly stoked to have the chance to ride) and the deep Blue Sea (which as we all know so well, just don't give a flying fart if you live or die)

And let's be clear, that low hanging fruit: he should of had full suit; he should have rigged the 9: he launched [headslap]upwind of rocks; he failed to notice that line garbing stick etc...ad infinitum, to the enth degree of out--Yes there's always that out...

headline, we have an out...

Out for us, for we, fo sure..

it's always there, it's the lemon that sweetens our tea...

Bottom line: we all got it, (the stoke) and we got it bad and to be on point.

let's take a good long look at how we deal with introducing the "innocent" to the Devil with His Deep blue Sea...

I love kiting, but I don't try to sell it, because i know its usually not an accident...

Fire up my user name Toby...

I don't want to hang my tude on the Kingofyo, as he's just another innocent...

R.I.P. Dante...

"We all got it coming Kidd" Clint Eastwood The Unforgiven

there but for the grace, go us all

fokiten

That sounds about right for someone with 5% bodyfat. I've done a similar swim but it's so much easier with more bodyfat. Remember that hypothermia doesn't set in until your body temp goes below 95F so even tho you are extremely weak, shivering uncontrollably, lost control of your fingers, you still won't get hypothermia for a while. For kiters this means learn how to self rescue and lay on your kite. Even if you can't move your arms or legs because of the cold, you can still be rescued hours later with floatation.

I think i saw a ghost!

Was it really him?

Need more proof

Your opinion regarding the dangers of kelp while kiting is COMPLETELY WRONG.

Kelp can FREQUENTLY be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS for kiters.

My below post is copied from page 4 of a thread on iKitesurf.com titled “ Kite Surfer Dies near Topanga State Beach” at http://www.ikitesurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18444&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

There are many additional excellent tips therein regarding how to deal with kelp as well as several descriptions of kitemares involving kelp.

"Posted: 14 Mar 2012 19:30

A terrible accident which emphasizes the importance of getting accurate information regarding local hazards.

The type of kelp under discussion can grow to 60+ feet long and is normally anchored to the seabed. It can cause serious problems several different ways:

1. Relatively minor clumps or broken off pieces can get snagged on a board, foot or bar (if fallen) and thereby precipitate an accident which could become serious.

2. Much more dangerous is getting dragged through a heavy bed of kelp. In this situation, a large amount of kelp can quickly build up on top of the chicken loop, not only preventing access to the quick release but also forcing the kiter DOWN. It does this by both the weight of the kelp and the fact that as the kiter is dragged further from where it is anchored, the tension on the lines combines with the decreasing angle of the kelp (it effectively starts at a 90 degree angle and decreases as the kiter moves further away) to force the kiter under.

3. The above effect can also occur without the kiter himself necessarily being involved with the kelp. If the kiter is using a leash on their board and the board should get snagged in anchored kelp (or a bouy), the same effect can result. To minimize these types of problems, people who use a board leash should make sure that it is attached to them with some type of quick release.

4. Although it is generally not feasible to pull kelp away or cut through it (even with a knife), it is VERY EASY to CHEW through it. A fringe benefit is the feeling of getting even with it.
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