Thanks RickI for the advise, I know you mean good, but your "Method" may result in some serious injuries.
The method you suggest is actually to throw away the kite from the zenith point, hoping that it would fall nicely.
Your "Self Landing" is not a self landing but an emergency landing, Crash and burn type of landing.
Releas of the chicken loop- will result in no controll over the depower of the kite, and when doing so when kite is on top>...???..<- woohoo, here comes trouble!!.
a. Many guy do not use leash at all, or different types of leash systems.
b. its always better to minimize drop hight by flying the kite as low as you can, at the edge of the window prior to landing (same with emergency airplane landings)
c. Therefore, for self landing, simply fly your kite as low as you can above the water, and land it face down on the water so it will "stick" to the water
ONLY AT THIS POINT, after the kite is landed on the water, you immediatly release the chicken loop, and run towards your kite and catch it.
I find it much more realistic than the proposed "throw-your-kite-and-pray" method you recomended.....
adios amigo!