Today I decided I'd try riding in the Gulf rather than Packery so Bandit and I headed out up the beach to mile post 181. I met a nice couple that kite, Dieter and I can't remember her name at the moment, that were very helpful with all the local info on wind directions and where to ride. The wind was light in the 15-18mph so I tried the skim board in the surf. This was very challenging. After half an hour of that the wind had picked up enough for me to go out on the Nobile. It was good, the wind was super steady and there were some nice 3-4 foot waves rolling through would have been great on a surf board. While I was out a couple of dolphins came in and hung out where I was rinding. They would ride the waves in and then race back out through this one deep channel and ride in again. It was cool to watch. On my last reach out I decided to go out about a quarter mile and make up some lost ground from riding the waves and I see this Navy fighter jet flying toward me down the beach. The jet is flying low and maybe a quater of a mile off the beach toward me. I'm trying to pinch up wind in light conditions with my kite high in the sky and I look at how high my kite is and then look up at the jet and realize I'd better drop my kite to water level because I'm not sure the jet isn't going to hit my kite. I lowered the kite and watch the jet fly right over the top of me and as it passed by my kite bounced around in the air from the jet wash. I'd be willing to bet that if I could ask the pilot what his altitute was he'd say 100 feet or less. Exciting, cool and a little unnerving all at the same time.
wind 15-18mph
water temp 83f
air temp 90f
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