Trey Kropp <<president>>
on December 15th wrote:

I was contacted by the news media about a report of a paraglider
who landed on the beach in Sand City and was taken out to sea by the rip. Her
daughter and a guy from Carmel Valley tried to save her but the rip was too
strong. She is still missing and rescue crews have been searching the area
since. The only information I have is that she was 69 years old.

I have the Windtalker graph showing that it was blowing offshore all day at
Marina. I am trying to figure out why someone would attempt to fly the beach
when it’s not even onshore. I remind you all of the importance of flying with a
hook knife at the beach as well. The rip currents along that entire stretch of
beach are strong and the moment your wing touches the water it becomes
incredibly heavy and it might be the only way to get away from it is to cut your
way out. If you see someone go into the ocean in the Marina Beach area activate
911 as soon as possible. Direct fire and ambulance to Reservation Road so they
can drive down the beach. Request a helicopter and Coast Guard respond as well.
Don’t become a second victim unless you are sure your efforts to help the person
are safe. Be sure to take a knife to cut them free if it’s safe to get to them.
Watch the direction they are moving in the water if you can’t reach them. If
you're the pilot your only thought should be to cut yourself free and swim to
shore. Forget the glider. A diver can help recover it later.

R. Craig Gamma <<craig>>
on December 22nd wrote:

Tonight, I just received more bad news, from my flying buddy that
lives there, that this recent death has triggered the land owner, Ulysses, who
just got home and found out about this incident, to close down his property’s
use for paragliding. This is the large dune and lower dunes to the North of the
large (launch) dune.

Of course, there may be ways around this area in order to fly Sand City, by
kiting up from the beach to the city owned dunes just south of the large dune.
However, this puts a huge damper un the ease of launching from Sand City.

The local pilots will be trying to talk more with land owner because this 64
year old lady (not 69), that had died there, and her daughter (non-instructor),
were reprimanded by the locals the week before her death because she was flaying
around with her paraglider, obviously not formally trained, and flying way over
the ocean during high tide and surf events. And, that the incident was not truly
flying oriented but more beach oriented, when the ocean got hold of her
paraglider. A few bystanders tried diligently to pull her from the glider and
harness but to no avail.

Anyway, P3 rated pilots do still have access to Marina State Beach and Lake
Court launches in order to fly that northern area and the Fort Ord dunes but
should be Costal Condor club members, like a few of are already. Here’s the
link:

http://www.coastalcondors.org

http://www.flyzephyr.com/sand-city.html