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KAPing from a Sailing Kayak - Alligator Reef LIghthouse - Florida Keys

Waves....were bouncing me around like a ping pong ball several miles out in the Atlantic Ocean on Alligator Reef.
My stomach was feeling it as I launched my levitation delta fitted with an experimental dynamic spreader from Mike LeDuc. The trusted kite raised quickly into the blue sky above. The blue sky was outdone by the bright blue water that surrounds the lighthouse.

Four foot waves were randomly washing over the deck of the kayak....a bit dicey to set up for a KAP session. I was planning on a drone session, but the rough sea state and my weak knees left me less aggressive in my strategy. I opted for a lower risk solution....one that was more compatible with the salt water all around me.....Kite Aerial Photography (KAP).

I decided to use one of my Go Pro Hero 10 cameras that I have mounted on my Kayak combined with my auto KAP rig (which is not waterproof nor splash resistant). The camera is made for these wet salt water conditions....but not the KAP rig.

I had to time the waves to quickly attach the Hero 10 to the KAP rig and do a quick safety check....

Quickly raising the camera and KAP rig above the Ocean waves was key.

The KAP session was short using the video mode to KAPture 4K video while the CAMremote auto KAP completed several 360 pans of the area.

Caution and wave timing combined to bring both the KAP rig and kite safely down on the bouncing kayak.

I pulled several still images from the 4K video frames in post processing and moved them to flickr.

Enjoy!

WW

Alligator Reef Lighthouse - Pictures from a Kite
Alligator Reef Lighthouse - Pictures from a Kite
Alligator Reef Lighthouse - Pictures from a Kite

Comments

  • wow ... :-)

  • This particular KAP session sounded like a real adventure. That blue water looks so inviting.

  • Hi Jim ! fantastic KKAP !

  • A session that was not easy but the graphics created by the waves is beautiful
    YL

  • Great work there, Jim! Just as well that you have outriggers on your kayak - I think it would have been very uncomfortable otherwise.

  • Man, I wish I had outriggers on my kayak. Have you tried any kite sailing?

  • Thanks for all the comments. I finally completed and posted the video for this fun sail to Alligator reef lighthouse in the Florida Keys.
    The KAP component starts about 2/3 into the video for those interested in seeing how the KAP was done on the kayak.

    For more fun sails see these channel links:
    https://www.youtube.com/@seewind
    https://www.youtube.com/@seewind/playlists

    Enjoy!
    WW

  • edited May 2023

    Wind Watcher: Very nice video account of your sailing and KAPing excursion out to the Alligator Reef Lighthouse. Indeed, the colors of the water are stunning. I am impressed that from the “deck” of your kayak you could achieve an efficient launch of the kite and camera. Obviously you have practiced and mastered this in earlier sailing adventures. How much navigation and radio equipment is onboard with you for a sail like this? By the way, I like that hat!

  • rrllewellyn: Thanks for the comments. Yes - can be tricky putting a kite and KAP gear up in the sky with moderate waves bouncing you around.

    Scary part not in the video was moving forward to the front bow hatch to retrieve the kite, reel, and KAP gear and get the hatch quickly secured without sinking the kayak!

    As for navigation / radio gear.... I use a Garmin EchoMap+ 64cv (which has built in GPS, marine maps and a transducer for depth (and fish)). On this sail I was out of site of land and my destination at times.... thus navigation is important.

    Given that I sail solo most sails, I also carry safety equipment.... Life jacket with a marine radio, Personal Locator Beacon 406 MHz (sends emergency signal to satellites), marine emergency strobes, ..... The kayak is also designed for redundancy - three hulls, multiple propulsion modes (sail, peddle, paddle, outboard), hand bilge pump, and more.

    Hats: very important, I wear one at all times and carry 2 extra stowed on the boat. I would melt with out the hat. The sun is very strong down in the Florida Keys.

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