Keep in mind that when traveling in a group, your safety is everyone else’s safety — essentially, your equipment is everyone else’s safety and vice versa. If you have an equipment failure, it affects everyone in the group, and may put not only you but others at risk. So: first of all, see above, and select your gear for your trip so that you have minimal chance of equipment failure.
Even though we do have guides on the water to assist you, on any adventure you should assume at all times that your safety is ultimately your own responsibility — and so you must be prepared to do a deep-water packdown and self-rescue if necessary. Some of our routes take you 1-2km offshore in places. Be prepared, choose a route appropriate to your skill level, and don’t get in over your head.
If you do have a problem on the water and need assistance, one of the guides will help you get to shore. They are equipped and trained to perform this kind of deep-water rescue, usually by swapping a kite or by towing you to shore. You should be prepared to abandon gear without hesitation in such an emergency.
I took up open-water swimming in a minor way a few years ago. Being able to swim 2km in open water certainly makes me much more confident doing open-water crossings by kite.
