Ben thought he would be cool and try and slide the Point Walter Jetty, unfortunately he walked too close to the tree and kitelooped into it. 2-3 hours of tree climing later he got it back with one small hole.

gruezi,

I've only been kiting one summer, and mostly at Pt Walter. Even in my short time kitign though I have witnessed soooo many balls ups, bad etiquette and rude people. In your meeting with officials would it be possible to suggest some signs be erected at Pt Walter like they have at Margs (Prevally) clearly stating correct kiting etiquette? Not sure who would pay for them, but I can't see that its a bad idea.

Just a thought?

Cheers

Thanks guys and gals...all good stuff...keep it coming.

With regard to signs: last meeting City had sign guy there and was ready to fund the whole thing but the two people who are the root of all these complaints, resulting in all these meetings did not want any signs..............what's to be done?

Hand out leaflets? Get people on to WAKSA web site....all good measures. The best one is for all WA kiters, especially WAKSA members to interact with "tourists" at first sight.............just tell them you are a WAKSA member and get them to become one to..........there are "rules" to this sport of ours.

Or just carry a gun and shoot the f..............kers on site.

And another thing..............wear your dam tags.

Make it a WAKSA only kiting zone like Cott.

Good stuff Gruezi - a proactive approach will be the most successful.

Let me know if you want/need a hand - should be in Perth for a couple of months!

gruezi said...

the two people who are the root of all these complaints, resulting in all these meetings did not want any signs..............what's to be done?

That's a difficult one, maybe covert signs that can't be seen from the pavement so when Resident X and Resident Y look out of their multi-million dollar mansion they can't see any signs.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't

Another point walter clown.

Gruezi, I presume this opposition to signs is at Melville where there are evidently some retarded residents (I can't see that a sign is going to stuff up their view that much) - what about Pt Walter, has anyone suggested signs there?

know this is a serious topic.. but space monkey... that vid is awesome. hahahahahhahahhaha that sand isn't even the slightest bit damp. hahahahahahha. got to go watch it again now.

"DPI is establishing a 50M buffer zone along the Melville beach foreshore"
scuse me
Hasnt a group of responsible kiters already done that - years ago !

You are talking trash.

www.seabreeze.com.au/gallery/gallery.asp?imageid=2697&text=tree

Meeting with officials today, any more info about the incidents that will be brought up...recon the blue kite is not from WA and certainly not a WAKSA member.

www.seabreeze.com.au/gallery/gallery.asp?imageid=13114

way to go boys WA kitesurfing owe you guys big time!! and not just for sorting this one out but for all of the things you guys have done over the years too (way to much stuff to list here but a big thanks anyway).

i was thinking about the situation at mellvile and cott and i think it is a good idea to make it a WAKSA only zone but i dont think just paying your $$$$ to WAKSA each year should be enough to say its ok for you to kite there. i think there should be some sort of safe kiteing test or something that you should have to pass before you get your WAKSA tag. something to show that you are aware of the dangers and capable of dealing with them without putting other people at risk. it wouldnt have to be anything to do with how good you are at kiteing. but you should have to proove that you are capable of doing things like a deep water selferescue, recover your board by yourselfe in deep water, luanch and land your kite safely and be able to do a site assesment and know when you should and shouldnt go out just simple stuff like that that everyone should be able to do before they start rideing anyway.

i dont know i am just kinda thinking out loud here but i dont think its good enough that any toolbag with some $$$ can pay the WAKSA fee and be out on the water or on the beach with thier kite in a tree representing the rest of us and getting us baned from good beaches.

anyway like i said just thinking out loud.

Damo said...


anyway like i said just thinking out loud.

You're not the first to have such thoughts, don't worry about that. What you say makes sense and has been discussed at many WAKSA meetings, but since WAKSA is run by volunteers who are already flat out trying to keep up, to try and set up a licensing system like this would just be too much to handle at the moment.

Unfortunately, the various state organisations and the re-structured AKSA are the only official body for kiters who are kiters, and it's only kiters self regulating and working with the councils who will give kiters the best deal on access arrangements. At the moment most of WAKSA's efforts go into fighting spot fires like at Cott, Melville, Mullaloo, Fremantle South and Scarborough, to name a few I can remember, it's only in between them that they can tackle the main blaze at its source being irresponsible kiteboarding.

Like Nick says though, it's getting there. All we can do is work at it.

kitesurfers are not defined as of yet in any legal way, once we are we will be a part of the same rules that apply to jet ski's and surf skis. you may not understand this quite yet but that is bad as it effectively makes us a law unto ourselves should we be challenged by the water police or marine safety.

nice link there guizie, lets see something of yours now... hell if you want to look at all my pics i don't give a toss as i'm not some old coot with a key board that's scared of being identified.
www.flickr.com/awsomephotos

gruezi said...

I do think that at some point Melville may become a WAKSA kite zone only.

Dan has voiced his opinion, what about you others?

Personally I'm for making the whole coast WAKSA/AKSA members only.

Sometimes I believe these WAKSA try-hards have flipped the script...
lost the plot.
Or maybe they haven't ?
Maybe it's an evil plan to boost the financials.
Man, safety with kiting is primarily linked to site conditions.
Joining a club and wearing a stupid tag on your harness will not change the wind direction from gusty onshore to primo sideshore.
The tag won't move the big trees, houses and vehicle traffic.
Even though this river spot looks lame, maybe it's not suited to learners.
Maybe it's a wolf dressed in sheeps clothing.