well, I guess it's thanks to a minority of to$$as with no common sense, but it seems several city councils in Perth are talking about designated kite beaches.

This is not a good scenario as the crowding will be chronic if that occurs, on the beach and on the water.

I suggest that everyone get together and talk to their councils about creating "no fly zones", leaving kiting open at all other spots, rather than crowding everyone into one or two "designated" kite areas.

Sure you may have to drive a bit further, but for F&@KS sake, DO NOT KITE at popular bathing beaches or we'll all end up with nowhere to kite.

Also, lets get a bit firmer in "discouraging" those we see being idiots and putting our sport at risk ??

vehicle accidents kill people on Australian roads everyday , hell lets ban all vehicles on our roads!!!!

Media suck ****!!

More Serious Part:

Au_rick and Smedg are dead right – if you want your sport to continue with adequate water access then work constructively to solve the problem, both in self-regulation and teaching the public and powers that be about the sport, and how you can control/limit the dangerous airheads. You cannot expect the public to fully understand when someone is in or out of control when kiting (either in the water or setting up etc on the beach) – just like you probably can’t tell when someone using a bow at a park, before he shoots, is capable of hitting the target or missing by a mile. Similar outcome: the public won’t accept an arrow being shot in a park with people playing in it and thus it is against the law, just as they won’t accept a kiter going within metres of a swimmer. Why do you think so many sports have limitations on where they can be practised. Get some decent self regulation happening before the laws come – because one thing is certain, they are definitely coming. Decent self regulation is the only way you can have some ability to limit the scope of exclusion that is coming for the sport.

And as for going against the rules – well great, but they are our society’s rules – and if you don’t want to obey them and thus put peoples lives at risk, well go live somewhere else. If something’s wrong, bring the correct attention to it and get it changed – be productive and constructive for society, otherwise you’re just being a cancer on society. Sure we all break rules, but with the knowledge of what the rules are for, and the repercussions for breaking them, thus we only break them within the scope of our limitations and when we are almost certain it is safe to do so. An example – there’s a big difference between speeding slightly in a straight clear road, compared to going round a blind corner near a school at 3pm or an alfresco strip at night doing 90kph out of control. Same thing in kiting – being near swimmers is just totally moronic. BTW you are aware that there are duty of care laws that everyone in society is bound by and if any kiter ever did hit a swimmer – well the law suits would destroy their life (apart from the damage to the victim, if you have a conscience).

______________________________________________________________

Just for fun:

And yes I am a Poley - but also one of the general public who are getting a bit sick of the antics of some kiters.

PS: a sport ain't extreme if anyone can look accomplished doing it in a few hours - so cut out all the ego crap. (couldn't resist - better put the flame suit on now [}:)])

Edit: 9.35(wst) lol - is that a bit better guys - wouldn't want to upset anyone too much

Flux said...

Some good comments Tony but as your no doubt aware your last comment makes everything you said prior to that a joke.
Just a thought

LOL - can't resist stirring the pot a little. Where's all the brotherly love

just a little bit more info guys. i train the fianc`e of one of the guys that has something to do with rivers.. they are actually meeting about a total ban on the river too.. how much would that suck... no piont walter :-( no more easterly riding

If only the people that thought the sport was fascinating would write in to say how much fun, and how nice it is to watch.
I have had only one person say anything marginally negative towards me, and they were about 10m upwind of me and were uncomfortable, they asked me to go further downwind , so I moved on. Almost every time I go out, people come up and ask questions about it (you must be really strong?, is it expensive? , is it fun? etc). I try to act really friendly and answer everything so they have a good impression of us, and tell them a little bit about the potential dangers of it all.
It is most likely a lack of knowledge that scare a lot of people. (For example when i was downwind of that lady, and she thought I was going to fly into her).
Act friendly to people, tell them about the sport, make us seem good to them, and they will be less likely to complain.
But, I recon its only going to take one collision with a swimmer to get it banned. So stay clear, it is that simple.

I think it's about time local kiters all over the place met at their local spot/pub to discus getting serious about self regulation. WAKE UP IT'S ALMOST TOO LATE!
I'm all for politely educating Noobs. Morons who know better but continue to do the wrong thing and attract the ire of the authorities and public p1ss me off!
In my opinion these types should be warned once then excluded from the spot by the locals for a period of time.
This may seem heavy handed and sounds a bit like a "locals only" attitude but it's probably the only way to save many metro spots from being banned or heavily regulated.
Scarbs definitely needs this particularly when the Euros turn up early every summer.
Anyone for a meeting to discus this?

Dawn Patrol is closer to the mark than many.

Most articles in newspapers, like the ones about kite surfing recently are written by attention seeking people who have not got all the facts. They are often motivated to write these articles by a vocal minority, it can be just one person who has an ax to grind.

The fact regarding my local is that the governing bodies actually find kite boarding a great use of open space. My local considers the huge body of water an underutilized resource. The water is too shallow for boats, not nice for swimming and barren 90% of the time. In their opinion it is great that kiters are using this huge body of water. Yes, we are talking about the river.

As far as ocean spots are concerned, I do not know the local authorities but can see how beach users would complain. There are some inconsiderate locals (a minority), but mostly visitors who kite between the flags. The fly in show offs are a crack up..........look at me, please look at me, I'm so friggen cool..................NOT.

Last time I went to Pt. Walter the predominant language was not English. And I do agree with you Reli man..........the number of people with the wrong gear for the conditions etc. is simply scary.

ADS is right, it is up the "da locals" to get together and enforce practices that keep their spots open.

Reli man, there is nothing that is going to prevent freak accidents...this applies not only to kitesufing....come on, there are lunatics all over the place too (you should know).

We should ban living because we can die?

I hear you Reli, but what are we to do? Sit around and wait for the man to black-ban us? If the authorities see us cleaning up our act through reasonably forceful self regulation they may leave it at that.
I'm not keen on driving for an hour each day to go for a kite, are you?
Time to get serious people!
By the way when I say forceful, I mean approaching offending kiters in numbers of 4 or 5 at least. . This will ensure that violent reactions from these individuals will be unlikely...

It seems that the problem really lies with travelling kiters not the locals. Asking local kiters to police the beach is unworkable as it will only end in confrontations.

Possibly the only solution to this dilemma IS designated kite beaches with signage warning the GP of the dangers of Kite Surfing. I believe Kitepower were involved in such a scenario at Pt Henry where we now have a designated kite beach. OK it gets over crowded at times but its a hell of a load better than launching and landing kites amongst families, children, dogs etc, etc.

This may cause over crowding but its up to you guys to get organized, get involved and make sure you get to claim as much beach space for kiting as is possible. The other solutions are either really limited kite areas or a total ban.

A total kite ban in Perth would be criminal as its such a sweet spot.

Good luck

J

Man there are some nice folks here here!!!
Firstly I contacted WAKSA saying:

Dear Alex ,
I am a WAKSA member and am wondering what response if any you guys are considering to all the proposed hype from the media in the last week or two as to how dangerous we as a kite surfing group are to local swimmers etc?
I would like to think that you would consider informing your members on this subject as it is becoming a real concern for us, I will not go into detail as to the articles, thus far or any other literature on the current complaints from local Fremantle councils etc and other beaches.
Looking at what has recently happened in Byron Bay, I am very interested as to how local councils can have control over seaways etc to enforce such a ban or localisation of kiters in and around Perth?

All this policing of people using the water , namely us where does it stop?

Questions that can be asked for one is why aren't people enforced to stay within the swim flags? , or course this is redicuolous as you must see.
I think this subject needs to be addressed by WAKSA, and I, and I'm sure every kite boarder in WA that pays a yearly membership fee to you would also like to know that infact you guys were investigating and preparing some form of damage control to stop this matter going further.

Kind Regards
EDIT
[My apologises for posting Alex's email reply as was not aware it was a problem]

[Moderator Note: WAKSA response removed for privacy reasons]

I then wrote some ideas to put towards the Committee meeting:

Hi Alex,
Thanks for the timely reply to my email, it is much appreciated.

As is always a problem with the media they do up the anti in any editorial to promote general unrest,or a wow factor.
Although ugly it is, and has been I think detrimental towards us and will continue to be until there is more awareness of the sport in the general public eye.

We as a group, as I'm sure you will agree are directly responsible for actioning this and it is very encouraging to see that WAKSA are indeed striking the issue as it becomes more mainstream knowledge.

We are and have been a self regulating group as you are aware, but I do feel that with the global kiteboarding fraternity and the communication through the internet of so called hot wind spots around the world we are officially becoming a mainstream place for kiters to congregate.
Given this, in my opinion of local spots over the past two to three years and the popularity growing I have noticed an increase in Euro travellers to our beaches, in my experience and many others, we have found alot of these guys are very carefree to put it mildly and thus this reflects in there kiting and hap-hazard approach to "performing" whatever they feel with little or no regard to local swimmers , kiters, or in house rules etc.

My local beach is Mullaloo and between Rob Gannon and local kiters we are fully regulating and have approached the surf club and given out laminated rules to all kiters etc to make them aware of our launch locations and kiting areas, and we are all actively involved in keeping things safe, we very rarely have trouble here, (touch wood), alot is due to the fact I think because kiters aren't impressed with the sea conditions at this beach therefore numbers have been and are never usually large, although this is changing as well.

I think it would be nice to see at least warning signs erected or combined at our locations to include us and make the public aware that we are in the area and surf various zones at particular beaches, I do realise the arguments involved in unsightly signs etc, but hell surely this is just a smoke and mirror excuse?

It also seems to me that south beach at Woodies is proving to be a difficult area I think directly due to the fact that people are learning on the side beach and then over estimating there abilities and progressing to the south beach in an offshore wind and getting into all sorts of trouble and winding up in shipping lanes etc.

This is just one of the noticeable problems that we are facing , I'm sure you are aware of these as well, but we as a group, need I think to become more pro- active in the community because we are heading for regulation and unless we act it will undoubtedly swing with the general and social views of the public which is proportional to the media involvement and see us localised to certain areas, which doesn't need to happen!

As WAKSA is predominately a volunteer organisation maybe we need to look at registration fees and start paying key people to act in a full time capacity to give this the 100% commitment and involvement it needs, that it will not see as a volunteer organisation?

Apart from the liability in advent of a public kiteboarding accident maybe you could approach this with the fact that it is law that all people active in employment, sports, or any other undertaken action that we as a people are under the "Duty of Care" umbrella and as a kiter everyone that participates in this sport can be prosecuted under this law alone, awareness of this to kiters could help through formal communication within the WAKSA members.

My last and most important point in my opinion, is that in WA all kiters using this equipment have to by law have a licence , i.e be a member of WAKSA to kite any beach as is done at Cottesloe.
I think this would fix and address the on going concern by the public and give them the sense that it is regulated by a body and has a formal membership that should also only be allowed to be issued if the kite boarder has a signed certificate by a qualified instructor as to there proficiency and competency as a kite boarder.
Which would take out the issue of untrained events occurring.
Follow the same regulation the scuba diving fraternity as PADI and BSAC etc.

This is I think the way it needs to be approached to squash the problem early before it starts or leads to bans.

Just some ideas that as the sport grows should be considered.

Thanks again , shame I cannot make it to the meeting due to work commitments, thanks for the invite and would be interested in attending at a later date.

Kind Regards

Now this is my real thoughts and the posts in here were a vent in regards to it , I will not explain or defend my comments again, there are some real ordinary people on this site I've noticed and your only getting off on talking rubbish and making jokes etc , which is fine but give it a break when there is a true reason to unite you all want to shoot down anyone that speaks out with a little bit of truth in there comments, things are lost in the dialogue of the written word here.
I for one would invite you to say that kind of crap to my face mate because it's crap and I'm not buying into this bull any longer.
Next

junglist said...

It seems that the problem really lies with travelling kiters not the locals. Asking local kiters to police the beach is unworkable as it will only end in confrontations.

Possibly the only solution to this dilemma IS designated kite beaches with signage warning the GP of the dangers of Kite Surfing. I believe Kitepower were involved in such a scenario at Pt Henry where we now have a designated kite beach. OK it gets over crowded at times but its a hell of a load better than launching and landing kites amongst families, children, dogs etc, etc.

This may cause over crowding but its up to you guys to get organized, get involved and make sure you get to claim as much beach space for kiting as is possible. The other solutions are either really limited kite areas or a total ban.

A total kite ban in Perth would be criminal as its such a sweet spot.

Good luck

J

Well I have to say Junglist that I agrre with most of what you say (except i hate DnB and joongle tunes). The fekwit I witnessed was an Italian touro. As I said above though - only the more obvious half of the equation- the local and touro heros are the other.

TonyC said...
And yes I am a Poley - but also one of the general public who are getting a bit sick of the antics of some kiters.

I didnt know pole dancing was a sport? i use you guys for entertainment on a drunken cloudy saturday night..

spot1 said...

why not tell the swimmers to swim betwen the flags !!!!!!!

This is spot on spot1.why cant the lifegaurds tell the swimmers to swim between the flags.If swimmers did stick to the flagged areas during swimming seasons there would be plenty of beach left to kite in with no swimmers,and we would have nowhere near the problems that were getting.Most of the guys I kite with are responsible kiters and do stay away from swimmers.We usually kite downwind of a flagged swimming area,but it just annoys me to hell when we have been kiting for a couple of hours no problems,then some d.....heads decide to have a swim smack in the middle of a group of 6 or so kiters.Ive approached the lifegaurds and asked if they could warn them of the dangers and move these people on,and there reply was that they cant tell them to swim between the flags. On some occasions ive got the ****ttssss and packed up and gone home.This is so wrong !!!!