I live in Manly look over it everyday from my office and have kited here for 10 years &x28;and windsurfed here before that&x29;. Ive also spoken to the lifeguards who say as long as its not a problem they will allow us to go out if we exercise execptional discretion! Most kiters do this and only go out after 630pm and when its not crowded.

I fear it will only take a few more idiots and Manly will shut down kiting 100% no discussion allowed - and then it might not be long before other beaches follow Manly. I often wonder how long before the surf school that is often out at Long Reef in horrible surfing conditions in great kiting southerlies will put muscle on LR to shut it down for safety? and then Palm beach who knows where it might end?

Unfortunlaty over 50% of the kiters at manly are tourists. Im not sure what we can do other than to try to enforce sensibility ourselves or talk to the lifeguards who may not see or care about the distiction between beginner tourists and experienced locals and get it sorted &x22s;no practicing on the beach ever and no kiting before 6pm unless the beach is empty which is normally what it is when the wind is kitable - thats the irony! 99% of time its OK.
Hello,

We are the ones with the blue beanie, I came across your blog by accident.

Your right it was not safe and I found it tricky to put the board on and fly the kite, due to the conditions you described and during the last part of the kite it was dangerous.

I am certainly aware of people around me at all times and we have been kitesurfing sporadically in manly over the years , in addition we also chose the wrong kite for that day and i found the 14m kite a struggle. We are extremly careful of all beach goers and do not wish to jeopodise the opportunity of kiting at Manly.

It's good to talk about these things

Petra