hey just noticed this on the hobsons bay website

Seems like council is trying to give us a new rigging area at apex park see area 18 on map . Might be good if its wide enough and will be away from joe public as long as it doesnt mean they are planning to ban us completely from the beach .
at least gives us another area for busy days . only prob is not a lot of parking up there . also seems there may be a shower at the nearby toilet block which would be good .

council are looking for comments on the park proposal so have a look .

What do you think we could propose to improve this area for rigging ? The area can only be as wide as from narrow beach to existing bike track but maybe we could have some input on setback of vegetation on other side of track as looks like will be norfolk pines which are huge or ? signage

http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/files/ApexParkConceptPlan.pdf

Just kite down that end of Altona once and you'll soon realise what the council are trying to do - make kiting down there so unattractive that they'll get rid of everyone. There's stinking seaweed galore, dog sh!t floating in with the tide, black silt, and small chunks of concrete with metal sticking out of it!

If we're actually analysing the proposed plan then here's my response:
- Inadequate beach side parking. Current carpark is already full at peak times.
- Inadequate launch/landing zone. If it is to be acknowledged as a kitesurfing area then the council needs to create atleast 30m between waters edge and path.
- Dog off leash zone is the area that a lot of land kiters (buggy and landboard use). Sticking a fence through the middle of it won't make them happy.
- Relocation of toilet/shower facilities would be nice, but they're downsizing them significantly based on the footprint of the old compared to the new. (~ 1/4 the size!)

you could ask for a electric kite pump, club rooms and liquor license

I understand there is also a plan to make the beach bigger (wider) with more sand? Most of the beaches in Port Phillip Bay need to be reconstructed from time to time. I think Elwood is also up for some renewal works.

back we go to where it all started at altona,the council moved us out off that old blocked off car park area,now it looks like the whant us back there,go figger ?there car park is to far away from the rigging area.
We need our own car park there or thevs will take our stuff out of our cars for us,got too have our cars in sight...

junglist said...

So Altona kiters are going to be pushed down that end and banned from the beach?

I cant say I blame the Council really when witnessing the gross stupidity of kiters at Altona last summer. Not just blow-ins or Euros either as most of the carnage was being caused by retarded arrogant locals who seem to think they are a sh1t load better than they actually are.

Self launching and landing on a narrow beach within 2-3M of joe public / Show Pony activities n front of the cameras some -5M from the shoreline / kiting through groups of swimmers / aggressive kiting towards other kiters (yes North Rebel Retard I am talking about YOU again).

So banned from the beach eh? Well tough sh1t, you get what you deserve.

SUCK IT UP.

Nope, those of us who do the right thing get what the d!ckwads deserve.

I definitely plan to be kiting from Romawi street next summer and if that means I have to get further up in the faces of the tools who jeopardise my access then I surely will.

(Junglist, are you talking about the guy with the black and white 11m rebel who never asks for a launch or a land and whose trick seems to be endless board-grabs?)

Self-launching and landing when the beach is busy and other willing kiters are nearby is indeed stoopid. Even the brief interaction of launching and landing each other builds cameraderie on the beach and a more fun vibe on the water, as well as being safer and putting less wear on your leading edge.

I suspect it's another instance where those who read seabreeze already do the right thing and those who act like tools don't read seabreeze or any other information on what they should be doing.

For those who are reading though, let me be clear: I kite Altona because it's the closest spot I can get to without a car. I won't be walking to Apex park from the train station. If next summer you're kiting too close to the beach or the pier or doing other stoopid stuff, I'll be right up in your face about it.

Saffer said...

djdojo said...
(Junglist, are you talking about the guy with the black and white 11m rebel who never asks for a launch or a land and whose trick seems to be endless board-grabs?)

I think he's talking about the red rebel rider.

Its not really surprising after last season. 4 accidents into the powerlines in 4 days was a bit much. If I was on the council I would have banned it completely at Altona.

Truth is they are both as bad as each other. I try to keep the hell away from them as they both like to jump within range of downwind kiters and get agro when they nearly crash into a kiter that cant see them coming in the first place. This has happened to me with both of them.

So, yes they are both Ar$eholes but only the tip of the iceberg of stupidity I witnessed last summer. DJDojo I agree with your sentiments but can only see that confrontation going one way and personally I can do without the record.

Its a shame as Altona can be a great location but it is not up to the amount of kiters hitting it every summer. I cant see the answer to this though.

junglist said...

Saffer said...

djdojo said...
(Junglist, are you talking about the guy with the black and white 11m rebel who never asks for a launch or a land and whose trick seems to be endless board-grabs?)

I think he's talking about the red rebel rider.

Its not really surprising after last season. 4 accidents into the powerlines in 4 days was a bit much. If I was on the council I would have banned it completely at Altona.

Truth is they are both as bad as each other. I try to keep the hell away from them as they both like to jump within range of downwind kiters and get agro when they nearly crash into a kiter that cant see them coming in the first place. This has happened to me with both of them.

So, yes they are both Ar$eholes but only the tip of the iceberg of stupidity I witnessed last summer. DJDojo I agree with your sentiments but can only see that confrontation going one way and personally I can do without the record.

Its a shame as Altona can be a great location but it is not up to the amount of kiters hitting it every summer. I cant see the answer to this though.

Yeah, would love vigilante justice but it normally backfires somewhere along the line when the guilty parties suddenly feel they are the victims or it results in tat for tat retaliations.

Maybe the next solution is for the KBV to implement a "photograph a douche" campaign where you can photograph the knob in action showing his offending activities like unhooked riding 5m from shore and then post the photos online for a month "douche of the month" contest. No one can deny it if there is photo evidence of their stupidity.

yes, riding behaviour at Altona needs improvement but back on topic...

the best place for a new rigging area would be south of the creek - just need a dirt track and a bridge

Using this wasteland as a rigging area would help keep the kiters separate from the punters