I couldn't agree more. We need to look out for each other. Come up to Sydney and you'll find a different attitude, including beer and pizza at the end of a kiting day.

I tend to avoid Brighton. Lots of "hero's" who feel they own the flat water near the reef in southerlies and will go out of their way to make anyone else feel endangered when riding there.

Yep, Kited there once and havent bothered going back. I think you'll find if you travell further away from the plastic fantastic beaches the people are more willing and freindly. I'm sure that it is only a few that spoil it for the majority. If your looking for some freindly beachs come down to the south eastern ones. Oh and bring a 6 pack with you, you'll be beating them of with a stick.

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Heaven, God went missing for six
days.

Eventually, Michael the archangel found him on the seventh day resting.

He enquired of God, ' where have you been? '

God pointed downwards through the clouds. 'Look Michael, look what I've
made,' said God.

Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, ' what is it ? '

'It's a planet,' replied God, 'and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance.'

'balance?' inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing down to different parts of the earth, 'For example Nth America will be a place of great opportunity and wealth while Sth America is going to be poor; the Middle East over there will bea hot spot and Russia will be a cold spot.'

'Over there I've placed a continent of white people and here I've placed a Continent of black people.' God continued pointing to different countries.

This one will be extremely hot and arid and this one will be very cold
and covered in ice.'

The archangel, impressed by Gods work, then pointed to another area and Asked,' what's that?'

'Ah', said God. 'That's South Australia, the most glorious place on earth.There are beautiful people, impressive towns; it is the home of the world's finest artists, musicians, writers, thinkers, explorers and sportsman
The people from South Australia are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they're going to be found travelling the world. They'll be extremely sociable, hard working and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as speakers of truth.'

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, 'What about balance God, you said there will be BALANCE!'

God replied very wisely, 'Wait till you see the W@nkers I'm putting in Victoria

Very poor comeback Surfer62- kinda proving the point....

Nice work Walshd- Love it.

Sorry- just re read my post, not meaning to sound so scathing- my bad.

Even in South Aus i find the more experienced the kiter the more they want to stand on the beach having a chat watching people self launch.
Why should the self launching kiter have to ask, when the people standing around who kite should just offer.
I've had to ask various well know kiters here in Adelaide for a launch, only to get the look, it shouldn't be a hassle to help people launch and land.[}:)]
If i'm on the beach i will allways grab a kite wether it's to help land or launch.
Kiting in Torquay VIC I had people from everywhere trying to give me a launch.
Kiting in Greece people I couldn't understand came running to help.

hawaii said...

guys,
Im new in town. Ive kited all over the world... and was most surprised to see the bahviour (or lack of) on sunday at brighton..

I saw a guy self launch in 25 knots... with people all around (why not ask for a lift and avoid the risk of injury)

Then I saw a downed cabrina about 50m off shore flapping around... for about 5 minutes no one bothered to cruise over and see if the guy was ok.. the kite was looping continuously...'
finally I saw a guy drag him back to the beach.. I guess no one thought the kite was worth saving.... fair enough it was a cabrinha after all...

little bit of team spirit!

Might have been me self launching. Safe if you know how! I'm constantly amazed at how many people can't launch and land their own kites. That said, I launched and landed many on Sunday.

And the blue Cabrinha was pulled to the next beach down - the owner was very happy. Not many on the water at the time - true, it did take a while for anyone to go over. I thought he was cactus the way it was looping. Were you out?

Careful Surfer69,

the Brighton crew may want to move to paradise.

As in this Eagles song.

She came from Providence,
the one in Rhode Island
Where the old world shadows hang
heavy in the air
She packed her hopes and dreams
like a refugee
Just as her father came across the sea
She heard about a place people were smilin'
They spoke about the red man's way,
and how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere
to the Great Divide
Seeking a place to stand
or a place to hide

Down in the crowded bars,
out for a good time,
Can't wait to tell you all,
what it's like up there
And they called it paradise
I don't know why
Somebody laid the mountains low
while the town got high

Then the chilly winds blew down
Across the desert
through the canyons of the coast, to
the Malibu
Where the pretty people play,
hungry for power
to light their neon way
and give them things to do

Some rich men came and raped the land,
Nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes, and Jesus,
people bought 'em
And they called it paradise
The place to be
They watched the hazy sun, sinking in the sea

You can leave it all behind
and sail to Lahaina
just like the missionaries did, so many years ago
They even brought a neon sign: "Jesus is coming"
Brought the white man's burden down
Brought the white man's reign

Who will provide the grand design?
What is yours and what is mine?
'Cause there is no more new frontier
We have got to make it here

We satisfy our endless needs and
justify our bloody deeds,
in the name of destiny and the name of God

And you can see them there,
On Sunday morning
They stand up and sing about
what it's like up there
They call it paradise
I don't know why
You call someplace paradise,
kiss it goodbye

Geoff,
The Wall, Seacliff, Henley, Goolwa, Robe it does not really matter where it is, I have experienced it always from the same crew and i have been kiting nearly 5 years.
I rarely kite on my own either, but when your the last one with a kite rigged because you've launched everyone around you it's all ways the same few that stand there talking with their back to you trying not to see you.
I do not have a problem with them not wanting to help as i can self land and launch my kites.
Watching or ignoring others trying to self launch or land when you are a kiter who has not rigged or is half way through rigging is irresponsible, eveyone carrys on about the beaches being closed to kiters through the actions of some, maybe if you grabbed that kite to lauch or land it the kiter on the other end might not go through a family on the beach.
It take all of 2 miniutes to help land or launch a kite, not that hard to help!!

Brighton's way over rated, there's no exit point when thing go to poop, and
Hamptons not much better, with rock goins. You really are counting on a rescue at those beaches. Tend to agree the people aren't always very friendly, didn't even get a wave back from another kiter and we were the only ones out, stuck up ****ers. The beaches from Frankston to Mentone are way more safer. Still amazed people struggle to self launch, I know 25kts is getting up there a bit.
The sport has changed for me in 8 years of kiting. The people were super friendly at Brighton back in the day because none of us had an idea. Now with so many people at different skill levels, I guess arogant kiters has come to be a part of it.

It's a fun sport, and the stoke of fellow kiters, makes it

nothing like a good generalization. Its funny this thread is more unfriendly than anyone i have seen on the beach. Brighton Was one of the only kitable beaches in Melbourne on Sunday so a mixed bag of people. Chill out. I self launched Sunday, not because no one would help just because that's what I have been doing for 10 years. Saw a few people there I know many more I don't. It's a busy place these days ESP on a northerly... Never seen an issue there and always spend as much time talking crap as kiting. It's a beach. I don't belive there is much of a brighton 'tribe' these days as most people move around the bay depending on conditions. Ask for help anywhere and you will usually get it. That's what I have found at any of the beaches around the world I have kited. Brighton is no different.

I kite in an area that only has a few local kiters so the vibe is awsome.
If some cant relaunch their kite or even if you are body dragging back to your board one of the crew will help you out and grab your board and drop it down wind of you to help out.
This looking out for each other,helping each other out attitude is something that I havent seen in any other sports I've been into.
Its a shame that crew in the city, populated areas are losing this commerardery(spelling)of this awsome sport.
When I was learning it spun me out how everyone was so keen to lend a hand and give advice and now I try and do the same for other newbies.
I mean sh#t,how long does it take to help land a kite,15 seconds????????
That dudes kite you just landed could be the bloke that saves your run away kite or lost board one day.
Help out the non local at your spot and tell them of any hazards,do's and dont's of your local,they will appreciate it and will make it so that ALL of you enjoy your kiteing session.

Yes, to my knowledge I had the first 'bought' Naish kite in Australia. I bought it from Don Montague's online store in about September 1998, after having a lesson in Kailua on my birthday in August 1998. SHQ got a demo about the same time, but you couldn't buy them in Australia until a little later. It was a 9m skull and crossbones AR 3.5. I converted it to four lines pretty quickly.

James McCann and I learnt on this together. Then he bought a 7m. There were probably 5 people already kiting in Melbourne at the time on Wipika 2 line kites. Alex from Stonker, Dave Mitas from SHQ and a couple of other crazies.

We initially thought it was impossible to go upwind, so downwinders were the order of the day. Once I converted my kite to 4 line it became a whole lot easier. The debates about 4 lines versus two rages for a few years following this. I remember the first time I kited upwind at St Kilda on my 6'8' 5 fin Stonker directional to the harbour behind St Kilda pier, and thinking I had found kitesurfing heaven... Then we started launching up there near the pier and I basically lived at this spot for the next 7 years!

For the first few years only crazy Dave M and Alex would ever venture out in a Northerly. I think they did downwinders from St Kilda to Sandy. So kitebeach was empty in an northerly for many years.

For the next 3-4 years there was a great buzz. Every kiter in Melbourne pretty much knew one another. Every week a new kiter would turn up to the beach and we would all help, give free lessons, swap kites, launch, land etc. And quite a few trips to discover other beaches around the bay and the coast. I remember going out at Flinders on my AR 3.5 and doing my first jump. First back roll was an accident - and included a kite loop without me realizing. (I was scratching my head wondering why my lines weren't twisted!).

Ahhh - those were the days.

Sure the vibe has changed a lot since then. There are just too many people - you can know and help them all. Kitebeach Brighton is now more like Flinders St Station in a northerly. People rock up and kite. Some people talk to each other, others don't.

Unfortunately compared to the old days, kiting is now just like going for a surf at a crowded beach. You can't expect everyone to be smiles and waves, but of course it would be good if it they were.

I bet it would feel a bit different to that kite in your avatar.