Does anyone know if the BUG mob are still meeting or planning to? I could be wrong but i thought it fizzled last season despite some great efforts from those involved.
Might be handy to get a meeting/agreements happening as the downwinder run is getting tres crowded. Have seen some pretty suspect behaviour at Brighton including self-landing of kites in the beach access walkway. WTF??
Also as per my other thread the Floreat kids area is getting pretty dodgy kiter/public interaction.
Greenpat might be the best to ask. Nothing has happened, that I know of.
There is a new crew at Brighton, and there is a certain drop in general skill level. Many kiters are just not quite up to the challenge, especially at 25kn at Brighton. They cut into the course of wave riders, not necessarily because of ignorance, just having no idea about wave riding. The organized downwinders may have increased the popularity of the place, even though it's not a particularly nice place to kite other than wave riding. Nothing we can do about it.
As for guys landing kites on the grass, I've seen it in City Beach as well. A few friendly words with them on the spot would solve the problem.
I think the number of kiters in the area doubled (again) if not tripled this year.
"Overpopulation" seems to happen with anything fun. The popularity of downwinders eases the problem, since the kiters spread on a 4km zone instead of being on top of each other at Brighton. But that upsets the fishos....we are just too many...
Yea, Andrash...you are right.........too many and then the incidence of kite mares just goes up
The things I am seeing on each outing just amaze me. Today I saw a guy, with crap in brain (poor old fella). He started just up wind of 2 very visible surfers and guess what..........he drops his 12M beast on top of them! Lucky the surfers sort of laughed it off. I apologized to them on behalf of kiters and yelled at the tool that what I had just witnessed was totally not on. The tool proceeded to go way out to sea and avoided being near me again. All scary stuff and scary people...but hey I'm not fussed........just go out try to do the right thing.
Would be very interested to attend.
Im a local of the area and brighton is my closest beach. Even though I can walk down to brighton I generally dont kite there due to the chaos.
Its more of a kitesurfing location but you have two dynamics going down with the number of twin tippers using the beach as well. Ive also noticed newbs using this location to learn. IMO this is not a learner friendly zone...Just too much going on with dumping surf, swimmers, surfers, fishers, poleys and beach goers. All in view of the surf club and just upwind of a regular flagged area.
The location sure could use some management. Please keep me informed.
Hey Andrash, yep - i have seen folks walk up the access and land on the grass also but i was talking about an experienced kiter choosing to self land his kite right where the access way comes onto the beach. His kite literally blocked the entrance for any punters (there were enough around on the day) not to mention if the land had not gone to plan whilst a punter was attempting to use the PUBLIC WALKWAY.
Forgot Pat was a BUGster so will ping him about the BUG stuff.
Hey Factor 5 - you make a good point about TT users (such as I) and SB riders too. Has been a sh!t me issue for a while and I don't wanna have too big a rant here, but both Twinny AND surfoard riders need to understand the differant lines and aproaches to waves and show respect in both directions.
I've noticed a definate "Oh your on a twinny so don't have cred on the waves or right of way" mentality. Bullsh!t.. Fanging about in the slop on either craft is awesome fun and some d!ck on a SB running straight down the line from waaaaayyyy back up the mix has no right to snake a twinny rider who is already in the sets after entering the break zone with nobody within coo-ee IMHO. Obviously you get both craft interfearing with each other's line a little at times but hey that's why downwinders are so much fun cause you just think "bollocks to this crowded crumbly spot, make a run or two out n back till they have passed and get amongst it again."
F5 - totally agree with you on the lack of suitability for learning at Brighton (learnt that myself back in the day). A better idea would be for Noobs to get out 100m NORTH of FKB. No obstacles until the pipe (200-300m) no punters, no chance of drifting into a populated zone and although there is a fair bit DW traffic it's not like the carnage Brighton is at busy times.
