This was an email sent to me this afternoon from a WAKSA member:
I was visiting my client (State Manager for leading medical company) today and he dragged me into his board room to discuss a “revolt of the Cambridge community against Kiters.” He lives in Floreat and frequents Floreat groyne to ride some waves with his family on wind swept choppy days.
John (not his real name), has mentioned on occasion to me that some kiters have come a little too close for comfort to him and his family on occasion, but as a whole finds the sport a great spectacle to watch and admire from the beach.
On Sunday afternoon (last weekend) John witnessed a kiter come to close to a young girl in the water and the subsequent reaction from a big bald man (who he assumed was her father) who felt the need to jump in front of his daughter to protect her from what looked like an inevitable collision with the kiter.
John went on to say that the kiter then did another lap of the Floreat groyne, and came back and 'had words' with the girl's father, only to further aggravate the situation. This aggressive behaviour was witnessed by a huge audience of local Floreat beach goers.
John indicated that this wasn't the first time he's witnessed instances like this (kiters too close to swimmers) and strongly believes that we will be banished from metro beaches soon. John indicated that he is aware that a growing number of residents are expressing concerns to council about kiter behaviour.
We discussed this point to some length and came to the agreement that without some form of regulation, kite surfing will be banned from local beaches.
I'm sure there are at least two sides to this story, so if the kiter concerned wants to put his version in reply, please do.
However, there are a number of unfortunate messages this (alleged) incident creates for Perth kiters to consider:
1) how this scenario presented itself to those non-kiting witnesses on the beach - hardly ideal behaviour from the kiter concerned;
2) we keep claiming "self regulation" is the key to keeping beaches open - how do we self regulate this type of behaviour???
3) This type of behaviour does nothing to help keep beaches open for kiting. Anyone keen to defend behaviour like this?
Thoughts and constructive comments welcome. If you're reading this & you are the kiter concerned, please put your side of the story also.
Juddy
President
WAKSA
Juddy there are some real dickhead kiters out there who will screw it up for all of us ,
these dickheads need to pull the farking heads in b4 its to late
Remember in 5 years the places you loved to kite, cause baby were going to lose quite a bit of kiting areas!!
The kiters you are talking about are showoffs. A dangerous sport and the feeling of a big kite in the air removes the old mankini image.
Majority would give up the sport without the crowds, thats why they don't kite in Winter.
If we could remove the crowds from the beach for just one sumer the showoffs would disappear.
Solution is simple, stay at least 30mtrs away from swimmers and surfers at all times or?????????????.
I frequently surf where kiters are doing down winders, and they are very considerate to me, avoiding me unless my presence catches them off guard..except for one twat, a pro (who should obviously know better) I guess, with his black JEEP kite, who insisted on buzzing me as I paddled for waves. Pr!cks like him will definitely ruin it for the fraternity.
Pull your head in!
Juddy,
I witness such behaviour regularly at different spots. For me the reason for such jerks to do that is that they are anonymous like on this forum. The future to me is a kite registration with large numbers on the kite for everyone to see. like a boat registration combined with the regulation that only registered kites are allowed to fly in certain areas. WAKSA can combine all forces to convince councils that their members are educated and willing to do the right thing and have special rights at privileged spots. If you do not have a registration you can not fly your kite ion those areas. Also the registration will only be possible with a certificate from an independent assessment of the kiters ability like a RST (recreational skippers ticket). This is how I see the future with the number of new kiters coming every year. The alternative is a total ban in most places. Sad but probably inevitable.
regards
Gerhard
Much has been said before. See Guidelines (City to Trigg including Scarborough, and also including general Kiting guidelines): www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Guidelines-Scarb-City-Beach-NOV-2011-onwards/?page=1
Computer Forum - - - - - -YOU? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Real World
Please move slider to Right.
I've put forth some suggestions to WAKSA / Floreat SLSC. See below, please comment. And join the Scarbkiters group via PM or email to scarboroughkiters (at) yahoo (dot) com. (Spam-proof? Add @ and . as usual). Apart from strength of numbers, we follow and promote the guidelines. Thanks! 
Shan.
1. Waterproof 'red cards' which SLSC members can give out to kiters they flag down – these direct kiters to the appropriate website for more information and also lists the basic 'do's and don'ts' as endorsed by WAKSA.
2. Communication to SLSC / Rangers further up the coast at the landing sites (normally Brighton or Trigg) so they may approach errant kiters.
3. More active approach and education – when the signs are up and the Guidelines are printed and can be handed out to kiters setting up or coming in.
4. 'Photograph and shame' on our Kitesurfing forum – if SLSC members and other kiters are able to take pics and send / upload them with a brief description of what should have been done.
I realise that each of these suggestions have advantages and disadvantages.
We take these issues very seriously and would like to work with you and others to ensure safe and harmonious kiting along our beautiful coastline.
Western Australia Kitesurfing Location Guides see here:
www.seabreeze.com.au/Articles/Kitesurfing/Where-to-kitesurf-in-Western-Australia-official_4992834.aspx
and here:
www.seabreeze.com.au/Articles/Kitesurfing/Riding-in-Perth-WA-What-you-need-to-know_4578814.aspx
For visitors, 'groynes' are the breakwaters / piles of rocks extending out to sea.
"But as a whole finds the sport a great spectacle to watch and admire from the beach."
Yes, this is the general view, just do not come to close...
I was for the registration and BIG numbers before. Not any more. How would yo register a 9yo? Can of worms that is.
For God sake, go skiing one season and see how many bystanders got injured coz someone crashed into them. It's called an accident.
Total ban is not an option. Lobbying is. Since the guy knows "John", why not inviting John's client and explain how it works?
State Managers should know well lobbying. I bet this is what they do for living. And nothing wrong with it.
Yep WAKSA to the rescue, membership compulsary and tag to be displayed at all times
I get the feeling that you are trying to take ownership and possibly looking for fake or missleading stories to implement your long time plan.
I kite there most days and I see overall an awesome respect of other watercrafts or swimmers, it is a really strange thing because they are some punters here who claim 5 close calls in one session, kites seem to attack them from every directions (usually newbs or Euros for good measure) but I kite here religiously for 5 years and I have never seen any of that????
Bring on your regulations and compulsary *****ter licences, keep accepting liabilities for crimes not commited and approach all councils to discuss solutions to a non existing problem.
Might go back to surfing, there is probably 100 times more accidents with inocent swimmers but at least they never agreed to be parked in a 200 metre surf craft area so they still have enjoyment of the entire coast.
Red thumb away, I am very safety conscious, I never go near the surf life saving clubs, I always respect the ampitheatre limitations, I have never been within 10 metres to a surfer or swimmer but your campaign of fear makes me sick.
Sebol,
There is no "long term plan"...there is no conspiracy from on high, it's not about WAKSA "saving everyone", it's not a campaign of fear. We all have different opinions about what the future holds for kiting - the message here is about the perception this one incident is likely to create - and the potential impact(s) it might have.
The email & conversation, as reported, came from a regular Floreat to Scarb kiter who knows the location & many of the regular DW crew. It came from a credible source.
You & I haven't met but you've been around long enough to know what's appropriate, what's acceptable kiting behaviour. It's not you the comment was directed at...it's the kiter(s) who don't want to, or won't see 'the bigger picture' - which may or may not include WAKSA involvement - and I'm not necessarily saying "licence" or regulate - it's about how others (that might not care about our sport) perceive us & what we do & the impacts of those perceptions, whether real or not.
Member or not, this type of incident works against all of us. Is it that hard to honestly expect participants in this sport to behave in a manner that doesn't increase the chance of ****** it up for everyone else?
Sebol you're either trolling for sh!ts n giggles or you're not the brightest crayon in the box. If you think people are putting out "fake or missleading stories" pop down to Pelican Point on a windy day. And if you think popular beaches like Floreat are in no danger of having kite bans then you are desperately naive.
kite surfing in Perth is sort of like the guy who has fallen off the cliff. 3/4 down he thinks hey......... Im still OK
This happens every day
Guys are wrecking a good thing slowly, BUT SURELY
Every time I go past Brighton I see a kite in the water WITHOUT FAIL being washed into swimmers
I believe that most of the culprits do not read these forums and do not care much for WAKSA guidelines - cause if they do they are unbelievably frustratingingly stupid.
I think there should be a 'kiting police' crack down on these 'hazards'. Perhaps its worth forming a vigilante type water police crew to monitor the public zones and when something silly happens actually sort it out right there and then. Speak to the culprit on the beach, explain the issues, reprimand and move on.
I would be happy to monitor a 'station' once a month say, or something along those lines.
Maybe it wouldnt work, but something needs to be done. Dont abuse me for this idea if you think its ridiculous, Im just thinking out loud.
As I said, I would be happy to help on a rotation basis if there was some plan put in place.
Who knows, after a season perhaps the message will get through??
A plan, We all launch and start our down winder from the North side of Floreat Surf Club.
Maybe the Council could lay some grass for us to pump up kites and a few barbecues. Large car park already exists so all good..
There are obviously a number of kiters messing with swimmers on purpose.
On Tuesday I was at North Cott and watched a guy doing a down winder on a surfboard with a red Slingshot. The ONLY time he came close in to shore was when there were swimmers. He would get very close to them and then do a big carving turn trying to spray them with water. He did this the whole way down the beach, staying out deep in the long sections where there were no swimmers.
Say, in the best interests of Kiting in Perth, you have words with some knob jockey being a dick close to shore/people/rocks/offshore/fishos/kids and he doesn't give a ***k what you think.
Please explain to me what you can do next?
This is where the self-regulation has its critical flaw. If someone doesn't give a ***k. What can you do?
. No laws= No consequence to the individual. That's the critical flaw.
Ban kiting everywhere, people will still kite- as we have seen the current banning on locations hasn't stopped all kiters.
Regulation (self or not) does not mean that the community takes responsibility for the action of each and every individual. We are individually responsible, so are beach goers making sure their children are safe, etc... If an individual kiter "misbehave", that's not enough reason for the beach goer ("John") to rush to "Council-daddy" and ask to ban kitesurfing thereby punishing hundreds of kiters for the doings of one. There are many ways to stop irresponsible behavior starting with education and ending with the authority of rangers / SLSC. Bans are not amongst them. Of course, it is cheaper and easier for the councils to punish the whole community by bans. However, it eventually creates a very restricted society... see communist countries..
The councils must stop collective punishments like bans, and work for intelligent solutions based on mutual understanding and satisfaction of all parties involved. Kiters are still a minority of all beach users, and there is a constant threat of bullying by the majority which include local residents who rarely or never go to the beach. They can be influenced by their naighbours, and the bullying starts...
There has not been a thorough comparative analysis of beach accidents, which would prove kitesurfing to be outright dangerous to the public. Obviously, it is not. So there is no bases for bans. If there is a conflict of interest between the various beach user groups, the council must work for a solution, not bullying down the minor group.
Those of you who are against WAKSA, suspecting conspiracy (how ridiculous), pull the head out of the sand. Without a strong, well organized association we are hopeless. You don't need to have a PhD to see this.
Mod - title is misleading. I suggest "Hi I am from WA the W stands for winge and the A"
Spot a kiter!
Not relevant here, but I've find it interesting:) And can tell you, no one jumped on him screaming...
Says a lot about the whole society.
What about the old fashion baseball bat and gang
mentality.
The locals do it in Hawaii and it works a treat.
I'd shut up and rest my case if WAKSA was actually enforcing their own guidelines at spots such as Peli Pt and Floreat..
All good throwing out complaints on forums but feet on the ground speak volumes.
Understand it's a volunteer organisation.. And Juddy is leaving but get your committee mobilised and get it sorted before people lose faith in what WAKSA is.
Yup every time I'm there and the breeze is on, this waanker show pony club will be there at the groyne kiting amongst the swimmers, competing with the kid body boarders and beer bellied accountant surfers in that tiny space. Naturally tourists copy what the locals do...
I think these guys see themselves as hardcore surfers ("Ripping it, Smashing it, Spinning it, bro"). They're the heavy fuuckyou riders in boots or on strapless surfboards, sneering about the lawnmower kiters riding out wide. The alpha animals that operate under homespun rules and on a raft of denial of all else.
Myself, not sure what can be done. Very sceptical about self-regulation. Realistically in the interest of the public that spot will have to be closed eventually to kiting, enforced by fines and legal action.
I like the idea of councils creating dedicated kite launch areas along the coast, perhaps in consultation with WAKSA and partially funded by us the members. Car park cameras, lawn areas, signage. These launch areas can be on stretches of beach that are not popular spots for other recreational users but still have some decent banks breaking. The entire stretch north of Floreat (apart from the clubbies area) all the way to Brighton Road would suit. Then continue from Contacio northwards to Trigg 1st carpark. If you think about it, there is plenty of space.
Go on alphas make my day red, thumb away
I guess I owe to make a few clarifications.
Firstly thank you for the constructive reply to my post from WAKSA.
I am not anti WAKSA and in fact I used to be a member when it started.
The simple fact that it is run by volunteers who obviously have an interest in our sport makes WAKSA a worthwhile association that deserves credit for uniting the kiting community (your sticker is still on my car).
I do however have major concern with the attitude of WAKSA as an "elite club" that appears to become absolutely belligerent towards anyone who doesn't belong to your little club.
The invite to kite stock is a statement in itself with bold red letters proudly claiming that if you are not WAKSA you can't come, you can't participate and you certainly can't kite (shouldn't it be simply an opportunity to meet as many kiters as possible from our great country and a great forum to push forward safety and an opportunity to expand membership to the association).
The same applies to the Rottnest race or the state wave title, all events run by WAKSA as I am fully aware.
As an association of kiters, you should have enough arguments to attract membership by the awesome service provided (cheap public liability insurance, opportunity to mingle with your peers, social events, strength in representation to local authorities....).
However, I definitely feel (I could be wrong here) that instead, WAKSA is pushing for the supreme power of dictating who kites where by mean of approaching all local councils and setting in place agreements for their members only so long as they clearly display their tags (method unfortunately already implemented in Europe from what I read here?).
There has been a steady flow of alarmist post on this forum and a very aggressive tone (vigilante police
, you are kidding right???).
I personally have met many friends who visit regularly to enjoy our summer wind from overseas and I don't want them to be banned or pay to play.
There are many valid arguments against segregation (will I be able to register my 9 years old daughter who kites already???).
I just want to see positive measures instead of accepting liabilities for non-existing issues.
"
There has not been a thorough comparative analysis of beach accidents, which would prove kite surfing to be outright dangerous to the public. Obviously, it is not. So there are no bases for bans. ."
I will personally renew my WAKSA membership and voluntary contribute $200 if WAKSA decides to funds the above mentioned research and use it as a valid tool to fight any ban proposal.
There will always be idiots out there and Nazi regime will not make any difference.
