To the 25+ kiters who were out at Longy on sunday.
Please please please kite further to the SOUTH of the swimming flags and take note of swimmers!! The lifeguards were pretty pi$$ed off with a lot of people on Sunday and most just ignored thier request to move away from the swimmers!
There were a number of kites crashing in the flags. If you can't make it back with at LEAST 30m clear of any person then bail off downwind and land on the other side and walk!
This goes for the beginners AND the experienced kiters who insisit on showing off right on the waters edge!
If we continue to get this busy at Long Reef and don't take it upon ourselves to move 50m up the beach where will no doubt be problems in the future. If you aggree with what is being said here and witness someone kiting near swimmers and the flags please have a word with them.
cheers.
Pete
Fully agree Pete. I wasn't kiting on Sunday but watched for quite a while from the beach at Dee Why and I noticed a worrying number of kiters going right through the flagged areas.
It's just not on and the lifeguards have authority to confiscate gear if their warnings are ignored -- NSWKBA will support this.
NSW Maritime regulations state:
"Stay out of a swimming area, which is defined as the area extending 60 metres out from shore between signs for swimmers."
If there are people violating this then don't be shy about having a word with them.
If kiters continue to ignore this and the lifeguards lose patience they WILL ban kiting, even if it's only a few kiters violating the regulations.
its disappointing that there are people who kite and dont obey these rules. It wont take much to have kiting banned here, and it its banned here, all other Northern beaches will follow suit.
The question is what to you say or do if your a local to some one going through the flags at your beach?
1) Say politely stop?
2) Say stop or we will beat the crap out of you?
3) Pull out a machete and run after the kite lines?
4) Other?
I have seen a number or riders ignoring the flags at longy, but don't often see the local riders telling them to stop. If one local says stop they may be ignored.
A mate in Germany was saying that if a kiter is riding dangerously, 3 or more of the locals tail gate him so the kiter cant turn around and is forced out of the area.
Not sure what the solution is.
Just my 2c.
Well I am 100% happy to speak to anyone I see do it. In my experience most people are very approachable when you do.
I dont think there is a need to be aggressive or be 'local' about it.....
Well I am 100% happy to speak to anyone I see do it. In my experience most people are very approachable when you do.
I dont think there is a need to be aggressive or be 'local' about it.....
The bit that grinds my goat is the lack of willingness to comply to the lifeguards requests! just bloody arrogant if you ask me!
