Yesterday afternoon as I sat at a Cottesloe cafe for a friend's birthday lunch, I came to the realisation that our sport is at a tipping point, and that if we go 'over the line', there will be no coming back.
I'm referring to stupid, ignorant, and dangerous kiters who flagrantly kited too close to shore, too close to swimmers, and into and then through the surf club flagged area in front of North Cottesloe SLSC yesterday. I was at lunch from 1.00pm to after 4.00pm, and had as close a view to the action as possible. I had to give up counting the number of kiters doing downwinders who kited into & through the flagged area.
The North Cott Clubbies were watching what was going on, shaking their heads, & (appeared to be) making notes about the frequency with which kiters were entering the flagged area.
Of the 30 odd crew I was having lunch with, I was the only kiter and most of the party know I kite and my involvement in the Association. Of the people at the table, half of them (non kiting, Joe Public who are all still enthralled to watch kiters) expressed their 'surprise' (disguised as concern and alarm) to see kiters coming as close to swimmers & into the flagged area. When I say 'close' to swimmers, I'm talking within 10 feet on numerous occasions. The number of times Joe Public asked me something like "Is coming that close ok?" (or similar) was ridiculous.
As individuals, we all have an obligation to act responsibly and safely on the water. Kiting to within 10' of Joe Public who is in a flagged area is not responsible, or safe.
It's just plain dumb.
Yesterday's behaviours were a very public display that the number of irresponsible and the 'care-less' crew who kite is on the rise.
Not everyone doing a DW yesterday past North Cott was cause for concern, but the sheer volume of irresponsible and stupid kiters was frightening. The 'tipping point' for our sport is getting closer and closer....
Wake up folks....we are shooting ourselves in the foot with this type of behaviour.
Juddy
definately agree, but surely the struggle is with a huge amount of NON WAKSA members who in turn are NON forum members. i know that its all about the $ but maybe we need a 'joe public kiter' education process? signs, (not that anyone reads them) newpaper adverts? (possibly aided in funding by councils)??
either way it is a huge battle you/we have on our hands.
IMO there should be big permanent signs near the foot paths and car parks at every kiting spot in Perth. Melville leighton north cott city beach scarbs pinnas etc are all getting busier with the newly enthused kiters keen to get a piece of the action
Indeed, preaching to the converted like all such posts.
Newspaper ads probably wouldn't reach any of these offenders, signs would be the most effective common ground for written medium all kiters come across, but even so, plenty of 'these' people won't read them. Some people just won't read instructions. They need telling, if not by us then by the authorities...
And also a top mention to the retard flying the 10m Airush kite at Leightons on Sun at 5pm.
Dude comes in and then proceeds to drop his kite hard straight from 1 o'clock on top of dad walking his dog and also his 2 x 12 year old girls. The dad got tangled and the girls jumped out of the way quickly. Still amazes me how people can't see that it's a dog exercise beach past the signposts.
Great way to represent our sport.. If I were the dad... Knuckles for sure.
The only way to educate noobs and offenders at Perth metro spots is to have a dedicated regular volunteer with a yellow WAKSA Tshirt policing the rules/guidelines at their local spot, especially on weekends. This will show a presence and keep beaches open for all kiters.
I would put my hand up for this at Leighton if need be as it's my local. Others should also. If we get a pool of volunteers going then it would only be a a few hours a month each.
Maybe Cott groin to Grant Street should be banned/regulated before something serious happens.
I personally know some residents who are pissed about kiters at North Cott and often tell me about it.
Why do a downwinder through Cott anyway??
Becareful govt will introduce a licence for kites and u will have to have a sticker on your kite to verify your ability/you have done a course etc....as a learner I get scared of other learners, but what i have sean everyone helps everyone one just has to realise yopur capabilities and know when to pull up stumps! and go home .
Seems like you guys in the west are really being tested this year!!
Any signs put up will need to be double sided and big ass sized otherwise the dicks doing the down winders through the swimmers will not even see them.
The other thing that you might consider is printing off a heap of coastal maps marked with relevant kiting details and stick them on the wind screens of kiter cars in the car parks. Include your association logos and maybe the clubby logo to make them look official. Let the clubbies know what you are up to and get their buy in. It can't hurt to show that we are at least trying to self regulate. If push comes to shove it could make the difference between a ban or no ban.
Believe it or not Smithy WAKSA Location Guidelines are being distributed in Perth kite shops and on beaches at the moment....they contain WAKSA suggestions & guidelines as to where to kite & where not to kite.
Including a big FK OFF area along the Cottesloe beach front....
Totally agree with you Juddy.
Melville, as you have probably read, was a joke. I witnessed more idiots than you'd expect to see in a season. I spoke to as many as practical but the overwhelming attitude is "who cares"...
One inconsiderate and ignorant fool repeatedly walking back up the beach flying his kite directly over the road. (Flag it and carry it if you can't stay upwind and there are too many kites launching!) Another jumping well inside the marker buoys. Out of control kites everywhere mainly because the wind got above 20 knots??? Cars ignoring no parking signs because the kiters, who are supposed to be fit, can't even walk from a side street??? If you talk to people, (at least I try to educate) in the majority of cases, you get some blank innocent look... 30 minutes later, they're back doing the same thing Is a windy public holiday any excuse? That's just one location.
Unless something changes, it's going to seem really ironic that the early pioneers who fought with rudimentary, no depower kites, who developed technique, witnessed (and contributed to) the evolution of design - Have nowhere or very limited areas to use and appreciate the benefit of newer, more efficient, 'safer' (in intelligent/experienced hands) designs!
As previously said, a lot of kiters on the beaches now are non forum members and/or non WAKSA members also but we can all talk, so we can all attempt to educate.. Or we can all bleat and weep when some 'bad man' passes legislation that says "you can't kite on that beach anymore"...
Which is worse I ask you, being scared to approach someone who is jeopardising the future or OUR sport (whether it's 'not cool' or you're scared of confrontation) - OR, watching someone else regulate it for us???
I can't believe this has to be said but FFS people, (you know who you are) wake the #$%! up!!
There are a lot of good people on these forums, with a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong. How about we take some of this energy and frustration off the forums and down to our local beach? Direct it at the inconsiderate idiots who are ruining it for everyone. Before it's too late.
I took time to write this, I take time every time I am at the beach to try to change people's attitudes. Let's get proactive guys; the writing is on the wall if we don't.
Thank goodness I left Perth. 2006 was already seeming crazy, so I shudder to think what it must be like now.
Terrifying thought though - one of the world's best locations for kiting, but too awful to actually kite.
Feel much better over here in Tassie. A busy day on the water is being out with your 4 best mates!
Looks like you guys are much better organized than the rest of us, think I saw a WA post card like that once...
Unfortunately it seems to be the blow ins, whether they be from up the road, interstate or another planet, that have total disregard for local rules be they official or not. The excuse is always the same, "Sorry mate haven't kited here before, didn't know", well open your eyes and ask dip sh...
Hope you get it soughted without loss or injury.
i think if i do ever go back to melville i am going to go kite down near majestic point as it's nice and empty down there
I'll probably get shot down however confiscation, imho, is the way to go.
Take the reckless punter's gear and watch the consideration for others start to appear.
They do it over east if you continue to surf in the flags. I was warned riding in the flags with a bull horn that if I didn't get out of the flags my board would be history and I thought to myself it's not going to be much fun trying to surf without a stick.
The clubbies have rubber duckies they can chase these nit wits down with.
The word will get around real quick and only the truly reckless with flaunt the regulations. Just like the new hoon laws. Only the absolute dumb a%$es get their cars confiscated.
Something like 1st offense 2 month confiscation 2nd offense and say goodbye to your clobber.
all imho
From a newbie's point of view - I think having someone recognisable on the beach is a great idea if you can get enough volunteers to make it happen. I would certainly approach someone for advice before making the decision to kite or to save it for another day (as I did yesterday at Leighton due to a busy beach and strong winds). Yes, you can ask those around you for advice, and I do, but it isn't people like me who are the issue - it's those with the "oh i'll be right" mentality. Probably not those who read the forum... or take lessons...
Regulation is ulitmately inevitable as there are too many dickheads out there who just don't appreciate the danger they can potentially cause both to themselves and others. Shame for all really.
I am sitting on the beach at my local spot, it's off shore, gusty and maybe 12-13 knots. To my left there are two kites down on the back beach and are trying to elsunch amongst some swimmers, two blokes and a chick next to me Taking 8 & 2 x 9 metre kites out of the bags for the first time, not sure what their plans are... And to my right three People who don't have enough wind to plane and are slowly getting dragged further out to sea. Yup, we are our own worst enemy.
you gonna help them out when they can't get back in or just gonna stay where you are ?
you gonna help them out when they can't get back in or just gonna stay where you are ?
The three on the water can fend for themselves, they got back in eventually, not sure if they planned a down-winder right through the bay though??? I was happy to leave them whilst inside the reef but if they ended up outside I would have organised someone to get them.
The two trying to relaunch gave up in the end and came in.
Of the three pumping up, two were total learners and getting into the body dragging, it was cross shore where they went in the water, body drag for 50 metres then back out, walk up the beach, then body drag through the swimmers again. If the swimmers weren't a problem, the gusty crappy winds were, if the gusty, crappy winds weren't a problem they were body dragging 50 metres upwind from the point, next stop South Africa, looked like they had a mate 'teaching' and supervising both of them, I didn't wait long until I waded out into the water to the mate and said something.
Not sure whether they took the advice or not, I put my 5 cents worth in and left.
I would be more than happy to go through some appropriate training/skills recognition and wear a waksa rashy or whatever when i am at the beach kiting
I would be happy to guide/advise people in the right/wrongs of the area they are in, but how do you exclude these guides/volunteers from legal action etc, how do you pick these people, so that they are the "right" type of constructive, proactive, non agressive, non sargent major types ?????
I actualy think the downwinder side of things metro wise is going a long way to cocking things up for us, they come thru, do the damage(if doing the wrong thing) and they are gone kilometer's away in minutes. Leaving Joe public and SL clubbies thinking thats what all kiters do.
I talked to a guy at Mullaloo last week who was teaching a newbe ( not the lincenced school). After his students kite got washed through the swimmers and surfers at the northern end, past the no go marker, I asked him if he knows about the rules and restrictions, he said yes, I told him what the guy is doing beyond the official zone then. Answer: well hes just body draging and has to get the board back.
I told him that if he cant control his students actions within the designated area, he shouldnt be there and that WAKSA had fought long and hard to retain what we have at Mullas, that I had been at council meetings myself to have access to my local in the future. He then said, he had been at the council meetings too....
This sort of selfish behaviour is indicative of whats going on, most guys know that they shouldnt be doing what they are, but think they will get away with it or just dont care, a lot of these people have probably even paid for WAKSA membership.
Long term its going to take registrations and big letters / numbers on kites so indeviduals can be pulled up with in the metro area by people who have authority to hand out fines.
You will see how fast the situation gets sorted
All this begs the question, why do you have to have beach police?
It's sort of forgivable if someone is making a pest of themself in a kiting area. You have to learn somewhere and it makes some sort of sense to be with the other kiters.
What I can't understand is why do people ride through the lifesaving areas? Which part don't you understand about big red and yellow flags, and lifeguards and packs of children and non-active water users?
It's a bit like "Hooning" around in your car.
The Police have tried for years to prevent this with all sorts of touchy feely political correct things that didn't work.
What do they do now.
Confiscate it!
More than likely, if I kited in a swimming area and somebody took my kite off me, just the hassle and embarrassment of getting it back would make me seriously think about in the future, in fact I would be keeping as far away as possible.
