i've been living in safety bay all my life now and just started kitesurfing this time last year the pond has been my second home but i've noticed since then people are getting more aggresive towards who should be in the pond and should'nt. not mentioning any names but one person has been getting around lately, letting kites down and resorted to cutting lines of people that have tryed to lern in the pond also threataning to "ban" them for the future... later that arvo this person was teaching a friend right in the middle... who has the right to do this...
I'm not learning but if I witnessed anyone cutting someone's lines id stab them with their scissors.
How pathetic.
I felt like stabbing that dudes leading edge of his trainer kite at Maroochy yesterday. Seriously, did the dude have a brain? Anyone else see him?
Spoke to the lifeguards at my local the other day they can not ban us from the beach they can't take your gear off you all they can do is call the police to come and remove you from the beach because you are stopping the lifeguards from doing there job. Cut my lines or pop my kite and you will be sorry.
My understanding is that the police can remove you and/or take your gear (regular and water), but only councils can put in place bans.
If you try really hard I guess a court could also ban people / spots, but you would really have to try something special on for that to happen.
For the person cutting lines, call the cops if you have proof as they are destroying people's property and will earn themselves a little something special.
Than again karma will eventually get them:
when you see him next time.. land his kite and then cut his lines.. see how he likes that..
What a tool[}:)]
Localism is quite bad in my town too,
I've only lived and surfed the break for 10+ years but depending on whos out tensions can rise from there belief you dont belong,
Just smile and enjoy your surf, kite 
its there issue they need to deal with while they have a **** sesh becasue there worried that there not getting all the surf.
But being a red blooded ozzy touch my gear and
"letting kites down and resorted to cutting lines of people that have tried to learn in the pond"
Bullsh1t. Never seen any behavior like this before in kiting - never will. Kiting is too closeknit for anyone to get away with anything like this anyway. At least get 20 or 30 posts under your belt first lol
One of my fave sayings "ah yeah, you own the ocean do ya, good on you mate"
Interesting first post. I call bull**** aswell. He didn't cut your lines did he?? So who's did he cut and they don't seem to be posting.
Not sure if it is the same Australia wide but an instance of bans is Wellington Pt in Brisbane. The local council will give you an on the spot fine for just having your gear on the grass in the park but once you go below the high water mark they cant touch you. It's up to Harbours and Marine from there that does not have a ban in place.
yer i know its a big topic for my first post but i was hell curious on actually what the process is and if people by them selfes can ban other people?
This story is a lame attempt to discourage learners at safety bay on the slick side, so much better ways to go about it that involve more brain cells lol. Learners gotta know that they will disrupt the traffic flow on the slick side, and instead of 10 or 12 riders + enjoying a freestyle session, only one learner will jam it up on the slick side so that only one person ends up enjoying it with a load of pissed off riders. Get someone older to talk to them, they will be able to sort it out with any dramas and everyone will stay happy.
Obviousley no one can ban someone from a beach it is a public place. I still reckon your stirring ****! But if everyone hated you kiting somewhere due to the fact your in there way why would you kite there? To prove what point? You have a right to have fun in expense of 15 others??? Other people would not help and rather hinder your experience. tension high!, and it seems like you would be asking for trouble?? I believe majority rules. If you want to piss people off it's your call. While violence is never the answer it is always a possibility. Some people say localism sucks (I surf a lot and have had to put up with bs for years (and I can surf) but common sense has to prevail. If it does get heated is it worth it?? And if you are causing problems (dropping kite or getting in peoples way) why on earth would you wreck everyone elses day?? At some breaks if you drop in (repeatedly) your going to get your head punched in. Sadly this is the only way some people learn. Everyone has a right. Are your rights better than 15 others?? And cutting lines is bs. Never seen it. And letting kites down hahaha is that really a deterrent?? You do own a pump! I started kiting due to lack of waves and hassling when there is waves (I won't surf metro/and hardly on weekends) I would hate to see kiting go this way. Follow your common sense and I'm sure there will never be problems
This story is actually true. a learner set up and launched at the pond next to the big bush thing at the waters edge. he then proceded out of controll to the onshore beach where the storm water outlet is. still trying to keep going he swooped his kite to try water start, but misjudged it and it hit the beach very close to a father and is little girl. close enough to make her cry. said kiter then continues trying to relaunch his kite before it gets deflated by a member of the kiting community.
i dont know if this is the incident you are refering to, but its still a very good example of why deadset newbys shouldnt learn in the pond.
as to this guy teaching befor hand, he wasnt getting in everyones way. he wasnt endangering other kiters or members of the public and when they are ready to get on a board i bet it will be around the corner at shoalwater.
The ocean is for all of us to share, but we all should respect the fact that some areas - like the slick bit at the top of the pond and including the landing area 30 metres downwind, should be kept clear for the better guys to do their technical stuff without fear of landing on somone who is learning to keep upwind.
There is plenty of water across to the weedbank for harnessing your skills as a beginner and it actualy gets pretty flat also.
Now regarding that guy who let a kite down. This was my mate and it is intersting to hear the "full story". Some beginner launched in the busy end of the pond. He looped his kite several times before crashing it on the beach. It then relaunched and did another loop before crashing right near a little girl. Seeing this, my mate ran down to see the girl running up to the carpark crying with fear whilst her spectator Dad who knows nothing about kites was about to help this guy launch again ( you know, one of those guys who get knocked over by the kite through launching it too hot). My mate took control of a bad situation and deflated the kite to make the point that beginners (and all of us) should be wary of kiting in areas where there is little room for error.
The wind direction at the pond means that an out of control kite could end up hitting the spectators or even end up on the road. Maybe if you need some more practice with kite control etc i would suggest kiting somewhere safer for all.
we have tourists coming regularly to the pond, not knowing about local customs. I learned at safety bay and did not go into the pond until a year after and when I could hold upwind and could turn quickly, because I was instructed about the meaning of the flat water and the dangers of the location. Whenever I can I try and inform people the same way, some take it with grace some take it with ignorance, but at least we all should try to "inform" and not "complain". Common sense is not the same for everyone. so please be surprised that some tourists are even grateful for being informed in a "friendly" way. Of course there are a few who may not take it the right way. But the more popular the sport becomes the more important it is that we all "talk" to each other and not assume everyone knows or thinks the same way.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you.
it's **** to see how bad the pond is getting lately, since a lot of "local" riders are talking smack here on seabreeze and supporting the fact that people should be able to learn in the pond so more people keep doing it, old mate got hurt the other day and snapped his collarbone cause of some dude's girlfriend learning in the shallow bit and dove her kite on him and to dodge it he ran into the boyfriend that apparently wasnt really paying any attention. other guy just yesterday was doing downwind runs right in the shallow bit, smashed his kite on the beach a few times and all that, and i reckon some of the so-called local beginners think they own the joint and are pushing this attitude just to try and prove a point but just end up pissing other people off and ruining everybody's session. and in the end of it all just ruining the vibe in the pond causing everyone to have a **** time, putting people in danger. the point im trying to make is that there is no need for all this animosity in the pond and you smart asses that keep telling yourselves that it's ok to teach in the pond, well it's not. what's it gonna take to understand it? another kite in the power lines? or maybe a kite crashing on a truck that loses control and kills someone? just think about that, would you keep kitesurfing after you know that your behaviour took someone's life?
the big problem this year in the pond i think is that a lot of people that ride there don't know each other and just tell each other off on forums and there's a lot of tension created by that.
a lot of crew that just started last year are riding in the pond, loving it and respecting everybody, i taught a couple of them personally last season and i'm very stoked to see them riding and progressing, but there's a couple of guys that hide behind nicknames and just push all this tension and bad vibes and personally i dont know who they are and i don't care, all i'm trying to say is that there is no need for this, there's plenty of room for everyone and nobody is trying to claim the spot for themselves, we're just trying to get COMPLETE beginners out of there before something major happens and we get the pond shut.
so stop being smart arses about it.
by the way, i'm Luca, the smelly italian rastaman
just so we stop hiding behind nicknames
Who's right is it to ban people to kite?
Its not a 'right' its a 'responsibility'.
Every kiter should do whatever necessary to educate other kiters to the local rules & guidelines at any location. It took a lot of cooperative effort of all "interested parties" (esp the poleys) to keep the Pond open to kiting at all. It is considered by ALL parties (council; DEC; WAKSA; local kiters; poleys; boaties; sailors; dog walkers; bird watchers etc) to be an advanced kiters ONLY area.
It is offshore. No newbs should kite in offshore - esp where there are roads, powerlines etc downwind.
If kiters dont take the responsibility of keeping the Pond being kited as per the agreed conditions then you can all stop arguing cos you will have nothing to argue about.
Cutting lines is super drastic - dont know that Id resort to that - BUT - if its a matter of safety to third parties then cut lines are a far better option than someone else being injured or killed.
Educate rather than intimidate; dont launch anyone who shouldnt be there etc etc but whatever it takes, if its not controlled it will be lost to all.
Blame the offenders? Yep - but also blame those who arent prepared to step up to the responsibilty of controlling the situation and the site.
nobody's been cutting freaking lines.... yet [}:)]
ahah no just kidding, that's excessive unless someone's being really a knobhead.
but letting kites down is quite fair in some cases.
Yet been the crucial word there. It won't take long before someone gets annoyed at the stupid behavior and goes that far
