Today's afternoon, Sebastien and I went for sailing at Maroubra. It was perfect 25knt side shore with occasional 4ft clean set and only 5 body barders out there, not in one peak in a whole beach!!
Then when we were about to get out, life guards kicked us out the beach...
They told me its just not allowed with no reason...
Why are they so brutal sometime? Do you guys know someone working there, and why?
I have seen someone windsurfing there before,and often see Kiters on the water in the late afternoon.
Is that because they were sailing/kiting after life guards working hour or something, or just I was so unlucky to bump into stupid lifeguards today?
The reason is kiters. For a while you could sail if you asked the lifeguards first, always felt like it was a power trip though. Haven't even tried for years myself, dunko was out there not long ago.
They could just be grumpy or had the ..... as they may have got wet on Saturday rescuing someone!! Who knows.
Did you get to sail or get barred before rigging up?
I think (Duncan?) windsurf'd there this year in a big southerly so I can't understand what they are on about. I believe Dan Berry used to sail there a bit. You probably could have sailed, then again, they do have the authority to issue fines. At least you could go to Botany Bay as a back up, better than working.
I thought you'd reply Dan, too quick for me. I was going to blame the kiters as well and I would have been guessing!
Oh yeah - why aren't you sailing, or have you been 
Sailed wanda already. I think the day dunk sailed it was pissing with rain, lifeguards aren't as keen to "protect the beach" in the rain.
We stopped sailing there years back because the wind went funny. I always put it down to the developments just south of the rifle range.
If your not sailing in the flags how can they stop you? I would've told them to get f'd.
Not sure if there are different rules in Sydney but down here that's what I would've done
Thought so Dan. 'Bra has changed!
Koichi,
Most lifegaurds are pretty good blokes, were they lifeguards (paid) or lifesavers (volunteers/clubbies). Lifegaurds usually only threaten to issue fines eg; when they direct someone out of the water & they go back straight into a rip. Again you really have to test the boundries before they will give a fine & in most cases they would also call the Police to let them know - that you are being a d...head -and also to verify you have provided correct name etc.
As Dan said, stoopid kiters have pissed them off before, hence the attitude.
I checked at the time and found out they can impound your board if they ask for it and you agree. If you disagree they can't push the point. Bondi has the same problems now.
Ps they are paid lifeguards.
When kitting kicked off they all went down there and made wind sports an issue, so now there is some confussion about what a windsurfer is.
the first time I went out there was two guys surfing, one was my mate. Then the life guard paddles out and tells me to go in.
I rang the council and asked them, remember the council employs them.
They told me its at the're discretion, I explained the situation and they agreed it seemed unreasonable.
The only power they have is to ring the rangers who will fine you. I guess then you take it to court if you feel it was unwarranted. But remember those guards are not the kind of guys you just tell to F off.
If I go out now I always chat with them first and say all the right stuff about not going near flags. They have said no and I have agreed as here was a number of surfers. Most of the time I just give he big "coooommmmooon bro"
It's a fine line there so don't stretch the friendship to much
Yeah dunk, it sounds like that would get you further than the big f u, we don't have issues like that down here so it sounds totally unreasonable to me.
City beach, big crowds.
But yes it often is very unreasonable! Some times there judgment calls are not the best.
One day it was seriously 40 knots and one of the guard told me I should have spoken with them first.
I then helped him carry the rescue board up the beach before it blew away.
How does a local council have the power to tell who can and can't use a beach or be on the water? AFAIK below the hide tide mark the beach belongs to no one, its public property and is nature's domain. Same with the ocean. Local councils over the years have taken it upon themselves to be more and more intrusive upon our lives. It would be interesting to know if there is any legal basis for half the stuff they regulate.
Agreed but I think the argument against that is they have been designated to look after the safety of all beach goers. Legally I don't know, some one else if free to test that
I always worked on the principle of catch me if you can. I didn't waffle around on the beach and once I was out I was out. Sometimes they'd stand there and wait for you to come in........ for an hour or so. Worked quite well.
I think the consensus is to tell the lifeguards & then if it's that good just sail anyway. They have no power to bar you from the water, only tell you/recommend you don't sail. They are employed by the Council but ultimately have a 'duty of care' to all beach users.
BUT as Dan said, they can and potentially will confiscate your board if it's crowded and you are near the flags.
If it's that windy, especially from about easter onwards, how many swimmers will there be? It's not like Maroubra is a short beach and surely it's not crowded like Manly or Bondi?
Personally I've had more run ins with surfers at Manly (Queenscliff) than problems with lifeguards. I only normally sail at Queenscliff when it super windy and if I'm near the flags I come in or give it at least 50m - swimmers or not.
It would seem that because kiting is banned there between 7am and 7pm
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes that the lifeguards have used it for windsurfing also.
Without a doubt the ban is there because of inconsiderate kiters who dont give a $hit about other beach users. Kitesurfing compaired to Windsurfing has far greater risks to other beachgoers ,its not right to classify them the same.
I guess when it comes to council its easier for them to just ban both.
Councils get power from their by laws. If there are no by laws for this situation they have no power unless there is some discretionary power given to that council worker, and no doubt that would be fairly grey and defined to prevent corruption and abuse.
If you get bored, call the council and ask which by laws govern the SLSC's, then, you are armed with the correct information. Highly unlikely the SLSC guard will know the first thing about the by laws.....
Hey Ko,
When I used to live in Maroubra I used to go out a lot in SWlies often on my own. But i would often go and check with the lifeguards. Never told me off but always asked if I was good enough for the conditions (?)
i.e. we don't want to have to rescue you if can't handle it ..
Anyway that was few years ago it may have changed now.
You should have come to Long reef! It was a bit out of control but good fun.
Lifeguards a lot more relaxed, they even went to pick up a guy that had broken his mast on the outer reef and was drifting for 30min.
ha, dont come over to the northern beaches acting like this, pleading with clubbies, cooooomon bro, pffffffffff, again, dont come over here acting like this, they might start thinking were all the sorta men that act like that, ha, over here they pleade and grovel with us, its usually ignored !!!!!!!!!!!
By checking with lifeguards I meant having a little chat not pleading ! Better that than not being able to go out on good session with no one out!!
It's just about being friendly with the people that are on the beach day in day out.
