^^^^^^So was your first root there how you got your kids, named Opps and Arrr****itshappendagain?????
Arrrrrrr WA,,,the state lost in time,,,,,,,,I think its near newzealand
A shame, but not surprising and probably deserved.
This weekend I saw a blow-in kiter rig up and launch their kite on the grassy area, surrounded by people, kids playing football ect, and the kite lufted back towards some startled family having a BBQ before taking off. A couple of local kiters went to reprimand him and did a good job of it, saying things like "you'll ruin it for everyone".
But what was then hilarious, was the same local kiters then went and rigged and launched their kites on city beach, again in between all the other punters on the sand!! Too lazy to walk that 100m north away from the sunbathers and swimmers where the beach was totally empty.
I've seen Seabreeze regulars and champions launching amongst the swimmers and surfers at that spot. You guys are in denial if you think it is only a minority.
Ivor, I had a chat to the grass launcher.. He didnt seem to think it was an issue....
I was one of the guys that launched my kite in the area against the rock wall it was the clear of people during our launches, had to wait a couple of times for people to walk thru or come down the steps but no diff from any other busy beach...IMO It was the safest place to launch in the imediate area. On this day there where groups of people down the beach for 200m. Just need to be aware of whats around you and assess the situation on the day. This day I walked down wind 20 meters to takeoff on the down wind side of the swimmers as well rather than splitting the pack...
cheers
OK, it's started again. We had it at the time of Mullaloo: Posters disguised as kiters start posting against kitesurfing more or less promoting a ban. This forum, obviously, is open to all, and is not clearly representing the kitesurfing community.
I've been kiting for 10 years. From that experience I can tell that the ones who are clearly ignorant are the very minority of kiters, and most of them just simply don't know any better until they are told nicely....and then they do the right thing. As far as I am aware the safety record of kitesurfing in Perth is quite good. Kitesurfing may feel strange and intimidating for those who know nothing about it (it was the same when cars first appeared on road replacing ox carts), but accidents are rather rare. It is a change of times until they get used to something new.
Our part, of course, is to keep it safe, skillful and friendly......and be proactive instead of forum-smart.
that south city car park is dodgy as. every time i go there there is broken glass everywhere from break-ins!
Before you load the shaait on me , I will just let you that i am a local surfer and kitesurfer. Each week i take my 4 year old son to the Floreat Surf Club playground around twice a week. At least i can get to watch the passing downwinders and catch a few sick moves and lets say some scary ones. Well I can say from experience that there is a lot of scary kiters out there without the Intermediate knowledge or required skills. I only took these photos with my mobile phone last saturday because i was actually amazed at what I was seeing. I did actually approach one of the group to advise that this was a restricted zone, he was cool , no aggro , but they had no idea this was a restricted zone like so many others.
Nope, sorry, doesn't cut it, we need to be allowed to launch North of that Groyne, I don't mind walking north along the beah to be away from swimmers (hardly ever anyone there anyway when the wind is blowing) but this an absolute joke.
Now I see why Bo deleted his post just got the email requesting censorship you guys are pathetic
Case in point was at Mullaloo yesterday (I was not kiting) kiters were out of the area, one a learner crashing his kite into the beach right next to tiny kids down near the point. Did a kiter come down and self police? of course not. You will loose mullas as well. Being devils advocate.
As for the dil who emailed me read my original post. Message is it is up to you. If you let it slide like I did it will be gone.
Ah great! Shortly we will see people tangling their kites in the observation tower at the south groyne, an overcrowded car park, and broken in cars.
Fair enough, it adds another 200m to the downwinder, which might be a bonus. But I don't quite see the problem of launching kites on that 50m stretch north of the Floreat groyne. I though that people at this spot were actually quite well behaved? You pump up on the lawn, rig on the beach and take of as fast as possible and stay out of the way of the surfers and body boarders. Not many swimmer there anyway, as there arn't any flags.
I do understand why one might not want to have beginners and learners hanging around there (not the best spot due to wind turbulence anyway). But hey, is the spot south of the groyne really safer? Surly not for learning kitesurfers, which are beach users after all.
PS Does WAKSA or the ranger has any statistics of incidents at City Beach? I only recall one kite using the light as a flag pole two years back?
When an outsider appears on this forum trying to justify a ban on kitesurfing, it is annoying. When a (said to be) kitesurfer does the same, it is sickening.
ok hilly, I see you are simply an angry old man with a grudge?...I dont know why? but you just seem angry...
I did email you along with Bo as I saw an anomaly in the fact the guy who Bo referred to landing his kite on the grass was actually one of the euro blow ins who was camping at city beach and not a regular "in-denial". I asked Bo if this was the case and he confirmed...therefore his/your Bo quote post is misleading.
I along with other regulars had a polite word to the euros and thats all we can do...hell, unbelievably we self policed!!! They have now moved on. There is now no more launching n landing on the grass.
I am a regular at city beach and I begin my downwinders at this fantastic place to start off. It really is a good spot to start from and return back to afterwards. There is a good bunch of local guys who are not show off tools at all. They dont fark around and do the right thing. We pump up kites, rig up on the beach, launch, and move on away from swimmers, surfers etc into the quiet beach areas...and yes, even self police.
I also dont understand the angst against fellow kiters who stand to lose access to their spot... We all should be trying to retain locations, even if not our local. Otherwise one day we may all end up having to kite on top of each other. People who lose access to their local spots need to kite elsewhere...perhaps we'll all have to come up to where you now kite...?
I recall the mullas anti-kiting days where the anti-kiting mob used incidents and BS anti-sentiment, alot found on this forum, against us...so essentially, what I am trying to say, is be careful what is said on this forum under the current circumstances...thats all....ok, Im pathetic as well lol.
Looking from the inside all you see are the guys in control and doing the right thing all looks good.
View from the outside is not so good. You have to look at it from others point of view. They see a new group pushing into their beach who take up a huge amount of room and can be dangerous. It takes one person to ruin it for others. Look at the photos above that is what they see not the 100 guys doing the right thing.
Not angry but old ;-)
All I see in those photos are a bunch of kiters on a near empty beach. And that is said to be a Saturday, a busy weekend.
These 'incidents' and 'close calls' are such a beat up. Anyone go a council built skate park? That is where close calls and collisions happen. What about Trigg Point? I see people getting run over there on a daily basis.
I cant see why people cant share. If you swim it seems you need the right to have the beach to yourself. Guess what...thats what the flags are for.
It is popular to say Kiters have a look at me problem, thats obviously another falsehood as we kite the most deserted stretch of coast in the metro area. The truth is the waves break near the shore, and City to Trigg is the only area that gets swell. Its not the same all along the coast as people try to say, far from it.
there are safer and more appropriate spots.
there are safer and more appropriate spots.
And now for big bag of red thumbs......
How about a kite licence, no licence no kiting in perth, comes with AKSA membership (no overseas crap involved)one time cost, renual every 2 years for free but only if you attend lecture.
So we make sure guys know what to do and where to go, officials are informed and cant sneak one behind our back like has happened.
Lokals get a rashie with rego, all others stay home or move out of town
oops, ...did I mention licence
Have to say that Hilly (the non-kiter) is making the most sense.
Perception from the outside is very differant to the rose tinted view from the inside of kiting. 
Licence?
I'd be curious to hear a rationale for/against it, without hysterical witch burning bonfire flaming.. like that is gonna happen. [}:)]
With a prob like the one we have here it would be nice to float and consider all the options.
If there is a scenario where (like Cott) you need a WAKSA tag to launch/land in the area I'm not gonna balk (I can hear slave typing awready) at that for example.
After a few breaths I'd also be happy with a set-up where we can still inflate on the lawn, carry the kites down the beach 30-40 mtrs (out of the red zone) where there are never any punters on the beach, and launch from there. I can go for that.
I know the spot right in front of the carpark is too sweet to ignore.. I've been using it for +5 yrs... But I'd forsake it to be able to still kick off from the area.
That is a win for joe punter public and us lot (partially) I reckon.
BTW - random and a bit OT.
Spotted in Cambridge Times this week that the Cambridge council is soon to spend $400,000 on rebuilding the footings of the City Beach groin. I assume that is the southerly groin. Hmmm.. do they foresee beach punters moving north to the 2nd groin during this lengthy overhaul?
I am against policing, and dont like licences,but self regulation isnt working, its too hard for individuals to tell other kiters what to do.
If all Perth kiters were licensed, we mite end up with 2000 strong group of kiters that cant be overlooked, we can approach the councils with a system that lets rangers do our dirty work, you can rat on the euro, the rough learner and even the licensed guy who doesnt get it (5 strikes your out), I know, it sort of stinks, but after Mullaloo and what is going on at the moment, this may be the last season where we can ignore the impact we have on the general public.
In a way a license would be self policing, if that doesnt work we probably wont have a beach to go to in a few years time
Oi, Mate, Stop!! You dont have your licence on you! You cant go out!
(Errr , yer right!) o.k, if you do I will fine you.
O.k Sir, I will stay on the beach sit and just watch!
Thankyou fellow human being. Ha,HAR.
Sign posts strategically placed to prevent launching and landing stating that no launching and landing is allowed in the near vicinity. Very difficult to launch from grassy spot with sign in the way.
I don't mind paying for signs, if every WAKSA member contributed it would not be a problem.
This is getting pathetic, I cannot believe how closed minded people are here. The land of Health and Safety and all things High Vis, there's got to be a happy medium, I hope, because we will all be walking around in bubble wrap soon and won't be able wipe our own backsides.
Rich
Here is a link for the council members. http://www.cambridge.wa.gov.au/Council/Your_Council/Mayor_and_Councillors
You can send a generic email to all council members via this.
mayor.withers@cambridge.wa.gov.au; cr.langer@cambridge.wa.gov.au;cr.bradley@cambridge.wa.gov.au;cr.grinceri@cambridge.wa.gov.au; cr.king@cambridge.wa.gov.au;cr.macrae@cambridge.wa.gov.au;cr.pelczar@cambridge.wa.gov.au;cr.pinerua@cambridge.wa.gov.au;cr.watson@cambridge.wa.gov.au
Although having said that; many of the replies on seabreeze lack grammatical structure and no matter how good your points are, your message wont be read.
Maybe offer to meet with one and show them around the beach and educate them on our sport.
Every dickhead on the road has a liscense this doesnt make them better drivers. Kiting isnt something that will ever not be spectacular and have mistakes even great kiters come unstuck here and there. You know more people die from smoking, bee stings and road rage and choking on sex toys every minute than the amount of deaths/injury that will ever happen from kiting. There should be signs educating the public and kiters on how to be safe in kite launch landing zones.
Maybe with WAKSA membership there could be a info education night for kiters to attend to learn and brush up on skills/rules/regs..This would remind us all of our responsibilities and help newbies to join the gang and feel safer. There is too much whinging about sh%^t and not enough organized education. The reason we prob have all learnt is from making some bad kiting decisions at times, isnt easier to take this body of info and teach it. Maybe a compulsory info night/ (like when you do re suss courses )etc with WAKSA membership followed by beer n pizza.
Yep and increase the license premium every year so that we get rid of poor people and have the beach to ourselves
Compulsary licensing is a dumb arse idea and I will not take it.
The ocean is and has always been free, you want to change that, I will put up a fight.
If you want to offer public liability insurance at a low cost (Thanks WAKSA) and implement an online test (with local knowledge and agreed practice on all the local beaches, distance from flags, basic safety....) to obtain the membership, I am all for it. That is offering a service, not repression.
Pay to pay is an other blatant attempt at spoiling or freedom.
People should have always the right to enjoy the ocean at no cost but they must also learn to bear the responsibility.
If an accident happen and you have not taken the steps to ensure you are covered and understand locale etiquette, then you should cope it big time.
