hey just noticed this on the hobsons bay website
Seems like council is trying to give us a new rigging area at apex park see area 18 on map . Might be good if its wide enough and will be away from joe public as long as it doesnt mean they are planning to ban us completely from the beach .
at least gives us another area for busy days . only prob is not a lot of parking up there . also seems there may be a shower at the nearby toilet block which would be good .
council are looking for comments on the park proposal so have a look .
What do you think we could propose to improve this area for rigging ? The area can only be as wide as from narrow beach to existing bike track but maybe we could have some input on setback of vegetation on other side of track as looks like will be norfolk pines which are huge or ? signage http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/files/ApexParkConceptPlan.pdf
It's good the council seem recognise the location as primarily a kiters spot. I like to kite there because the general public beach goer does not like the sinking smelly drainage outfall, the grotty black silty mud or the narrow strip of shelly beach. If the area becomes too attractive to the general public we will have the same problems as the kiters at the Pier street end of the beach.
re note 18. The pathway is popular with joggers and dog walkers. Removing the vegetation removes the current barrier between the kites launching and landing and joe public.
An outdoor freshwater shower would be good. Nothing fancy required.
It would be good if the council could remove the steel stakes in the water. The locals say they are the remnants of old boat moorings. These are just below water level and need to be cut off before someone impales themselves.
Just kite down that end of Altona once and you'll soon realise what the council are trying to do - make kiting down there so unattractive that they'll get rid of everyone. There's stinking seaweed galore, dog sh!t floating in with the tide, black silt, and small chunks of concrete with metal sticking out of it!
If we're actually analysing the proposed plan then here's my response:
- Inadequate beach side parking. Current carpark is already full at peak times.
- Inadequate launch/landing zone. If it is to be acknowledged as a kitesurfing area then the council needs to create atleast 30m between waters edge and path.
- Dog off leash zone is the area that a lot of land kiters (buggy and landboard use). Sticking a fence through the middle of it won't make them happy.
- Relocation of toilet/shower facilities would be nice, but they're downsizing them significantly based on the footprint of the old compared to the new. (~ 1/4 the size!)
This end of the Beach is seriously no Good! I got an infection in a cut in my leg whilst kiting here
that landed me in hospital for five days. And there is already a local contingent that kite this end who are not that friendly. I'm sure it was one of them put a hole in my kite after i accidently had a collision with one of them. And i can assure you the only shower that toilet block has is a golden one. I think if this is our only option i'm headed to Werribee south.
I understand there is also a plan to make the beach bigger (wider) with more sand? Most of the beaches in Port Phillip Bay need to be reconstructed from time to time. I think Elwood is also up for some renewal works.
Yeah those locals down that end are not the friendliest bunch, I went kiting there last December and the buggers helped me launch, gave advice local to the area, helped me out when I was in trouble and gave me a beer and shot the **** when the session was over. Ya gotta watch those locals at any spot, if you treat them or their spot with disrespect when you turn up to kite with them then of course they will get real friendly with you and your gear, its called self preservation.
But on the otherhand if you do what most good tourists/ blowin's do and introduce yourself then you will find that most people are super nice and will go out of their way to help you...
back we go to where it all started at altona,the council moved us out off that old blocked off car park area,now it looks like the whant us back there,go figger ?there car park is to far away from the rigging area.
We need our own car park there or thevs will take our stuff out of our cars for us,got too have our cars in sight...
So Altona kiters are going to be pushed down that end and banned from the beach?
I cant say I blame the Council really when witnessing the gross stupidity of kiters at Altona last summer. Not just blow-ins or Euros either as most of the carnage was being caused by retarded arrogant locals who seem to think they are a sh1t load better than they actually are.
Self launching and landing on a narrow beach within 2-3M of joe public / Show Pony activities n front of the cameras some -5M from the shoreline / kiting through groups of swimmers / aggressive kiting towards other kiters (yes North Rebel Retard I am talking about YOU again).
So banned from the beach eh? Well tough sh1t, you get what you deserve.
SUCK IT UP.
I'd like to think my powers of diplomacy are such that I can put a point in persuasive terms without it getting physical.
I'm hoping that a few clear and direct words will suffice, and if these words are echoed by several other regulars then hopefully they'll be effective. How could you enjoy kiting if half the crew have voiced their displeasure with your conduct? You'd have to be even more of a jerk than I suspect our repeat offenders are. Surely you'd modify your behaviour so you can share some stoke on the beach and on the water ... ?
Unless rebel riders think they have to rebel for rebelliousness' sake ...
Well, just 4 months or so and we'll find out.
yes, riding behaviour at Altona needs improvement but back on topic...
the best place for a new rigging area would be south of the creek - just need a dirt track and a bridge
Using this wasteland as a rigging area would help keep the kiters separate from the punters
