Hi Guys
One of my most favourite places is Broadwatr caravan park where we go when we can get in and when the southerners have gone after the cold.
I enjoy sailing there and the friendly mob.
I have always given the jetski area right of way.
Next week end I am booked in to broadwater tourist park and was just checking the weather.
Unbelieveable!
We have sailed this area many years and learnt to sail with Kite surfers boats and an increase in mooorings.
I am a believer we can all share the water however as sailors we cannot choose
the direction we sail.
If there is any sanity in space allocation on the water surely there is an alternative to desigfnating an area in a main sailing area.
Maybe it could be put in the main boating channel
Regards
Please advise how we can get back our sailing areas?
Perhaps we should arrange with Mr Turner to call a few days in advance of a decent wind, tide direction etc.?
Then he/they could meet us at the carpark and witness things first hand. We could point out a few things to him like wind angles etc. and take a few photos as mementos.
video camera would do the trick.
was it really that bad? i know i've probably jinxed myself saying this, but the jet boats generally do seem to keep an eye out most of the time, and most complaints about them usually come from the folk who can't yet turn very well (extreme generalisation here
), or who don't look around themselves when sailing. though moving the jet ski markers to where they are is a genuine PITA i agree, and it's putting inexperienced tourists on jet skis right amongst the w/surfers. as far as the jet boats are concerned, i reckon we have more serious issues with bogan-weekend warrior fishermen in unregistered boats and bogans who own their jet skis wanting to run wind sport folk over
to me it's amazing that something like the seaplanes are allowed to operate in such a congested area, and the helicopter operating off the pontoon near the carpark when it does
I got a letter from Greg Turner sying the jet ski re will be moved.
Hi Paul
Thanks for the advice regarding the jet ski track interacting with the
windsurfer area at Southport. We have had a look at the area of concern
and did not fully appreciate the impact on windsurfer/kiteboard activity in
the narrow section used for gybing.
I take this opportunity to point out that all waterway users have the same
rights when using the State's waterways, every operator whether sail or
powered have the same safety obligations imposed on them under the
provisions of the Act. The commercial fraternity is as entitled to use of
a public waterway as passive craft uses and our job as safety regulators is
to see that everybody can coexist safely. To say it is "unfair use of
public water" is far from accurate. The same exclusivity you seek for your
windsurfing activity is the same exclusivity you want denied for the jet
ski operators. Only difference is that the windsurfers are only there when
the wind blows and not usually in great numbers during working hours.
Weekends is the only real concern and I must agree that numbers of craft
can pose a threat to safety during this time.
Everybody using the waterway has their own interests and wants to protect
their patch. We do our best to try and see that everybody does it safely.
As I said in my opening sentence, we have identified that the new area
allocated to the hire of jet skis may have a negative impact on windsurfing
and we will relocate the commercial jet ski area elsewhere in the immediate
future to ensure all stakeholders are happy and can operate safely.
Thanks for your advice in relation to this matter and I trust that a
sensible resolution to the problem will be found shortly.
Regards
Greg Turner
Manager Maritime Operations (Gold Coast)
), or who don't look around themselves when sailing. though moving the jet ski markers to where they are is a genuine PITA i agree, and it's putting inexperienced tourists on jet skis right amongst the w/surfers. as far as the jet boats are concerned, i reckon we have more serious issues with bogan-weekend warrior fishermen in unregistered boats and bogans who own their jet skis wanting to run wind sport folk over
