Kiteboarding Banned at Padre Island National Seashore

[jedi]

kitepower,i like you!don't spare the stick on this one.guys like him an his elk are why there are bans in firsts place.monkey see monkey do!may the force as be with you!

[jpkiter]

Thanks bpadz,Eduardo. + Charlie_.....your info helps me too understand this topic a little better ....I just reread the article..And actually went to "Padre Island National Seashore's website . No where on the website is there any mention of a kite ban (but it's the gov--so I figure that it 'll take a year or so to post it)....And i actually have a few more thoughts + questions:::

The actual ban was put on in JUly, and now they are re-inforcing it?

What prompted the Park Service to puT it on....did someone (or orginazation) file a complaint... I always thought environmental impact + environmental analysis , as well as public hearings were supposed to take place?

Is this the actual area that the extremely unfortunate incident with Peter Nordby happen?

The article mentions the U.S Kitesurfing Association...ummmm who??

Is there a website for them,, better yet..can i get on an email list of their's ,so I can be informed of important events....It's good to discuss in here....but I'd like to be yapping the ear of the organizations who are going to determine where + how I can go fly a kite.....


Maybe I should just glue some tern feathers to my rashguard ...+ go Chirp Chirp..............just kidding!!

[Ozone Kites AUS]

We must come to grips with the fact that not everybody likes kites coming to close to them,or their show off tricks.

All gybes and transitions should be made at least 200 ft from shore(two kite line lengths)

Try and maintain 200 ft from other water users.

NEVER go near surfers! They are famously intolerant of other craft in the surf.

Windsurfers MAY be more tollerant,so 100 ft (one kite line length) is reasonable.

If the beach is too crowded,don't launch. If you can't go elsewhere,then wait till they leave.
It will be worth it in the long run.[/quote]

This is the sort of stuff we must drum into our own heads and every person we see doing the "look at me" bullshit!
We all have to take action, we have to get off our arse and go tell these people it is not acceptable, and keep telling them until they either piss off to a quieter area or change their act.
Its called taking personal responsibility to retaining access to your spots, and not relying on "they or them" to do something for you!

You have to walk straight up to people, just like myself and others did yesterday at Dolls. Its blowing 25knots and increasing and newbies are gleefully wandering onto the beach, with their 12.5M kite they got of some greedy kook, or that they decided to teach themselves on.
The beach is littered with people, there are walls and rocks within 200', people teaching, people swimming, etc and they think what a great place/time to have my first sessions.
By the end of the day it was blowing a solid 30 knots+, we had overtuned yachts on the beach, fishermen in their tinnies, it was chaos for the water police and the lifeguards, and we just have to stop anymore dumb kiters getting into trouble.
I also found someone's fairly new board on my walk home, nice bit of gear a 1.36 red TT, if anyone knows of a lost board on Botany Bay yesterday, give me a call at the shop 95296894

[gottmoore]

thank you locals for enlightening
the masses about your scene. I appreciate it.
Sounds like you do have some local issues though.
Please keep us posted,Ive heard its great down there

its a shame to get your area
dragged in the weakly weird news
Too bad others polluted the post
with tedious bullshit of the same argument


over and over the shit gets stirred
the message is as muddy as ever
how many pages will your trash go this time
Knock it off, this is real....

[Flyboy]

Although"Newbies" seem to be a major target of criticism, in my experience it is the "experts" & "locals" doing the really stupid things - perhaps out of a sense of entitlement & Cool.

One example out of many: In Ft. Lauderdale locals were kiting (without leashes, of course) in the immediate shore break (that means about 2 meters off the beach) in dead on-shore winds. Some of them continued to kite in the shore break after it became completely dark in increasingly squally weather. One of them got overpowered by a gust while coming up the beach in the dark & had to release his kite, which fortunately got tangled up in the trees rather than blowing into the road & tangling with a car or pedestrian.

Why would somebody do this? Stupid macho shit-for-brains. EVERYBODY MUST WEAR A LEASH. Killing yourself is a shame for you, but killing somebody else will end the sport for everyone.

[Ozone Kites AUS]

thank you locals for enlightening
the masses about your scene. I appreciate it.
Sounds like you do have some local issues though.
Please keep us posted,Ive heard its great down there

its a shame to get your area
dragged in the weakly weird news
Too bad others polluted the post
with tedious bullshit of the same argument


over and over the shit gets stirred
the message is as muddy as ever
how many pages will your trash go this time
Knock it off, this is real....

The post is about bans, the only thing that instigates bans is "look at me" behaviour, and avoidable accidents isn't it?
People who want to get into this sport, need to be told the truth from the start, it can kill them and others, and begginers need lessons.

Part of good "real" lessons, is safe kite flying on land, with trainer kites, and being told right from the start even where to fly the trainer kite, and also where to practice with the larger kitesurfing kite, for body dragging etc.
People need to body drag lots, in general, before ever thinking about putting a board on their feet, they need to go to suitable places to do this.
They should be able to safely connect lines, launch and land and body drag upwind in both directions - BEFORE the board stuff.

One of the most consistently dangerous things that causes incidents is incorrect line rigging, and this must be taught on land and practiced repeatedly until it can be done without any doubt or mistakes.

Experienced riders ex windsurfers need to understand their limits, and that the limits are lower for kiteboarding, and the consequences of exceeding those limits is potentially lethal or capable of serious bodily harm.

Kitesurfing/boarding is and always will be 90% KITEFLYING, proficiency in any other sport will not help you to be a better kite flyer!
Only kite flying makes you a better kite flyer, and trainer kites is the place to start, unless you think everyone should learn to drive in F-One cars.
Kitesurfing kites are F-One kites, trainer kites are go-karts!

To protect your area make sure you practice all the above, force the dealers in your area to do all the above, use peer pressure to force the "look at me" types to change their act, and remember Co-operation + Tolerence = Peace in relation to all other users of your spot whether they are fishermen or other windjunkies, anyone.

[gottmoore]

Steve,
Unlike others, I thank you and all the other people who are retailers in the sport as the local representatives, and interested parties like Rick I and Toby.
You and your brethern are the only hope we have of maintaining access.
Without you, we are not teaching, educating, warning realistically, and helping at the local level in an organized manner.
We as a emerging culture need organized initial instruction, a set of area rules for each spot, and a set of guidelines to follow so we act in a positive manner. Being proactive in the local community starts right at your level. You guys carry the flag!
The rebels will be themselves, true. But those who give a damn will make the difference! Others can say whatever they want, but really, you guys are all of our voices.

Thanks