Postby BigSmelly » Sat Sep 06, 2003 3:51 pm
Yes, this overcrowding is definately going to be a problem, now that the North winds start. I was at Beit Yannai last weekend... also 40 or so kites in the air. At least half of those are beginners, who are going to get spanked in the first strong North wind, and the rest are reluctant to help, cause they just want to enjoy.
Sorry to hear that someone got hurt, but I do not agree that the experienced kiters should feel in the least bit responsible. Any beginner, even if he thinks he knows what he is doing, should ask for help, or advice from the more experienced kiters...
How do people learn to kite in Eilat??? You think that there is little space between Bat Yam and Sdot Yam, in Eialt there is a 3 meter gap, used by all to get into the water. Some days there are 40 kites in the water. People enter, then f*** off, into the sea, and go play around there.
Those that cannot stay upwind yet, get in at a beach (Dekel) about 4km upwind, try as hard as they can to kite, enjoy, and stay upwind - we all know that in the beginning you cannot stay upwind - so they slowly do the 4km down to the Reef, land the kite, and try again...
We can learn from them...
Here is my suggestion to all beginners between Bat Yam and Sdot Yam. Don't be lazy - walk upwind as far as you can - at Beit Yannai you have about 500 meters, at Sdot Yam??? I don't know. At Poleg you have about 500 meters.
Get into the water upwind, far upwind, and do your run. You will probably be able to go back and forth a few times before you loose ground and need to walk bacl up wind. If you get into trouble - kite in the water, or too much power (you should not be trying to kite in more than 18 knots, until you can at least stay upwind, all the time), you will have a lot of space to figure things out in, launch the kite, control the kite...
And please!!! BE CAREFUL of people sitting on the beach, who don't know the dangers of kites.
MOST important to beginners. You know who you are. It is not the responsibility of experienced kiters to ask you if you know what you are doing. It is YOUR responsibility to ask the more experienced kiters about the conditions, if you are not sure, about kite sizes, and for help and tips. Don't be embarrassed (Israelis never are), or arrogant, or proud. We all started somewhere, and almost all the kiters that I have ever met are very friendly, very helpful people, who will gladly pass on their knowledge and help out. ASK. It is your life and the lives of others on the line. It takes a few minutes, but it may save a lifetime of pain.
Have fun. See you next weekend...