This was my response:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by RickI
I was north of you guys this afternoon. I won't ride directly upwind of the out of bounds guarded areas, i.e. south wind days. It is too easy to drift into it. When I saw your email I thought someone got messed up in those nasty squalls (see below) that blew through. Glad that wasn't it.
Anyway, what you experienced is way too common a problem. I blame the industry first and foremost for not taking more effective efforts to impart respect for basic kiting hazards through awareness building. They won't do it as a rule so it falls on us or at least responsible concerned kiters like yourself.
You will commonly encounter denial even anger in cases like this. It is how we are wired and as long as the sport is made to look so easy with no penalties for stupid destructive behavior it will likely continue. Trouble is that launch is a postage stamp with room for very few kiters and exists by sufferance through the Beach Patrol. On days like today with folks blowing into the out of bounds area is just turns up the heat to shut us down.
What you did was correct and seems to have been tactfully undertaken. The main thing I could suggest would be to get as many other folks to walk up with you to speak with the guy as possible. They don't even have to say anything, just stand close and look concerned. It adds weight to what you say and no one wants to look like an idiot to a crowd. Selling this to the guys might be a problem but losing the spot hopefully should be motivation enough to devote 10 minutes to try to preserve it. The only other thing, which could cut both ways would be to speak with Frank, a Beach Patrol lieutenant. He suffers more heartburn with kiter antics than most, still he might speak with a guy along with you if you ask. If I am at the launch, I sure would do it. It is way to easy to lose that launch and it is no place for people who can't stay upwind. They need to go to Delray and NOT south of Casurina but way to the south so they have room to drift downwind in southerly wind.
Thank you for what you did, I hope you can motivate other kiters to jump in next time. Numbers amplify the message and improve the odds it won't be so easily ignored.
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The first of two nasty squalls this afternoon. You folks were by the last build in the distance to the left. The second stronger squall boosted winds higher and I saw three kites up very close to it. I had already secured and was trying to catch beach umbrellas tumbling at high speed in the gusts toward me.
The second squall, this one stayed intact once it moved offshore unlike the first squall, the shelf cloud.