Nude beach- loss of Smathers Beach
Here is a copy of the letter to the editor ...
Kiteboarders already use east end of beach
Lately there has been a lot of talk about the creation of a nude beach, and one of the proposed sites is at the eastern end of Smathers Beach. Myself and some of the local [kiteboarders] are worried about this, as this is also the only safe and viable beach on this island to practice our sport.
About 10 years ago, five or six of us happened to start kiting at about the same time, and soon discovered that the best place for us to ride was at the east end of Smathers. The reasons were obvious; no one ever used that end of the beach, so we had a safe and open area to launch and ride due to the fact that there were no beachgoers or bathers for us to contend with.
That was then. Now if you go down there on almost any given day when it is windy , the beach is packed with fellow kiters from Key West and around the world. The reason is simple; kiteboarding is one of the fastest growing water sports in the world, and Key West is one of the best spots to kite.
Myself and some of my fellow kiters have no problem with naturists. Our concern is protecting our riding area that we "adopted" 10 years ago so that we can still enjoy our sport, and turning that area into a popular area for bathers will ruin it for us. Everyone has a right to enjoy the beaches. Hopefully we can all work together for a great compromise. With the backing of some fellow kiters, I have been successfully working with the city manager's office regarding kiteboarding at Smathers Beach since January, and would like to thank them for their support in this matter.
If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to call me at 305-407-6748.
Greg Meintjes
Key West
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