ACCESS LOST AT VIRGINIA KEY, What's next?

[Lonny]

Unfortunately, what happenend is the same thing that always threatens our our access at public beaches. Put simply, fear of what we do by non-kiters, and ignorance among some of the kiters that ride there ocasionally is what shut VK down.

There are only about six of us that ride there on a regular basis. All of us were previous windsurfers and either still windsurf on occassion or remain very friendly with the windsurfers. Overall, as most of you already know, windsufers do not like us and many feel threatened by our presence. Since Laura, Tim, and I spent the last 15 - 20 years riding there we have respect for their space and what they do, and in turn, they have a certain "comfort" with us.

During the Key Biscayne tennis tournament Crandon was closed to kiting thus many of the riders that ride there and never ride at VK came to VK to ride. Most of them were cool, but there are always a few jack asses that spoil it for the rest of us. Mainly some people were riding inside the swim bouys, as Kent said, doing lame ass tricks inside. Additionally, people were rigging their kites with the lines on the main beach vs. going upwind to the North beach where there are no windsurfers and plenty of space. Why some of the kiters that kited there could not walk 50 yards upwind to launch is retarded, especially since most have to walk a lot farther at Crandon? Additionally, I heard that one of the kiters got into an altercation with one of the windsurfers. Not sure of the details or truth of that.

Also, we have to remember that VK was and still is the ocean side windsurfing beach in Miami, and has been since the 80s. Therefore, if you are going to ride there not only should you be respectful of their launch space but go out of your way to be cool with them. Obviously it does not help if we do not have them on our side if access is restricted. I am sure when the word came down many of them where happy about the kiting restriction, or indifferent to it, but certainly there was not an outcry from them.

I believe there can be a reconcilliation, and I am not sure if legally they can close access by simply posting a sign. Then again, we are talking about the City of Miami. :-) However, as with Crandon and Matheson there will no longer be riding at VK with some type of restrictions.

Rick, I think that if we are going to make VK viable again we need to post kiting rules, and the core group of riders like myself, will have have to enforce the rules as we do at Matheson. Generally self enforcement works well if there are a core group of people willing to "guide" other kiters. Most times its just a matter of letting someone know, and very rarely do I have a problem at Matheson with a new rider. We also have no back up from lifeguards at Matheson, and for the most part we have a good relationship with the park.

As far as Adam goes, I am very good friends with him and I will talk with him to see if he would be willing to get involved. He might be able to provide us some insight on how it would be best to proceed. He was instrumental in re-opening VK to windsurfing after Andrew.

Too bad VK is closed - we could all be riding there today since Crandon is now closed. Oh well. I better get to Matheson now before I can't find space to ride. LOL.
Today will be the 10th day of riding out of 13 - NICE! Thanks Todd! Best wind ever in May!

[BigR]

Ha! tell Todd to go on vacation more often!


Actually enforcing will be difficult but we must at least look like we are trying to put the effort in before
the officials will take us seriously.
Another thing, we have to be proactive and foresee future problems. i.e. I can gaurantee you if we get access back then the same jackasses will be back next year when they close crandon for the tennis tournament. also, if he's being a jackass at VK, I lay odds he's a turd at crandon as well.
Can we ban specific people from certain spots for bad behavior?

A set of rules posted on the beach , including one that says the lifeguard can order you out of the park for not following said rules would go a long way. Obviously it was the lifeguard felt not in control of the situation and this was his way of getting back at the perps. Give him the power to say who gets to kite or not by not following rules will help smoothen out any tensions.

After all, Laura can't always be kitecop . can she? LOL!

Yeah, I would be riding VK today as well if not for the fiasco..........

Raul