Hobie Beach Sunday Kookout

[cabdriver]

One day I hope to report on a Sunday Cookout at Hobie. This Sunday, March 1, however, was a Kookout. Why? It's simple chemistry - mix out-of-towners, egos, and gusty SW winds and what you get is a black eye on the sport of kitesurfing. Riding less than six feet from the "beach" (in about as much water as could barely cover my foot!), 80% of all riders inside the swimming area, kites ripped in the metal signs, and "water relaunching" with the kite on the sand were just of a few of the amazing sights at Hobie Beach this Sunday. I launched, went upwind to the sandbar, then when I got tired, I came back to the beach and landed my kite, thus avoiding most of the mayhem save for the three or four morons that don't understand right of way. As I was packing up, the Kookout was in full speed ahead in all it's splendor.

What will it take for riders at Hobie Beach to realize that there is nothing special there in the water that makes you immortal or have the strength of Superman? The reality is that the behavior of local riders has gotten much better in Miami over the last two seasons, but Hobie is the exception. I saw WAY too many riders on the razors edge of complete disaster. It was so bad that I couldn't bare to watch and had to leave. As I pulled out of the parking lot, one of the riders was peeling his tattered kite off of one of the metal signs.

See you at the next Kookout!! It starts at Hobie Beach at the first sign of SW winds.