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Old 11-06-2014, 08:49 AM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Default How, Why & Preserving Access To Kite

I have thought about posting something like this for a very long time, over a decade. Whether to provide launch specifics and risk poor riding behaviors closing them down. Or, to provide useful information with the intent of keeping them open? Talking to many people recently, I decided to go ahead and put it together.

Here is something you may not realize. Just because a bunch of kiters are at a spot and you are new to kiting, that spot may be no good for you at all. Or, if you want to ride the wave break or closer to shore, these same popular spots may be totally wrong for you. Worse, your going there may threaten all our ability to kite. True story.

Some of the most popular launches, South Ft. Lauderdale, (aka Tiki Beach) and NE 16 St. in Pompano Beach have NEVER been suited for newer kiters. Nor was it suited for folks who weren't equipped with both appropriate gear and experience to get out through narrow access corridors to beyond 100 to 150 yards from shore and stay out until time to come in. Also, some people who could ride beyond this distance chose not to, to ride the waves on the inside.

Because people who weren't able to go out beyond the swim zone buoys or foolishly chose not to and rode on the inside, both these launches have been under threat of closure to kiting for a very long time. We need to stop that now.

If you can't or won't ride beyond the swim zone, there are alternatives good for new kiters in training and guys who want to ride closer to the shore and catch some waves. You just can't do it at these two spots among some others.

There are special restrictions at lifeguarded beaches which we must respect along with the authorities who enforce them. To do otherwise is both disrespectful and childishly stupid as it will end badly for kiters eventually. Restrictions as I understand them today, will be provided for various spots where appropriate. As a broad generality, if there is a buoyed or designated swim zone, you need to kite outside of that area. Ignoring this one requirement has brought more access problems to our area than any other factor by far.

In all areas and in particular those without lifeguards, we must be considerate and use common sense with regard to bystanders. Don't threaten to close line them, scare them, cause complaints or otherwise make an ass out of yourself. Threats to access universally start with complaints and if we avoid complaints we should fare a lot better and be able to just enjoy kiting. We kite for fun after all, follow a few simple rules and just do that.
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