QLD
3381 posts
Paul,
Thanks for your email to Chris Maynard on Sunday the 4th of February 2007 following your phone conversation with Chris on Saurday the 3rd of February informing you of some serious problems Lifeguards/Life savers experienced with Kite Surfers blatantly disobeying the Local Law Chapter 30, Part 3 Prohibition of Aquatic Equipment in Bathing Areas, specifically section 27. Restriction of the use of Aquatic Equipment in Bahting Reserves.
(2) A person must not use aquatic equipment within 60m of a Bathing Area (Flagged Area). For your information the Bathing Area is always set up within the designated Bathing Reserves which on the Gold Coast are set up as follows:
The Gold Coast is a Bathing Reserve for the full length of the Coast with the following areas excluded:
Currumbin Alley and 100m North and South of the Alley. (exculding the estuary)
Tallebudgera Creek 100m North and South of the Creek
South Stradbroke Is up to 200m South of Couran Cove.
As can be seen the majority of the Gold Coast is a designated Bathing Reserve and the seaward boundary extends 1000m out to sea from the low water mark.. At the present time we require Kite Surfers to operate no closer than 60m to the lateral boundaries of flagged areas and no closer than 400m out to sea from the low water mark.
It is really quite simple at present and we request all Kite Surfers to abide by this Local Law. Obviously there are fines involved.
The problems at the weekend were quite serious and it is only a matter of time before a severe injury occurs if this continues.
This then may have the effect of specific types of Aquatic Equipment being prohibited from Bathing Reserves completely. At the present time Kite Surfers are permitted to operate within the surf break close to shore as long they are at least 60m clear of the flagged area laterally.
I am sure that if KIte Surfers act responsibly this wonderful amenity may continue to be shared in an harmonious manner. We are aware that the majority of operators are responsible and abide by the local laws.
I would appreciate it if you could pass on this information to your members and other enthusiasts.
Yours Sincerely
Warren Young
Chief Lifeguard
QLD
87 posts
Guys I hope that the baby doesn't get thrown out with the bath water here!
The assumption here is that all kitesurfers who currently and in future are causing problems are local kitesurfers that are well known to us... We live in an area (Gold Coast) that has approx 750 000 tourists arrive during January each year and a lesser number throughout the rest of the year. Obviously a small number of these tourists are going to be kitesurfers from elsewhere in OZ or the world and may not be as concerned about our beach laws as locals would be. How can we be held directly accountable for their actions if they decide to not observe our beach codes.
It would be similar to making all motorists responsible for those small number who drink drive or speed excessively? The police prosecute those who infringe so the rest of us can use our roads safely.
The focus should not specifically be on the majority of kitesurfers who happily, responsibly and carefully abide by local beach laws, rather , the very small minority that breach these laws should be targeted by authorities and appropriate action taken upon them. The rest of us cannot be directly responsible for "their" behavior whether it be accidental or premeditated.
We must be careful that we distance ourselves as group from those rogue kitesurfers who disregard beach codes and make sure the surf life savers see these ppl as individuals that are not part of the broader kitesurfing community on the coast. The authorities need to be educated that we don't condone their behavior but also may not always have direct access to try and correct their behavior.
By comparison the authorities have the power to fine these individuals to correct their behavior and send a msg to other kitesurfers who have disregard beach codes that their behavior will not be tolerated!
Lets open up a dialogue with the authorities to reinforce that, as group, we are law abiding citizens who are highly motivated to keep our beach access and we encourage the authorities to deal directly and harshly with those individuals who continue to breach the beach code!
Lets also make sure that we are not all tarred by the same brush and make sure authorities don't keep coming back directly to us as a group requiring us to somehow enforce beach code to other kitesurfers that potentially could come from all over the world and on a local level would cause some nasty scenes on the beach! Lets educate all involved so we can preserve our access to popular beach breaks up and down the gold coast!
Jeff
safe kiting!
