Dear all

The Sunday Times is well known for accurate journalism. The article about the 'alarm' we are causing is one more example of that accurate reporting...

I have made contact with WA Water Police today to get some unbiased and accurate details about the 'unnecessary search and rescue operations' the Sunday Times referred to.

The Water Police advised that the problem referred to in the article was the result of members of the public calling in lost/wayward kites blowing down the coast, rather than 'actual' rescues being conducted. The police acknowledge that the issue stems from well intentioned members of the public, trying to do the right thing (i.e. reporting a kite/potentially a drowning/lost kiter).

Water Police also advised that the number of these incidents is way down compared to season 2009/10 but has asked WAKSA to advise members and all kiters of the following points -

* If you have to release your kite, please notify WA Water Police as soon as possible on 9442 8600, including relevant details such as colour and location.
In the event of Joe Public reporting a lost kite, that report ultimate ends up with the Water Police before a search is initiated. Obviously, if the kite has been called in, they will know it's not an emergency.

* Name & phone number on a kite always helps the authorities ID the owner in a situation like this - and is good common sense from us.


Juddy
WAKSA President

gruezi said...

Boy if WAKSA were a movie star there would we a law suite seeking damages...........thank god that greedy slime ball who owns the whole deal lives in the US and is getting hammered in the UK ATM..............anything for a buck........shame, shame and more shame.

Whaaaaat?

Well done Juddy
As always on top of things

I must put my name on my Kites,

Bigwavedave said...

gruezi said...

Boy if WAKSA were a movie star there would we a law suite seeking damages...........thank god that greedy slime ball who owns the whole deal lives in the US and is getting hammered in the UK ATM..............anything for a buck........shame, shame and more shame.

Whaaaaat?

murdoch!! took me a while too!!

JohnnoKeys said...

I've see 3 lost kites floating WAyyyyyyyyyy out to sea at Leighton over the last 4 weeks. Cruised out and all have said they were OK, but looked to be struggling, 1 dude didn't know he needed to swim to the side to help him get his kite up in light conditions, he struggled for 20minutes or longer, I gave him a few tips 300m out and he got his kite up 5 minutes later. Lots of new kiters dropping kites and driftin way off shore. Seems to be catching inexperienced kiters when the wind drops of around 5pm. Mostly their friends are helping them out , but I guess a few have drifted on down the coast and abandoned kites.
In late afternoon at leighton 5pm or so the wind usually swings cross offshore and can drop out completely in minutes, if you drop your kite it is all over. A couple of regulars down at Leighton are using 15m & 16m light wind kites, and are well powered up in 10 to 15knots, so making the winds appear stronger than they really are.

sounds to me like perth's instructor quality is going down the pisser...

In last weeks West there was an article about a full scale search and rescue mission launched off Rottnest Island due to an EPIRB activation.

The EPIRB was found flaoting and after being checked, it was determined that it belonged to a Navy warship !!

Must've been an irresponsible kitesurfing crew member who dropped it overboard [}:)]

Chris6791 said...

I just spend 3 days doing Marine Search and Rescue training, kitesufers never got a mention, not even once (and to be fair neither did the poleys )

does that mean neither of us get rescued ?