So I've landed back in Australia on Saturday from two years in Africa and the first thing I did was head down to Scarbs to have a nap on the beach. It was reasonably light wind and I was a bit buggered so I didn't take a kite, a couple of guys were out and making ground though, it didn't look too bad.

I see there a no swimming sign in front of the beach access, so there's a supporting point for the kiters, but even so I was amazed to see several kiters riding in and out of the shorebreak through swimmers sometimes only metres from them, and repeatedly, not just once or twice. Surely this goes against the some of the most basic safety principles? Has something changed in Perth kiting since I've been gone? Anyway even without people swimming where they shouldn't there was no sign saying they can't sit on the beach, and it was quite crowded too. And of course with all the kiting down and walking up in the middle of it all someone was bound to drop a kite, and sure enough a red RRD bow looking thing fell onto the beach and dragged its lines across a few people before coming to a stop.

The other kite I remember was a green North, this chap was out for longer than the rest and really weaving in and out of the swimmers. A few other kites went up as I left but I can't remember what they were. Anyway it sure looked strange that everyone was kiting there as upwind was relatively clear of swimmers.

I vote we get swimmers banned from using our part of the beach, surfers too. I think we should have a Kites only area, dog beach to brighton. That would solve the problem.

I too have wondered about local rules at Scabs.
I'd really appreciate some local input, as I don't want to tread on anyone's turf. BUT:

It just seems that anything goes, whether it be underaged CHICKS or kiting between swimmers. The best section of the wave is definitely in the swim / surf zone ..... it's really fast down the line ..... or it used to be B4 I retired to my wheel chair.

Now I'm just left on the beach with all your girlfriends while you boys go out shredding... p'raps its just a bad case of shaggers back?

Enjoy the next week, the 4cast is fantastic. Can't wait.

Blame Bow kites

Bow kites = Rise in Popularity in Wave Riding
Wave Riding = Inside the break
Wave Riding + Beach Break= Swimmer Interaction

kiting has changed in the last 2 years, everybody has moved inside the break. Gone are the days of big boosts on the outside and off the wave. Everyone wants to shred.

Don't know what the answer is. I fear the answer is going to be negative for kiters.

And I say....
The swimmers need some straps fitted to their back,
and both can live in harmony

Scarbs can be a circus especially at the weekends. The kitesurfers are a real focus for a lot of swimmers and alot of people go out swimming right in the busiest Kiting Zone just to 'have a look' and so far without incident.

Last weekend there was a nice peak in the kitespot at Brighton and about 20 bodyboarders were on it.

The peaks shift around alot and the surfers and bodyboarders with it, i am sure if i was a body boarder i would be pist-off with anyone telling me i couldn't body board in teh afternoons at Brighton, especially when it is offshore all day --Kiters only??....right, or vice-versa for that matter. Also bear in mind most of the time there is relatively little overlap, surfers on the offshore in the morning and kites in the afternoon in the seabreeze, more rules just mean frustration for everybody.

For example a hard-board ban comes in at Cott Main in October and often coincides with the best surf days of the season and no-one is even swimming. They don't ban surfing from Cottesloe completely because a few surfers break the rules, anymore than they ban swimming because some people don't swim between the flags.

Lets cool it on more rules and up things on the surf-etiquette front..
Warn people of the dangers of swimming near kiters.

Let everyone operate with the due care and diligence that their skill level demands [scarbs-inside is no place to be if your learning and frequently dropping the kite] and in my experience accidents should be few and far between.