after some discussions with some local windsurfers regarding the recent accident i would like to make a suggestion that we as kiters give their pond a lot more respect. the trouble is newbies see other kiters in the area and assume it is ok for them. even when an experienced kiter drops his kite upwind of their area if he cant relaunch it the drift thru their pond creates an area of risk approximately 60 mtrs wide and 30 mtrs long. god help us if it relaunches. i would expect to be abused so consider the consequences if things do go wrong. i am keen on feedback on kiters making the pond area at safety bay a complete no go zone. this will ease tension and we have a lot of water out their. i know the recent accident was outside this area but if it can happen out in the bay imagine the potential if it happened in the pond.
this in know way changes the fact that i believe the recent incident was purely an accident and not necessarily caused by one party

Ageed 100% Wave.........yo da man

Happy New Year.......Winter will not leave us though, on the bright side, my elbows sure enjoying some calm...

there are always two sides to a story and judging from reading the windsurfing forums that the injured windsurfer is always belting around at a million miles an hour suggests to me that it could of just as likely been his fault. 5 broken ribs could more likely occured from a front on collision than a kiter landing on someone. there are always two sides to a story so no one should jump to conclusions. just because the windsurfer came of second best doesnt mean it wasn't his fault. who's ever fault it was it is a shame someone was injured.

I'm against banning kiting in the weed bank. On many tides the area to the east and south of the new navigation markers is, in fact, too shallow for anyone but kiters to use. Over the last week there have been several times where there were a few kiters out and only one windsurfer. Windsurfers and kiters get along fine as long as they each accept that the water is there for everyone to use. The accident at SB would not have happened if this had been the attitude of all the parties concerned. In the absense of a first hand accident report I am assuming that the line of the WS was unwise, unconventional and unanticipated and am yet to read/hear any account that contradicts this opinion. KNM makes an important point - the accident did not happen in the pond. Banning kiting there would be pandering to a small, selfish contingent within a greater, more mellow windsurfing community. If you read the Windsurfing thread on the issue there are a few hotheads and a bunch of guys with level heads admitting that they were in the same situation when they entered the surfers realm many years ago. What happens if we have another accident at, say, Shoalwater. Will banning kiting there be next?

Waveslave (and others), KNM is not advocating banning KS in the pond. He is soliciting views on the matter. He is being far more diplomatic in his approach than I would be and should be applauded for his efforts. He has been liasing with stakeholders in the area on behalf of the local community for several years and deserves a little more respect than you have shown. Having said that, I agree wholeheartedly with your posting beyond the first para.

first of all i am not trying to stop guys kiting on the weedbank but in the pond which is a relatively small area congested by windsurfers. considering the size of the bay i dont think this would be an inconvenience but would merely be a way trying to stop any further accidents . how do we weed out idiots and stop newbies entering an area populated by windsurfers. i always tell new guys about local rules regarding respect of the windsurfing area but sometimes turn up at the beach to see some newbie trying tricks amongst windsurfers then slammin his kite either on the footpath or in the middle of the pond. i appreciate your feedback and that is all i was asking for. i have kited in the pond for many years and most windsurfers know my skill level so are probably relaxed but they dont know everyone.

My mistake,
I thought you meant the entire area inside the weed bank, not just the little area near the sailing club.

KNM you raise a very valid point and the fact that some people can't see reason for it confirms the issue .

Despite being on the WAKSA committee these are my personal views only .

If there is an area that is used by the windsurfers and it is no better for kiting than the other AVAILABLE areas , then why not leave it open for them to use as a curtesy . It is like turning up at a park and setting up your picnic right next to the only other people there.

Despite never actually having seen slave practice any of these points ,waveslave has a lot to say about commonsense , patience , etiquette and communication .

It is vital that the sports can be done safely or council will impose the rules .

This is what nearly happened at Cottesloe and due to a lot of hard work by a FEW the area is now still open for ALL to use .
All that has been applied is a few guide lines that show consideration for the other beach users .The Council has made them law , and now if not followed the rangers can confiscate equipment and charge people .

KNM , if you would like to send WAKSA an e-mail we can let you know when the next meeting is on .
WAKSA is trying to get local people at the different spots to idetify the problems and put in place guidelines (not rules demanded by council like Cott ,if we can avoid it ) to prevent problems and to ensure safety and access .
This is already being done successfully at Cottesloe and Melville and currently is being set up for Peli Point .

The main attraction of the sport is the sense of freedom we experience when out there so putting in place rules and laws is the last thing I personally want to see , however with a clear set of guidelines most people will feel more relaxed and comfortable knowing what is acceptable and where .

We all choose to live in this society and all abide by basics rules and guidelines to help make it possible to share our enviroment . Just because we are out on the water we can't throw all of that out the window .

Mike Bergman
WAKSA