All you Northland sailors better stand up for yourself quick on this one!

the highly inflammatory and emotive language in the article NZ Herald 16th March needs to be addressed if you want to keep your kiting spot!

Ruakaka Kite boarders are accused of being quote 'an absolute nightmare' selfish arrogant and dont give a damn about the environment!

some one should remind both doc and the writer of this article that kiteboarding is probably the cleanest and greenest of all activities listed in the article.... and just because some tea cosy wearing volunteer got her knickers in a twist.. doesnt give journalists the right to misrepresent the facts! Maori for goodness sake want the Godwit back on the menu ... so how the heck can a kite boarder be more of a threat than that!... I have never kited at ruakaka but hope to be able to one day.... so how about
kiters start writing to the papers and respond to this deliberate attempt to make kiteboarders look like they are pillaging and raping the landscape!
We are bit by bit loosing access to our coastlines and often behind it all are a very small but very vocal group of greenies who see any incursion into their personal piece of paradise as a chance to scream blue murder!
As a kiteboarder I value the freedom we have in this country....lets keep it that way!
Chris

As I suggested you should write in protest... heres my letter to the ed!


Kathy Marks your article headlined ‘Kiteboarders threat to godwit sanctuary’ is ill informed and inflammatory in the least!
To say Kiteboards pose the biggest threat is simply bizarre when considered against:
• Maori calling for godwits to be returned to the dining table as a delicacy!
• Jetskis that produce high levels of noise disturbance, create a wake that erodes the shoreline while spewing out oil and petrol fumes that will poison the feeding beds!
• Horses that trample the dunes!
• Walkers who frighten the birds from nesting areas!
D.O.C. workers have over the years shown themselves to be over zealous and inconsiderate to anything that enters their tiny domain judging it to endanger the health of their apparently incredibly resilient charges! Your reporting is unhelpful and aimed simply at achieving a ban on kiteboarding, this is the thin edge of a fast growing wedge that would see many human activity banned from the very places we have grown to love and respect; the New Zealand coastline!
Just look at what this type of hype has done to the Manukau Harbour where fishing activities have been banned with even more proposed to protect a dolphin that rarely if ever visits the harbour! Bans based on research work that not only weak but highly suspect as to accuracy, but pushed by overly emotive reporting and misinformation!
Kiting is a silent, minimal wake producing, non polluting activity. Those volunteers who feel their pet project is under threat need to look at the bigger picture! The Godwits are probably under more threat from 747’s crossing and fouling their annual migration path than the occasional kiter who is enjoying the lifestyle we treasure here in New Zealand!

people should just get a life! boats are polluting the waters everyday and killing fish ect but no one cares in rugby fields are geting tramped on distroying the daisys but no one cares. planes are making load noises and scaring the birds but no one cares, cars are crashing and running over road kill but no one cares walking through the woods is killing ants and bugs but no one cares the moment something becomes different and not useful to some one else people have fits but when its useful no one gives a monkeys uncle even tho its reconing the earth. Its just a hoobie the people writing the articals should just go back to daisy chaining grrr you can use some of this if you want ct lol but seriously unhappy people kill it for the rest of us!

This article is the work of local retiree tweeter Margaret that came down to do a bit of criminal damage with a pair of scissors (ie to cut kiters lines) -

This shows that she lacks any credibility whatsoever.

There are a million other activities that have a million times more impact on the environment. I think this is a classic case of Nimby - Not In My Back Yard.

it's in the uk press too

www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature...-boards-1643981.html

not happy with the way it paints kiteboarders...

The problem with this sort of tweeter is they make enough noise they get heard... I am just as concerned about Mangawhai just down the coast with the so called nearly extinct dotteral... that appears in far greater numbers than DOC would ever admit are alive and well! ... sadly we have a department of conservation that delights in fiddling numbers and stats to represent their agenda.... but with the ultimate gain of stopping us enjoying the resources we have!
Ian your scissor wielding tweeter sounds a bit like a harbour master who called the police down on us because we happened to sail faster than 5 knots in the harbour.... the fact that it was the coldest day of the year in a 40 knot easterly gale with not a soul on the beach obviously didnt twang any bells in this guys head that maybe we were a danger only to ourselves!.... this is often the only chance some people get to exhibit power in their miserly lives... and we cop the brunt because what we do is very visible!
Perhaps if the money wasted on some of these overstocked government departments was put into better use such as boot camp NZ might even be a safer place to live in! but then thats a whole other subject!

Just hit e-mail Kathy Marks at the bottom of the article... I already did. Just try and be a little better versed, logical and polite than the lady who wrote in about those local hardcore individuals:
www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/arti...mp;objectid=10561823

Most of the article was actualy varbatim from what Margaret Hicks believes and the guys in Ruakaka are working with DOC to observe the actual impact. They were also on the news last month on this very issue.

What is scarier is that an individual in the Whangerei DC tried to pass local bylaw on beach vehicles to try and ban kiteboarders too. But the locals are onto it.

um well Guilty. Then, this is a video i took of marg hicks last summer. she is well out of line, i've talked to Doc and there is no problem from thier end, as a matter of fact they are sick to death of marg and her misrepresenting them. think the herald got the wrong end of the stick.



She is a darling isnt she

Dan

Dan... unfortunately we will be judged by the headlines not fact.... thats why both sides of the story need to be told!...

But tell me does dear Marg use that shovel to despatch kiteboarders or to humanly put down all the injured godwits that are mashed into the sand by these savage kiters?

That article is certainly persuasive. The facts and figures are national stats but make it sounds like the whole lot are being wiped out by kiters. At least TV3 got some kiter comments from Su. I've emailed in with some reasoned arguments.

It's a kiting spot worth keeping and I've never seen any kites landing on top of or even close to the birds. I have seen plenty of non-kiters walking around the dunes and bars etc so wouldn't be surprised if the birds are being disturbed, it's a beach and it's used as one. I 've also been abused by the self appointed conservationists.

Must be time they were due to fly out isn't it?

"a harbour master who called the police down on us because we happened to sail faster than 5 knots in the harbour"

ah yeah equipped with radar gun and what have you, sad there are jobsworths like that in nz, i came from the uk to get away from them all those years ago!

Hi Guys,

Su and I are only just back from a long day at Ruakaka River.

We have been working for YEARS with DOC on this issue - they have been great and are not the problem.

Margret Hicks is a major issue in Ruakaka - for a lot more than just kiters.

Need to grab some dinner now - will come back you with where we currently are at locally and some back ground to the issue.

CT and Guster - thanks for your quick actions on the article - I tried earlier today to call the Heralds Editor (between lessons) but didn't have much luck - will be on it like a pitbull in the morning.

Cheers

DK

That vid is comedy gold. Is it me or does this prime example new zealand citizen kiters and hangers on like myself are discrasing.. have quite an english accent.

Not the only place either.

www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/02/15/12459e21d437

Seems to be digging up an older Feb article.
www.northernadvocate.co.nz/localnews/sto....cfm?storyid=3795059

Chris we are well and truely standing up for ourselves - this is by no means a new issue, M Hicks has been trying on/off for many years to get us banned from Ruakaka River Mouth

Many kiteboarders will tell you of stories of the 'mad bird woman' at Ruakaka, she makes a point of running up and down the north bank of the river yelling and screaming at riders. This I WILL tell you; her actions disturb the birds far more than the riders on the water - but as the self appointed 'guardian of the river' she sees no wrong in her own actions.

She has tried the DOC, The Police, The Northern Regional Council and the Whangarei District Council all on different tacks; be it the 5 knot rule - this one she tried getting kiteboarding banned from all of Northland because she didn't like us going to Ruakaka River Mouth - trying to use a post driver to crack a nut comes to mind - the NRC wouldn't have any part of her arguement but Su and I spent many days of our own time working with the harbour master to make sure she wouldn't win - but she is persistant. Lately she is trying to get us brought under the vehicles on beaches bylaw so we can be banned from all of Ruakaka Beach and River???



Yep - that basically does sum up what SHE thinks of us - she is a NIMBY - and kiters are only ONE of many many issues she has in the greater Ruakaka area. Be it new development, new businesses, or even someone building a fence she has the time and the will to make anyones life difficult.

Her main problem right now is with DOC not coming down with a blanket ban on kiters at Ruakaka. The local kiters have had two meetings in the last year with DOC and DOC would like to collect more information and data, but as far as they can tell right now we are of no more impact than any of the other activities that go on at the river mouth. To this end I am in near weekly contact with DOC, and they have hired a contractor to record all activities that happen at the river mouth on weekends. The poor guy was in the dunes all day Saturday and Sunday this weekend in 20k+ and rain. For more info on DOC's current stance see this link:

tinyurl.com/c76jka

Please keep in mind that M Hicks and her friends are in no way connected with DOC. At one time DOC did allow M Hicks a 'volunteer' badge, but her
aggressive manner with all beach users has meant DOC have taken the badge back. If as kiters we think M Hicks is a problem, DOC have it MUCH worse than us - her constant interferance in their business costs time and money they would like to spend in other areas.

Here in lies another problem, our biggest fear is that someone at DOC/NRC/WDC will finally be worn down by M Hicks and therefore ban us to 'solve their M Hicks problem' not to solve the non-existant kiteboarder problem.



That would be a very good idea, I have a column going into a paper up here later this week, but more input would be better.



Thanks Chris for your support - would be good to see you up here sometime.

If any one would like the full run down on this on-going story you can call Su or I at the shop 09 4328 347 or 021 654 149. If you would like to lend us a hand by writing to the Herald etc that would also be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Dave Kay

Good point - yes she is a POM and has only lived in Ruakaka since about 2002.

ah kite riders unite as one to stick up for the amazing spots we have here in this country i was born and bred in, (unlike a certain lovely old granny).

You certainly have to hand it to Sue and Dave for sticking their necks out on this one and fighting the good fight for us all. No doubt this could be used as precedent for other cases around the country.

thanks for the hard work sue and dave.

Best place to send comment is:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Just sent through our current statement:

In reply to: Kiteboarders threat to godwit sanctuary 16th March 2009

Even though it is a young sport Kiteboarders have been living and riding in the Ruakaka area since 2000. Over this time the number of riders has grown, but still is relatively small with 10 local riders and a similar number based in Whangarei that drive out when conditions are right.

Kiteboarding has a very low environmental impact; it uses very little equipment, doesn’t burn fuel and makes no noise. Many of us choose this sport over the likes of wakeboarding or jet skiing for just these reasons. We also have little interaction with other beach users, as we require around 12knots of wind to start riding and prefer 18knots. Most beach users will know it is very unpleasant to fish, swim or kayak on any beach that has a stiff on-shore breeze blowing.

Ruakaka river mouth is a very special riding environment for kiteboarders, with the enclosed water way giving smooth water, the outer bar giving us clean waves all the while being open to the strong winds we enjoy. This location is not just ‘some place to ride’ it is in fact a world class, best you can get type of location – not unlike Shipwreck bay in Ahipara is for surfers.

However to Kiteboard at Ruakaka River mouth we require both a high tide and a moderate to strong Easterly wind. In any given year the total number days Mother Nature gives us with just these right conditions are around 25. On these 25 days we will average 3 hours of ridable time before the tide drops. Given an average of 12 hours of daylight per day, 365 days in the year, kiteboarders can use this location less than 2% of the time. For the other 98% of the year we simply go to beaches better suited to other wind directions. Usually the numbers of riders out at Ruakaka on any given E wind is 4-5, on weekends this sometimes rises to 10-12 but this is rare rather than the rule.

As a group Ruakaka kiteboarders are well aware of the importance of the Ruakaka estuary as a wildlife refuge, to this end we have put in place a set of guidelines since 2005 to protect this area, these include:

- Stay off the sand dunes.
- Rig up and land kites as close to the waters edge as possible.
- Do not fly kites over the dunes or wildlife.
- Keep your kite at 45degrees out to sea when walking up the beach.
- Stay a safe distance from other beach users.

The locals also take a high level of responsibility to educate riders from other places who wish to use this area, along with educating other beach users of the care that should be taken.

Despite all of this we have been targeted and tagged by a tiny group of local environmentalists as a hazardous and destructive activity. In the last three years kiteboarders using Ruakaka river mouth have had to endure being yelled at, subjected to verbal abuse, threatened with weapons (including scissors and fence posts), had equipment interfered with, had our way impeded, photos taken, videos taken, and most recently a young American traveller was assaulted on the beach by one of the woman opposed to us using this area.

This same area is also used by many thousands of people throughout the year – Fisherman, Swimmers, Kayakers, Sunbathers, Walkers, Bird Watchers, Horse Riders, Boaties, Jetskiers, Windsurfers, Surfers, Bodyboarders, 4x4 drivers, Motor cycle riders, Campers and even Drinkers. The river mouth lies between the largest campground in Ruakaka and the only surf club – over the summer on ANY day many hundreds of people walk between the camp and the surf club via the dunes or foreshore of the south side of the River Mouth.

There are also many other pressures on the wildlife in this area Cats, Dogs, Stouts, Rats, Hedgehogs, Possums, Storms, High tides, Rubbish, Pollution, Fires, Development, Erosion to name just a few.

The kiteboarders of Ruakaka are working with the Department of Conservation to investigate and try and quantify any impact we may have on the wildlife in this area. As kiteboarders we believe any impact we have is certainly lower than many of the other activities and pressures, and is manageable within the guidelines we already have in place.

We believe we are being unfairly harassed simply because those opposed to kiteboarding do not have an understanding of how kites work, consider us ‘young’, our kites are visible from a distance and we are a small group who are easy to target.

All we ask for is some perspective on all the issues at Ruakaka River Mouth and where kiteboarding fits into that mix.

David Kay
Ruakaka

Nice reply Dave. Should do the trick. Dan don't hassle with the bird lady too much looks like she will not change her mind and any discussion is only going to annoy her.
Best of luck
Adrian

Having enjoyed a bonus session at this very spot today, I have written the following to both Kathy Marks (the lazy journalist) and the Herald editor:

I consider your article on Ruakaka kitesurfing to be an incendiary piece of work with use of the words "invasion" and "havoc" completely unjustified. As a kiter I am insulted that you see fit to publish the statement that "we don't give a damn about the environment" whether a quote or not. Worse still is the fact that you have obviously made no effort to contact the always-available kiting representatives that live in the area.

I have kited that particular piece of water as many as half a dozen times per year. Margaret Hicks has been present on most of those occasions. The irony was not lost on me that, on one occasion, not long after recieving a lecture from her on the 'threat' we pose, a young lady approached me asking if I had seen her two Dobermans that had run off. Who poses the greater threat to the local birds - kiters who are aware of the issues, are self policing and have a good relationship with both DOC and the local surf-lifesavers, or the multitude of other visitors to the area?

Fascinating video. Why is dear Margaret wandering around a bird sancturary with a spade :shock: And claiming to represent DoC? She reminds me of that woman down in Moeraki who used to "save" penguins from moulting.

Someone told me at Noosa that environmentalists were trying to ban them from kiting in the estuary because of the godwits. It would still be OK to drive a 4WD on a beach or use a pwer boat :roll: The recreational fishing lobby is too powerful to ever get banned.

Dave and Su... figured you guys would be protecting your patch and onto the issue... good to hear you have a rappore with DOC already ... that will be half the battle....
Margs true colours tend to shine in that utube clip... sadly these vocal few think they are the sole protectors and in their selfish zeal loose sight of the fact that 99 percent of Kiwis realise the beauty and value of our natural environment....
We use it and we want to protect it... Immigrants like Marg can be the worst offenders here... I saw a woman at my local beach walk down to the water and empty her rubbish bag into the tide!!.... she was highly offended when I carried her rubbish back and deposited it in her car..... but hopefully she wont ever do that again... so in many ways those of us who spend hours on the water do more for the environment than a scissor waving nimby from Ruakaka!
I seem to get distracted by Mangawhai whenever I head North but will drop in some day soon for a kite and to check out the shop and boards!
Chris

Thanks Chris - you will be more than welcome to stop by and have a coffee. We have wanted to catch up with you at Mangawhai as well but it is SO hard to leave Ruakaka when it blows from the east.

Cheers

DK

"I saw a woman at my local beach walk down to the water and empty her rubbish bag into the tide!!.... she was highly offended when I carried her rubbish back and deposited it in her car"

True legend!

Great work Dave and Su,
I kited the Ruakaka river mouth for the first time ever (in over 8 years of kiting all over the place) on Sunday and had a pleasant time, I do feel slightly disappointed not to have had an encounter with, or even a sighting of, the crazy bird lady!
I did have a chat to the local surf lifesaver who was very supportive of our sport.
Keep up the good work, might be back in another 8 years.

My Reply to the news article

Keep up the good work DK


fkn spell checker

Hi Guys,

I had a primo kite there the day after the Nationals last year.
A very special place, be a shame to loose it!

I'm sure it will blow over, but that just doesnt seem to be the right attitude these days. If you dont stand up for it today, it may be to late tomorrow.

I'm sure Sue and Dave are all over it, best of luck.

Good work on the response. Looks like someone is listening.

www.surfertoday.com/kiteboarding/1076-ki...ies-in-ruakaka-beach

This was the original article
www.surfertoday.com/kiteboarding/1066-ki...aka-wildlife-reserve

Wow - that is great that they ran that for us.

The Herald also printed Brad's letter about the teo dogs today - thanks Brad!

Cheers

DK

This is interesting.>..
www.surfertoday.com/kiteboarding/1145-en...od-national-seashore


Environmental engineer contests kitesurfing ban in the Cape Cod National Seashore PDF Print E-mail
Written by Editor at SurferToday.com
Thursday, 02 April 2009 09:42

Race Point Beach in the Cape Cod National Seashore

While well-meaning, the Cape Cod National Seashore is misguided with respect to its selective ban on kitesurfing.

In its recent press release, reprinted in part in this paper on March 26, the Seashore claims that "piping plovers view ... the overhead kites as predators, which can scare the birds from their nests." While the Seashore's statement presents this as an accepted statement of fact, it is unsupported.

A single study conducted 20 years ago, which was not peer reviewed, observed that a land-based kite may temporarily disturb the habits of plovers, but clearly stated that there was no correlation between the presence of kites and the birds' productivity.

The very authors of that 1988 study have subsequently published numerous scientific results relating human activities to piping plover behavior and productivity; none of these publications even mentions kites. The areas of greatest concern to plover populations, according to the scientific literature, are pets and off-road vehicles.

Kitesurfing is an environmentally friendly, healthful activity for residents and visitors. The policy to restrict it based on perceived impact to plover population is scientifically unsupported — the Seashore should not imply otherwise.

Desiree Moyer

Environmental engineer

Brewster


SOURCE: Cape Cod Times

Nice recearch job Loui.

top marks, take that Marg.

Kitesurfing rules. any one sending that to Doc?

delete

Video looks pretty damning @ 2:30 min. I've never seen so many godwits in one place before. They aren't stupid though, I believe that they are smart enough to distinguish between an inanimate object like a kite and one which could cause serious harm like a dog.

Our local twitcher community is fortunately really relaxed about us kiting in the local estuaries. The difference is that they tend to have a strong scientific background unlike the militant Ruakaka brigade.